Pharmacy Aide salary in the U.S.
Pharmacy Aides in the U.S. earn a median of $37,680 a year ($18.12 an hour), based on BLS data for 39,530 workers.
Pay ranges from $29,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $56,010 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $40,450, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for pharmacy aides in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $29,820 | $14.34 |
| 25th percentile | $34,980 | $16.82 |
| Median | $37,680 | $18.12 |
| 75th percentile | $43,640 | $20.98 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $56,010 | $26.93 |
| Average (mean) | $40,450 | $19.45 |
Half of pharmacy aides earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,140 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,570 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,449.23 |
| Weekly | $724.62 |
| Hourly | $18.12 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Pharmacy Aide salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $59,960 | 120 |
| Utah | $51,600 | 250 |
| Hawaii | $46,250 | 110 |
| Washington | $45,110 | 1,990 |
| Arizona | $43,360 | 810 |
| California | $42,200 | 8,440 |
| Oregon | $40,250 | 450 |
| Pennsylvania | $39,470 | 1,210 |
| Nevada | $39,080 | 410 |
| Texas | $38,630 | 2,900 |
| Delaware | $38,500 | 130 |
| Maine | $38,060 | 150 |
| New York | $38,040 | 2,360 |
| Rhode Island | $38,020 | n/a |
| Missouri | $37,820 | 650 |
| Idaho | $37,690 | 110 |
| Colorado | $37,580 | 370 |
| Ohio | $37,500 | 690 |
| Minnesota | $37,430 | 550 |
| Massachusetts | $37,390 | 340 |
| New Hampshire | $37,350 | 50 |
| Vermont | $37,310 | 90 |
| Montana | $37,140 | 210 |
| Wyoming | $37,030 | 60 |
| Illinois | $37,010 | 1,180 |
| Arkansas | $36,860 | 120 |
| Wisconsin | $36,660 | 550 |
| New Jersey | $36,590 | 1,020 |
| New Mexico | $36,390 | 180 |
| Virginia | $36,390 | 510 |
| Connecticut | $36,350 | 490 |
| Alabama | $36,260 | 460 |
| South Carolina | $36,140 | 360 |
| Michigan | $36,130 | 880 |
| South Dakota | $36,130 | 150 |
| Indiana | $35,890 | 610 |
| North Carolina | $35,530 | 1,180 |
| Maryland | $35,170 | 420 |
| Florida | $35,160 | 1,590 |
| Georgia | $34,630 | 1,410 |
| Kentucky | $34,610 | 600 |
| Louisiana | $33,450 | 730 |
| Iowa | $33,270 | 1,070 |
| Kansas | $32,070 | 470 |
| Nebraska | $31,610 | 400 |
| Oklahoma | $30,360 | 700 |
| Tennessee | $30,170 | 1,150 |
| Mississippi | $28,380 | 660 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,100 | 1,090 |
Best-paying metro areas for pharmacy aides
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | $69,870 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $55,710 | 70 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $51,850 | 150 |
| Salem, OR | $51,590 | 60 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $49,620 | 50 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $47,830 | 50 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $47,450 | 380 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,830 | 690 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $46,250 | 80 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $45,400 | 1,270 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $44,810 | 440 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $44,120 | 140 |
| Bend, OR | $43,610 | 50 |
| Toledo, OH | $43,480 | 40 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $43,360 | 700 |
Metro areas with the most pharmacy aides
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 4,010 | $39,770 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 2,050 | $38,550 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,270 | $45,400 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,070 | $37,010 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 760 | $37,400 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 700 | $43,360 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 700 | $29,180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 690 | $46,830 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 610 | $42,640 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 590 | $41,600 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 570 | $40,160 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 550 | $36,130 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 530 | $39,160 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 480 | $34,640 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 440 | $39,140 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Assistant | $45,690 | $21.97 |
| Dental Assistant | $48,070 | $23.11 |
| Phlebotomist | $45,230 | $21.75 |
| Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers | $38,150 | $18.34 |
| Healthcare Support Workers, All Other | $48,430 | $23.28 |
| Massage Therapist | $58,450 | $28.10 |
| Medical Equipment Preparer | $47,700 | $22.93 |
| Medical Transcriptionist | $40,410 | $19.43 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $35,800 | $17.21 |
| Nursing Assistant | $42,260 | $20.32 |
| Physical Therapist Assistant | $68,380 | $32.88 |
| Orderly | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| Occupational Therapy Assistant | $72,300 | $34.76 |
| Physical Therapist Aide | $35,240 | $16.94 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 31-9095. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pharmacy aide make in the U.S.?
The median salary for pharmacy aides in the U.S. is $37,680 a year, or $18.12 an hour. Pay ranges from $29,820 for the lowest-paid 10% to $56,010 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid pharmacy aides make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of pharmacy aides in the U.S. earn at least $56,010 a year. The top 25% earn $43,640 or more.
What is the starting pay for pharmacy aides in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $29,820 a year, and a quarter of pharmacy aides earn $34,980 or less.
How many pharmacy aides work in the U.S.?
About 39,530 pharmacy aides are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.