Pharmacy Technician salary in the U.S.
Pharmacy Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $45,750 a year ($22.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 471,680 workers.
Pay ranges from $36,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,040 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $46,620, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for pharmacy technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| 25th percentile | $37,850 | $18.20 |
| Median | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| 75th percentile | $49,990 | $24.04 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $61,040 | $29.35 |
| Average (mean) | $46,620 | $22.41 |
Half of pharmacy technicians 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 | $3,812.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,906.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,759.62 |
| Weekly | $879.81 |
| Hourly | $22.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Pharmacy Technician salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $58,900 | 8,150 |
| California | $55,110 | 39,860 |
| Oregon | $54,900 | 4,320 |
| Alaska | $52,640 | 800 |
| Colorado | $49,970 | 6,010 |
| Montana | $49,400 | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $48,300 | 7,340 |
| Wyoming | $48,260 | 600 |
| Utah | $48,140 | 5,030 |
| Nevada | $47,980 | 4,070 |
| Vermont | $47,940 | 760 |
| Arizona | $47,640 | 12,970 |
| North Dakota | $47,560 | 890 |
| District of Columbia | $47,410 | 1,130 |
| New Hampshire | $47,360 | 1,970 |
| Connecticut | $47,050 | 5,200 |
| Hawaii | $46,760 | 1,540 |
| Illinois | $46,650 | 21,340 |
| New Mexico | $46,630 | 2,550 |
| Nebraska | $46,610 | 2,660 |
| Massachusetts | $46,470 | 10,150 |
| Delaware | $46,430 | 1,480 |
| Idaho | $46,420 | 2,950 |
| South Dakota | $46,170 | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | $45,970 | 9,540 |
| Texas | $45,900 | 41,740 |
| Maine | $45,400 | 2,070 |
| Maryland | $45,120 | 7,990 |
| Iowa | $44,860 | 4,630 |
| Virginia | $44,610 | 10,720 |
| Indiana | $44,560 | 10,790 |
| North Carolina | $44,530 | 17,260 |
| Louisiana | $44,410 | 6,700 |
| Rhode Island | $44,380 | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $44,340 | 14,240 |
| New York | $43,930 | 24,400 |
| Florida | $43,590 | 38,460 |
| Kansas | $43,310 | 4,270 |
| South Carolina | $42,120 | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $41,920 | 11,870 |
| Georgia | $41,910 | 14,680 |
| Ohio | $40,650 | 17,820 |
| Virgin Islands | $40,620 | 40 |
| Oklahoma | $40,500 | 5,500 |
| Missouri | $40,100 | 12,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,040 | 18,880 |
| New Jersey | $39,610 | 14,020 |
| Kentucky | $39,200 | 8,870 |
| Mississippi | $39,040 | 4,040 |
| Alabama | $39,030 | 8,510 |
| Arkansas | $38,680 | 4,560 |
| West Virginia | $38,210 | 3,560 |
| Guam | $36,010 | 140 |
| Puerto Rico | $29,520 | 5,820 |
Best-paying metro areas for pharmacy technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $77,360 | 200 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,490 | 1,780 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,800 | 370 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,320 | 4,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,550 | 4,040 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $59,380 | 200 |
| Vallejo, CA | $58,670 | 440 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,590 | 2,460 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $58,470 | 2,820 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $58,250 | 100 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $57,830 | 740 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $57,190 | 60 |
| Salinas, CA | $57,180 | 360 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $57,090 | 260 |
| Bend, OR | $56,950 | 220 |
Metro areas with the most pharmacy technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 25,420 | $44,640 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 15,830 | $46,820 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,130 | $50,760 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 12,000 | $46,260 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 10,610 | $46,400 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 10,310 | $45,240 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 9,780 | $47,760 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 9,030 | $44,880 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 7,930 | $45,020 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,370 | $46,890 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 6,650 | $46,660 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 6,200 | $43,370 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 6,060 | $43,080 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 5,830 | $43,330 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 4,980 | $45,220 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | $64,400 | $30.96 |
| Clinical Laboratory Technologists and Technicians | $62,930 | $30.26 |
| Radiologic Technologists and Technicians | $80,110 | $38.52 |
| Medical Records Specialist | $51,140 | $24.59 |
| Health Technologists and Technicians, All Other | $50,290 | $24.18 |
| Emergency Medical Technician | $44,470 | $21.38 |
| Psychiatric Technician | $45,130 | $21.70 |
| Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | $47,380 | $22.78 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 | $31.08 |
| Paramedic | $60,600 | $29.13 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 | $46.44 |
| Opticians, Dispensing | $47,260 | $22.72 |
| Ophthalmic Medical Technician | $45,570 | $21.91 |
| Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians | $74,310 | $35.73 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 29-2052. 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 technician make in the U.S.?
The median salary for pharmacy technicians in the U.S. is $45,750 a year, or $22.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $36,020 for the lowest-paid 10% to $61,040 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid pharmacy technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of pharmacy technicians in the U.S. earn at least $61,040 a year. The top 25% earn $49,990 or more.
What is the starting pay for pharmacy technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $36,020 a year, and a quarter of pharmacy technicians earn $37,850 or less.
How many pharmacy technicians work in the U.S.?
About 471,680 pharmacy technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.