The Top 10 Pharmacy Technician Salary Myths

It's probably safe to assume that if you're here looking for pharmacy technician salary insider info, then you're probably giving serious thought to pursuing a career in this field. Maybe you've already done some initial research and have answered the question "what does a pharmacy technician do" and now that you have a good grasp of the stereotypical pharmacy technician job description you want to know how much you can expect to earn if you get the training necessary to start working as soon as possible.

Perhaps you've gone the extra mile in your hunt for information by asking a pharmacy tech at your local drug store a little about their job and whether they like it or not. You may have done a few internet searches on the subject as well. Unfortunately, it's also probably the case that over the course of scouring for reliable advice you have picked up more than a few tidbits of misinformation about the typical pharmacy technician pay scale along the way. This may have left you deceived to one degree or another about whether or not this job can make a real difference in your life where income is concerned – and if you were deceived, you wouldn't know it.

As is the case with just about any career field, it can be predicted that a number of myths or urban legends develop over time which seem to spread like black mold from one corner of the web to the next. Some of these (like the claim that CVS pharmacy technician salaries tend to be only half of what is paid to techs who work in other drug stores) are pretty much harmless. Other myths, however, can convince someone to jump into a pharmacy technician certification program with all its associated expenses without getting a proper perspective on what they can expect to get out of working in one of the many pharmacy technician jobs once their training is complete. Alternatively, overly negative myths can cause people to shy away from pursuing a career as a pharmacy tech because of some type of downside that simply is not true.

Either of these two scenarios lead thousands of people just like you to make uninformed decisions about working as a pharmacy technician and thus the staff at Salary Spot has gone to great lengths to scour the four corners of the world for the most pervasive and damaging myths about the field and has set out to expose them.

In some states, pharmacy technician training is an educational process that takes months to complete and requires a financial investment that's more than just a drop in the bucket. Taking a full 5 minutes to read everything on this page instead of just skimming it as this information may save you years of pain and frustration, so focus on what you're reading and don't run another google search until you know everything on this page inside and out.

Myth #1 – Pharmacy Technicians all Earn about the Same Regardless of Where they Live

It's not really clear where this idea originated from. It's probably because there isn't a huge swing in pay at the local level. You can walk into a local pharmacy and talk to two different technicians; one technician has been working in the field for 10 years and another for six months. You won't find that the first one is earning fifty to sixty percent more than the other…regardless of experience. Yet while the variability of the pay pharmacy techs experience witin one state may not swing by much, the mean pharmacist technician salary when one state is compared to another does tend to be quite different.

If you click the image to the right you can get a rundown of how much the typical pharmacy technician salary differs state by state for the entire country. The sample graph below also demonstrates this point but is comprised of a sample of just a few states drafted from different regions of the country. A quick look at either chart shows that mean pharmacy technician salary levels in one part of the country can be very different from those found in another zone.

Of course, it's important to note that the higher earnings levels in these diagrams are almost always related to areas in which the cost-of-living is quite a bit higher. Most people know that it's rather expensive to live in California and that each dollar earned doesn't stretch as far and thus it makes sense that the characteristic California pharmacy technician salary is higher than what is typically earned by those residing in a state in which the cost-of-living is much less.

Myth #2 – Work Setting Has Little Impact on How Much a Pharmacy Technician Earns

Everyone knows that an auto mechanic who works in a Lexus dealership earns more than a mechanic who works at an independent garage. Where then does this idea that there is no difference between the typical pharmacy technician salary paid to a tech working in a drug store vs. the one who works in a hospital come from?

There are three main environments in which pharmacy technicians are typically employed. These are the retail pharmacy, the medical/surgical hospital or medical center, and the grocery store pharmacy. Some larger nursing homes and elder care facilities also have an in-house pharmacy which will employ pharmacy technicians but these are few and far between and don't add up to a measurable percentage of the overall workplace demographic.

Workplace	Salary
Hospitals	$32,400
Grocery Stores	$28,720
Pharmacies & Drug Stores	$27,160

Mean salary levels based on employment location.

The data in Table 1 to the left is drawn from the Bureau of Labor Statistics pharmacy technician pay overview. In it we see that the median pharmacy technician salary paid to someone working in a hospital environment is about $5,240 more than that paid to a tech working in a retail pharmacy. This type of difference may not seem like a big deal to someone pulling down six figures a year, but in this income range it's about a 17% difference.

To make things more interesting, we can see that a little less than 1 in 5 pharmacy technicians actually work in a hospital setting where they can enjoy this higher rate of pay. Those working in grocery store pharmacies are represented at an even lower rate of about 7% which means that the majority of all pharmacy technicians work your classic neighborhood drug store earning the lowest pay rate.

