Pharmacy Technician Pay at a Glance (BLS, May 2025)
If you're weighing a pharmacy technician career — or wondering whether your current paycheck is competitive — you deserve real numbers, not vague ranges. Every figure in this guide comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, the most recent federal wage data available, covering 471,680 pharmacy technicians nationwide. Here's what the job actually pays, state by state and setting by setting.
In This Guide
1. The National Numbers
The median pharmacy technician in the U.S. earns $45,750 a year — $22.00 an hour. The mean (average) is slightly higher at $46,620 ($22.41/hour), pulled up by well-paid hospital and specialty roles. Half of all techs earn between $37,850 and $49,990; where you land in that spread depends mostly on your state and your work setting.
| Wage | 10th percentile | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly | $17.32 | $18.20 | $22.00 | $24.04 | $29.35 |
| Annual | $36,020 | $37,850 | $45,750 | $49,990 | $61,040 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, SOC 29-2052 (Pharmacy Technicians). Accessed July 21, 2026.
Read the percentiles as a career map, not a lottery. New techs typically start near the 10th–25th percentile ($17.32–$18.20/hour). The jump to the 75th and 90th percentiles usually comes from changing settings — retail to hospital — and adding certifications, not from waiting for annual raises.
2. Pharmacy Technician Salary by State
Geography moves pharmacy tech pay by more than $20,000 a year. The West Coast leads decisively — Washington's median is 54% higher than West Virginia's. Each state below links to its requirements page, because the states that license techs more rigorously often sit near the top of the pay table.
10 Highest-Paying States for Pharmacy Technicians
| Rank | State | Median annual salary | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $58,900 | $28.32 |
| 2 | California | $55,110 | $26.50 |
| 3 | Oregon | $54,900 | $26.39 |
| 4 | Alaska | $52,640 | $25.31 |
| 5 | Colorado | $49,970 | $24.02 |
| 6 | Montana | $49,400 | $23.75 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $48,300 | $23.22 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $48,260 | $23.20 |
| 9 | Utah | $48,140 | $23.14 |
| 10 | Nevada | $47,980 | $23.07 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Median wages by state, SOC 29-2052. Accessed July 21, 2026.
5 Lowest-Paying States for Pharmacy Technicians
| State | Median annual salary | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $38,210 | $18.37 |
| Arkansas | $38,680 | $18.60 |
| Alabama | $39,030 | $18.77 |
| Mississippi | $39,040 | $18.77 |
| Kentucky | $39,200 | $18.84 |
Weigh pay against cost of living
Washington, California, and Oregon top the table partly because of higher state minimum wages and living costs. A $45,900 median in Texas can stretch further than $55,110 in coastal California once rent is paid. Use the numbers to negotiate locally, not necessarily to relocate.
Full Table: All 50 States + DC, Ranked by Median Pay
| Rank | State | Median annual salary | Median hourly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $58,900 | $28.32 |
| 2 | California | $55,110 | $26.50 |
| 3 | Oregon | $54,900 | $26.39 |
| 4 | Alaska | $52,640 | $25.31 |
| 5 | Colorado | $49,970 | $24.02 |
| 6 | Montana | $49,400 | $23.75 |
| 7 | Minnesota | $48,300 | $23.22 |
| 8 | Wyoming | $48,260 | $23.20 |
| 9 | Utah | $48,140 | $23.14 |
| 10 | Nevada | $47,980 | $23.07 |
| 11 | Vermont | $47,940 | $23.05 |
| 12 | Arizona | $47,640 | $22.90 |
| 13 | North Dakota | $47,560 | $22.86 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $47,410 | $22.79 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $47,360 | $22.77 |
| 16 | Connecticut | $47,050 | $22.62 |
| 17 | Hawaii | $46,760 | $22.48 |
| 18 | Illinois | $46,650 | $22.43 |
| 19 | New Mexico | $46,630 | $22.42 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $46,610 | $22.41 |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $46,470 | $22.34 |
| 22 | Delaware | $46,430 | $22.32 |
| 23 | Idaho | $46,420 | $22.32 |
| 24 | South Dakota | $46,170 | $22.20 |
| 25 | Wisconsin | $45,970 | $22.10 |
| 26 | Texas | $45,900 | $22.07 |
| 27 | Maine | $45,400 | $21.83 |
| 28 | Maryland | $45,120 | $21.69 |
| 29 | Iowa | $44,860 | $21.57 |
| 30 | Virginia | $44,610 | $21.45 |
| 31 | Indiana | $44,560 | $21.42 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $44,530 | $21.41 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $44,410 | $21.35 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $44,380 | $21.34 |
| 35 | Michigan | $44,340 | $21.32 |
| 36 | New York | $43,930 | $21.12 |
| 37 | Florida | $43,590 | $20.96 |
| 38 | Kansas | $43,310 | $20.82 |
| 39 | South Carolina | $42,120 | $20.25 |
| 40 | Tennessee | $41,920 | $20.15 |
| 41 | Georgia | $41,910 | $20.15 |
| 42 | Ohio | $40,650 | $19.55 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $40,500 | $19.47 |
| 44 | Missouri | $40,100 | $19.28 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $40,040 | $19.25 |
| 46 | New Jersey | $39,610 | $19.04 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $39,200 | $18.84 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $39,040 | $18.77 |
| 49 | Alabama | $39,030 | $18.77 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $38,680 | $18.60 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $38,210 | $18.37 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 29-2052. Median annual and hourly wages by state. Accessed July 21, 2026.
