Starting a career in pharmacy and wondering what a standard pharmacy technician salary is? There are many factors that influence this figure, the most significant being the relative cost of living for the specific job locale, experience, credentials and even industry within the profession. For instance, all other things equal, the median pharmacy tech salary in California will be roughly $10K per year more than one in Ohio or Alabama, simply because the cost of living is higher in CA.

Likewise, if the candidate has a pharmacy technician certification, degree, or other credential, they can command a higher salary, regardless of location. Many states don’t require certification, so many don’t have formal qualifications and simply learn the position on the job, similarly to an apprenticeship under the supervision of the pharmacist.

Work experience is another important factor when determining salary. Pharmacy technician trainees typically start at around $25, 000 per year, and are then bumped to $30,000 after gaining sufficient experience. And after years of experience, pharmacy technicians can expect a ceiling of around $40,000 to $45,000, again depending on location.

Another significant contributor to a pharmacy technician’s salary is the specific type of establishment they work in within the industry. For instance, hospital pharmacy technicians are among the most highly paid, and conversely, pharmacy retail chains like Walgreens, Krogers, Target and CVS pay the least.

According to Salary.com, pharmacy technicians are classified in three groups, entry level (pharmacy technician I), intermediate (level II), and supervisor. The salary levels for these three groups are illustrated in the table below.

Experience Level	Lowest 25%	Median Salary	Highest 25%
Pharmacy Technician I	$29,216	$32,360	$35,601
Pharmacy Technician II	$33,471	$37,620	$42,101
Pharmacy Technician Supervisor	$42,408	$47,357	$54,556

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes slightly different numbers than Salary.com According to the BLS 2010 Occupational Employment and Wages, the national mean wage for pharmacy techs is $29,330, and an hourly wage is $14.10, calculated over a total employment figure of 333,500. Within the occupation itself, the median annual salary is $28,400 with an hourly wage of $14.10.

As for growth opportunities, pharmacy technicians are somewhat limited unless they choose to pursue post graduate education and obtain a pharmacy degree such as a pharm.D. Otherwise, a supervisory role within the pharmacy, sometimes requiring up to 7 years experience is the pinnacle for technicians. Pharmacy technicians in supervisory roles can expect to receive the highest pay scale mentioned above, which is from $45,000 to $55,000.