The take-home lesson here is that if you do think that working as a pharmacy technician is what you want to do, you should do your best to get in at a hospital pharmacy as soon as possible so that you can begin building your seniority and rank in a place where you'll be able to maximize your income. While taking a formal pharmacy technician training program is not a requirement in all states, it's very important to get this type of training and to pass the certified pharmacy technician exam if you want to work in a hospital. Pharmacies located in medical care facilities know that they can pick and choose from the best applicants and most often than not you find that it's the case that whoever is in charge of hiring will pick a certified pharmacy technician over one who only has on-the-job internship training.

Plan on taking on a larger amount of responsibility if you score a position in a hospital. Those working in the hospital environment are awarded a higher-than-average pharmacy technician salary because techs working in hospital pharmacies are expected to know how to compound custom medications as well as prepare patient-critical IV bags. Pharmacy Technicians who receive additional safety training are allowed to work with highly toxic chemotherapy medications for intravenous therapy and are usually paid the most of all pharmacy techs other than those who are placed in management positions.

Myth #3 – Certified Pharmacy Techs are Paid More in General

This one is a bit complicated. It may be true that someone making thirty thousand dollars per year technically makes more than someone making thirty-one thousand dollars, but when the rubber meets the road and you want to put in a new patio in the back yard, the difference is pretty much negligible. You find this type of setup when comparing the pay of certified pharmacy technicians with that of those who are not certified. On average, a certification will only result in about a one-dollar-per-hour difference in pay. That's not very much considering the fact that in just about every job out there people are going to get a $1 p/hour raise after working there for about 90 days anyway.

The main reason why there is no significant difference between what a certified tech earns vs. one who has no certification is because both tend to do the same things. States have no regulations that say that only certified techs can prepare certain types of medications, nor do states differentiate between certified and uncertified pharmacy techs when determining how many can work under a single pharmacist at once. The very small difference in pay shows that pharmacy owners do not feel that the extra knowledge gained by becoming certified actually results in better patient care and satisfaction or and increase to the profitability of the business. Think about it – let's say that a certified pharmacy technician ends up over-dispensing one or two tablets of medication with every 1200 prescriptions filled and a tech with no certification ends up making the same mistake every 1,000 prescriptions filled. Is the certified pharmacist technician really helping improve the bottom line in a way that would justify a pay increase of more than a dollar or two per hour over a non-certified tech? Probably not.

On a side note – while it's true that the typical certified pharmacy technician salary is not significantly more that doesn't mean that it's a waste of time to go out andget certified. First of all, some states do require certification before being eligible to become licensed to work as a pharmacy tech. Even if you live in one of the states that does not require certification, it's a good idea to get the designation anyway. Why? Well, as we noted above, pharmacy techs who work in hospitals tend to get paid more than those working in other venues and most hospitals are looking for certified techs when they need to make a hiring decision. So it's a good idea to get certified as early on as possible so that when a position is made available, you can take advantage of it quickly.

Myth #4 – An Overabundance of Pharmacy Technicians Is Leading to Lower Wages

Despite the best efforts of politicians and public health professionals alike, the American population continues to become both fatter and unhealthier as time goes by. This results in and ever-increasing rate of chronic disease and a subsequent reliance upon pharmaceutical intervention by those who find themselves afflicted with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other health conditions. Combine this trend with the fact that it's taking longer to get a fully trained pharmacist through their Pharm.D. training program and it makes sense that the Bureau of Labor Statistics is predicting that the demand for pharmacy technician services will grow by about 32% from 2010-2020. This turns out to be very promising as those in medical technician positions as a whole are only expected to expand by 26%.

What's more, it's common knowledge that many pharmacy techs leave the field each year as they move on to pharmacy school in pursuit of a more enriching career as a pharmacist. All of these factors combine together to indicate that there is little chance that open positions for pharmacist technicians are going to disappear anytime soon.

Myth #5 – Pharmacy Technicians Don't Have to Worry About Pay Cuts

While it may be true that there will be an increased demand for pharmacy techs over the course of the next 10 years, that doesn't mean that there is a guarantee that the average pharmacy technician salary is going to rise as time goes on. It is possible that there will be a greater demand for help by local pharmacies but an unwillingness to increase compensation as one would expect. Let's talk about why this may be.
Pharmacy Tablet Counting Machine

The first reason is the increase in the number of machines which can measure, count, and package prescription medications. These devises supposedly help to lower the number of times a patient is given either too many or too few tablets of a particular medication. Such increases in accuracy serve to boost customer satisfaction and helps pharmacies to realize a greater bottom line profit by increasing productivity on the part of the pharmacist technician. Unfortunately, it is also means that the human skills of the pharmacy techs become less valuable and thus the rate at which pharmacies wish to pay their techs is vulnerable to taking a hit.