3. Hospital vs. Retail: Pay by Work Setting
Where you work matters as much as where you live. The same national dataset splits pharmacy technician pay by industry, and the pattern is stark: hospital techs out-earn retail techs by more than $11,000 a year at the median, and outpatient care centers pay more still.
Pharmacies & drug retailers
244,590 jobs- Median annual wage
- $39,240
- Mean annual wage
- $42,600
Chain and independent retail pharmacies employ over half of all pharmacy technicians. Pay is the lowest of the major settings, but these jobs are the most plentiful and often the easiest first job to land.
General medical & surgical hospitals
80,740 jobs- Median annual wage
- $50,680
- Mean annual wage
- $54,270
Hospital techs prepare IVs and unit doses, manage inventory, and work more clinically. The median is more than $11,000 above retail — and hospitals typically require national certification.
Outpatient care centers
8,090 jobs- Median annual wage
- $57,860
- Mean annual wage
- $60,260
A smaller, competitive niche — infusion centers, specialty clinics, and similar sites. The best-paid major setting BLS tracks for pharmacy technicians.
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025 national industry estimates for SOC 29-2052. Accessed July 21, 2026.
4. How to Earn More as a Pharmacy Tech
The gap between the 10th and 90th percentile is more than $25,000 a year, and most of it is within your control. Here's the playbook, in the order most techs should run it:
Get nationally certified (CPhT)
BLS doesn't split wages by certification status, but the math is simple: the best-paying settings — hospitals, health systems, specialty and outpatient pharmacies — typically require national certification through the PTCE or ExCPT. Certification is the ticket that makes every other move on this list possible. Start with our free PTCE practice tests to see where you stand today.
Move from retail to a hospital or health system
This is the single biggest raise available to most techs: the median hospital wage ($50,680) beats the retail median ($39,240) by over $11,000. Hospital roles also add skills — sterile compounding, unit-dose preparation, inventory systems — that compound your value.
Add specialty skills
Sterile and hazardous compounding, chemotherapy preparation, and medication history roles pay premiums because fewer techs can do them. PTCB also offers assessment-based certificates and an advanced credential (CPhT-Adv) that document these skills for employers.
Take the shifts others won't
Hospitals run 24/7, and evening, overnight, and weekend shifts usually carry differentials of $1–$3 or more per hour. A night differential alone can add $2,000–$6,000 a year at full time.
Negotiate with data — or move where the data points
Bring the state table above to your next review: if you're certified, experienced, and earning below your state's median, you have a case. And if you're near a state line — say, working in Idaho ($46,420) within commuting distance of Washington ($58,900) — check the neighboring state's requirements; a second credential can be a five-figure raise.
PharmacyTechTest is an independent study resource and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
5. Job Outlook Through 2034
The BLS projects employment of pharmacy technicians to grow about 6% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the average across all occupations — with roughly 49,000 openings projected each year, most of them replacing techs who advance into pharmacy school, nursing, or other health careers.
Three forces are working in your favor:
- An aging population takes more prescription medications, year after year.
- Techs are absorbing more clinical work — immunization support, medication histories, and tech-check-tech programs keep expanding the role in many states.
- Pharmacist shortages in retail push routine dispensing work to technicians, keeping demand steady even as some storefronts consolidate.
What this means for you
Steady demand plus a persistent certification bottleneck means certified techs have leverage. If you're already working uncertified in a state that allows it, certifying now positions you for the hospital and specialty openings that pay near the top of the tables above.
6. Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pharmacy technician make per hour?
The median hourly wage is $22.00 (BLS, May 2025). The middle 50% of pharmacy technicians earn between $18.20 and $24.04 per hour, and the top 10% earn more than $29.35 per hour.
Which state pays pharmacy technicians the most?
Washington pays the highest median wage at $58,900 a year ($28.32 per hour), followed by California ($55,110), Oregon ($54,900), and Alaska ($52,640).
Do hospital pharmacy technicians earn more than retail techs?
Yes. The median wage at general medical and surgical hospitals is $50,680 a year, versus $39,240 at pharmacies and drug retailers — a gap of more than $11,000 a year.
Is pharmacy technician a growing career?
Yes. The BLS projects employment of pharmacy technicians to grow about 6% from 2024 to 2034 — faster than the average for all occupations — with roughly 49,000 openings each year.
Does PTCB certification increase pharmacy technician pay?
BLS does not publish wages by certification status. But the highest-paying settings — hospitals and health systems — typically require or strongly prefer national certification (CPhT), so getting certified is the practical gateway to the better-paid jobs.
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Pharmacy Technicians (SOC 29-2052) — bls.gov/oes/current/oes292052.htm. Retrieved via the BLS Public Data API; accessed July 21, 2026.
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacy Technicians — bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm. Accessed July 21, 2026.
- O*NET OnLine, Pharmacy Technicians (29-2052.00), employment projections 2024–2034 — onetonline.org/link/summary/29-2052.00. Accessed July 21, 2026.
Certification is the raise you control
The highest-paying pharmacy tech jobs go to certified techs. Find out how ready you are — free, no signup, instant scoring.