The areas with the highest concentrations of Pharmacy Technicians are fairly small population areas. It is not surprising, then, that the annual mean wages of four out of the five metropolitan areas are lower than the national mean annual pharmacy tech pay of $28,500. In fact, at $21,960, Gadsden, Alabama pays almost 30% below the national average annual wage . The difference in annual mean wages between Gadsden, Alabama and Madera, California is $9,030 or 41%. Of course, when looking at wages it is necessary to also take the cost-of-living into consideration. It is more expensive to live in California than in Alabama.
Wages for Pharmacy Technicians are clearly affected by the geographic region where the jobs are located. There are other factors that will determine pay also including years of experience and certification. Some Pharmacy Technicians are specializing in medical areas such as chemotherapy and nursing home care, while others are obtaining jobs in pharmaceutical sales where commissions can be earned in addition to straight pay.
This chart displays annual mean salaries for Pharmacy Technicians in the U.S. The data was collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics OES - May 2008.
The employment opportunities for pharmacy technicians over the next 10 years are expected to be excellent for two primary reasons. The passage of the national healthcare legislation will lead to over 30 million new insured citizens with drug coverage. In addition, the fastest growing population group is found in the group of people over 55 years old.
Related Charts for Pharmacy Technician Salaries:
Pharmacy Technician Pay Scale - Metropolitan Areas
Pharmacy Technician Salaries - Top Paying U.S. States
Pharmacy Technician Salary Ranges - Top Paying Industries
The bar graph above shows the 5 metropolitan areas with the highest level of employment for pharmacy technicians along with their salaries. You may see the same data in the table near the bottom of the page with exact figures:
| City |
Annual Mean Wage |
|---|
| Gadsden, AL |
21,960 |
| Madera, CA |
30,990 |
| Punta Gorda, FL |
26,240 |
| Hot Springs, AR |
27,920 |
| Columbia, MO |
23,360 |
Salaries are often dependent on overall population needs and the cost of living. So when you ask yourself, "how much does a pharmacy technician make in a year?" it is important to factor in where you will be living. Also, since these numbers represent an average (mean) salary for a pharmacy technician, you can reasonably aim to achieve a higher salary with more education and skills. Your exact background will play a role in your income.