While it is possible that machines may make a dent in the typical pharmacy technician salary, it's more likely that the substantial increase in demand for medications by the public will negate such an effect. A factor which poses a more serious threat in this regard is the rise of the online pharmacy. More and more customers are turning to the internet to purchase their medications because of the perception of cost savings and convenience. While the local pharmacy still reigns supreme, it is very possible that the next few years will see a major shift in how people get access to their prescription medications. Iconic businesses like Blockbuster and Borders Books have been laid low by people shifting their focus from buying local to buying online and the potential for the same thing to happen in the pharmacy industry is reasonably high. If such a major shift does occur it could very well render the predictions of job growth by the BLS null and void.

Myth #6 – Pharmacy Technicians Don't Get Health Insurance

Considering the fact that pharmacy technicians essentially work in the medical field you'd think that health insurance would be a given, right? Not necessarily. Providing health insurance to pharmacy technicians is not a rule. The field is pretty much evenly split between techs who work full time and those who only work part time. A large majority of pharmacy technicians who work full time do enjoy health coverage. It's not always the case that the premiums for these health policies are 100% covered by the employer though. This isn't always the case in other technician fields. For example, health insurance usually compliments a dental hygienist salary by default. On the other hand, those working as a phlebotomy technician share the same type of coverage dichotomy that is seen in the pharmacy technician field.

If health insurance coverage is a must for you then you need to plan on working full time. Be sure to bring up the issue at any prospective employment interviews and find out whether or not you'd have to contribute anything toward the monthly premium from your paycheck, and if so, how much. Remember that dental and vision coverage are typically considered to be separate policies that are independed of any traditional health insurance coverage and may not be included so don't forget to ask about these as well. If the plan is fully funded by the employer then you can reasonably add on an additional $500 – $700 p/month to whatever your raw salary is as a pharmacy technician because that's about how much you'd have to pay out-of-pocket to fund a family plan.

Myth #7 – Most Pharmacy Techs Get Paid Vacation Time

This one is a partial mix of myth and reality. Those who are bringing home a full-time pharmacy technician salary will probably find that they do get some vacation time which is compensated…at least after the first year of employment. Pharmacies know that they need to keep their best employees around for as long as possible in order to avoid the cycle of hiring and training new people as much as possible. This is difficult to do over the long haul if an employee cannot take any time off without having his or her income slashed therefore many pharmacy technicians do get some amount of paid leave.

This story changes for those who are only working part-time however. It's pretty much a universal, not just for pharmacy technicians but in just about any job, that if you work part-time you're not going to get much (if any) paid time off. So if you're hoping to work only 20 – 30 hour p/week in order to supplement the income of your spouse, you'll have to plan on this secondary income stream drying up if you need to take time off to attend to personal matters.

Working evenings, weekends, and holidays pretty much goes with the territory as well. Most drug stores don't close for Labor Day or Thanksgiving though some do for Christmas. If the store itself is open then the pharmacy is most likely going to need to be open and someone is going to have to be there to run it, even if it's just a skeleton crew. Same thing applies for hospitals. Someone has to prepare those IV drips on Christmas Day. The good thing is that most organizations are set up so that as one gains experience and seniority they are called upon to work at inconvenient times less and less. This is another reason to get into a hospital setting as soon as possible. The sooner you start, the sooner your seniority clock starts ticking.

Myth #8 – Most Pharmacy Techs Don't Get Retirement Benefits

This one pretty much falls in line with Myth #6 and is about as accurate. First of all, let's put it out there that very few in this line of work receive a true "pension" in addition to their standard pharmacy technician salary. Life-time benefit programs such as this are pretty much a thing of the past for those who are not part of a large union or a government agency.

In place of a defined benefit program most employers offer 401(k) retirement plans. These types of plans are exposed to significantly more risk than the older pension plans and because there is no requirement for the pharmacy owner to contribute to the plan it's often the case that pharmacist technicians are funding their retirement plan completely on their own. Whatever location you end up interviewing at, whether it be a retail pharmacy or one located in a hospital, be sure to ask if there is a retirement program and how much the employer is contributing to it.

Myth #9 – Other Medical Technician Positions Earn about the Same as Pharmacy Techs

It would seem like common sense to assume that a medical assistant salary is going to be different from that paid to a pharmacy technician, but some people think that pretty much all jobs which do not require an associate's degree are going to pay the same. This isn't always true even though they do tend to be pretty close. It all boils down to the amount of schooling a particular position requires. From the graph below you can see that there's not a huge difference between what pharmacy techs earn and what medical assistants earn. Same goes for a phlebotomist salary.

