Pharmacy Technician Salary & Job Requirements

Who is a Pharmacy technician?

A pharmacy technician is a pharmacy staff member who works under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, and performs many pharmacy-related functions.

Pharmacy technician salary:

The median expected salary for a typical Pharmacy Technician in the United States is $32,446.

Lowest Salaries                 $20,270

Average Salaries               $28,710

Highest Salaries                 $40,480

Pharmacy Tech Salaries by Industry: Hospitals                            $32,180

Grocery stores                   $28,490

Pharmacies/ drug stores    $26,660

Pharmacy technician job description:

• Receive and fill prescription requests (from nurses, hospitals, and patients)
• Prepare, price, and file prescriptions for the pharmacist to check
• Prepare insurance claim forms
• Answer phones
• Maintain inventory for over the counter medication
• Maintain patient profiles
• Handle money/cashier duties

All work is overseen by a pharmacist. In addition to pharmacy technicians, some employers hire pharmacy aides who work closely with the technicians in completing daily tasks.

Most pharmacy technicians work in hospitals, retail pharmacies, department stores, grocery stores, as well as nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Their jobs may require some heavy lifting, working evenings, weekends, and some holidays.

Skills required for a pharmacy technician:

• Professional attitude
• Strong communication skills
• Ability to work as part of a team
• Honest and dependable
• Attentive to details
• Neat, friendly and customer-service oriented
• Hard working
• A quick learner

Experience and qualifications:

Most employers seek pharmacy technicians who have experience, completed formal training, or are certified. Training is offered through colleges, some hospitals, and the military. Community colleges provide formal training which includes an internship, extensive educational programs, earning candidates an associate degree, a diploma, or a certificate.

Experience with managing inventory, measuring dosages, counting tablets, and computer knowledge is especially preferred. Persons pursuing pharmacy technician positions cannot have prior records of substance or drug abuse.

Certification for pharmacy technicians is provided by two organizations: Pharmacy Technician Certification Board; and, the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians. Certification is usually optional; however, few States require it. Certification is a plus when applying for a pharmacy technician position.