A very noticeable trend, though, is that those fields which do require at least a 2-year degree are paying quite a bit more. Included in the graph are a few career paths which require at least an associate's degree. These are located above the orange line. The typical ultrasound technician salary, for example, is about $37,400 more per year than what pharmacy techs make. Contrary to popular belief, one can become an RN without a four-year degree, only an associate's degree is required. The average registered nurse salary is $40710 more than what most pharmacy techs bring home. Again, we see quite a jump in pay for this position which only requires two years of intense training.

Please Note: While the income figures for these other fields is appealing, the additional time and cost of gaining the education needed to work in these positions must be factored in as well. Click on the links to any of the fields above in order to find out more about what these jobs entail.

Myth #10 – You can Raise a Family on a Pharmacy Technician Salary Alone

This is probably the biggest myth of them all. It's particularly loathsome because of the fact that many people set eyes on becoming a pharmacy tech because they convince themselves that they will bring home enough income on a certified pharmacy technician salary alone to provide their family with a middle-class lifestyle. Furthermore, many of the educational organizations out there are not helping people get any real perspective on this but are encouraging this hotheaded pursuit because their entire business is focused around getting people like this to take their training course. Let's get one thing straight:

The average pharmacy technician salary is $28,400.

It is not $60,000 per year. Even the most generous estimates such as those provided by Salary.com peg the pharmacy technician as realizing annual earnings of about $31,850. If you think that the amount of money typically paid to pharmacy techs is going to allow you to own a house, take care of two car payments, buy food, insurance, clothing, a small vacation or two each year, the newest iPhone, and still have some money left over for Christmas presents, all without any additional income stream – well, that's just not very realistic.

The fact that the average pharmacist technician salary is not enough to provide for a family and leave a little bit left over to save for the future or give to one's church or charity is a big reason why so many pharmacy techs leave the field in pursuit of pharmacy school. If you think this is a bunch of bunk and that we're just being down on the pharmacy tech field for no good reason, then read Randy Brown's pharmacy technician salary assessment. Randy is a 10-year veteran of the pharmacy tech industry and he attests to the fact that it's not a cake walk to raise a family on less than $30,000 per year – even if you do get benefits.

The Data Doesn't Lie

If you watched the video at the top of this page then you know that a major purpose for putting this information out there is to help people make an informed decision when considering making a lateral move to begin working as a pharmacy technician. It's a noted phenomenon that because of the economy many people have had the carpet pulled out from under them. They find themselves in the unfortunate position that they have little to no savings and need to find a new income source – and fast! When people in this type of situation find out that they can take a short course and be up and running in this field within a matter of months instead of years, they sometimes try to convince themselves that this will be everything that they need in order to make it to the next phase of life. Unfortunately, this is very rarely the case.

Working as a pharmacy technician can be a rewarding career. The pharmacy is a clean environment that is heated in the winter and air conditioned in the summer. There's a pharmacy on practically every corner in some suburban areas so driving 45 minutes to work is rarely a necessity. All of these factors add up to equal a potentially good work experience…but only if larger income requirements are not necessary. Those who are single and don't have any children or other dependents to provide for will probably be pleased with the flexible schedule and relatively low-stress work environment. In the same manner, if someone else in the household is the primary breadwinner and the search to add an additional income stream in the form of a pharmacy technician salary is solely an attempt to enhance the family's overall standard of living, then this job might be a great match.

Those who are thinking of carrying a family through life on this income alone are going to find this goal particularly difficult to accomplish. As a rule of thumb, one needs to search for job that is going to pay at least $50,000 if not more if taking care of a family is the primary goal in job hunt. Settling for less is usually a bad idea because both time and money have to be invested in the training that is necessary for that position. It is not uncommon for techs to work behind the glass for a number of years hoping that their next raise will bring them to where they hope to be in life. Of course, when the raise does come it's usually too little too late.

If you know that this job is right for you, then take a look at some of the educational resources found at the top of this page. They'll point you in the right direction. If you're still rolling the idea around in your head then feel free to take a step back and explore some of the other careers that will help you bring home a bit more than the average pharmacy technician salary can provide. Just visit the Salary Spot homepage and check out the entire list of different career fields found on the left side of the screen. The time you invest exploring your options will not be wasted, but failure to do so can bring about years of struggle and frustration.

Navigation

Salary Spot Home

Recent Posts

Contact
Privacy Policy
Site Map

Careers