How Much Does a Certified Pharmacy Technician Make? (2025)
A certified pharmacy technician's work involves collecting, inputting, and verifying prescriptions, refills, and patient information. They assist registered pharmacists with support activities and processes when it comes to dispensing medical prescriptions.
Additionally, certified pharmacy technicians prepare labels and routine pre-packed orders, receive and stock incoming supplies, and may perform clerical duties relating to the department. According to BLS, the largest employers for pharmacy technicians are hospitals, retail pharmacies, grocery stores, and ambulatory healthcare services.
This salary guide will thoroughly discuss the overview of the salary of certified pharmacy technicians, as well as factors that affect their compensation, necessary steps to have higher pay, and some related frequently asked questions.
What is the Average Certified Pharmacy Technician's Salary?
As of August 5, 2025, the average certified pharmacy technician salary in the United States is $38,500 per year. The compensation usually ranges from $32,960 to $47,861, with most certified pharmacy technicians earning around $35,600 to $43,400.
2025 Average Salary for Certified Pharmacy Technicians: $38,500 per year ($19 per hour)
The average salary of certified pharmacy technicians per month is $3,208 while the average weekly rate is $740.
Salary Percentiles
| Percentile | By Hour | By Week | By Month | By Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $16 | $634 | $2,747 | $32,960 |
| 25th Percentile | $17 | $685 | $2,967 | $35,600 |
| 50th Percentile (Median) | $19 | $740 | $3,208 | $38,500 |
| 75th Percentile | $21 | $835 | $3,617 | $43,400 |
| 90th Percentile | $23 | $920 | $3,988 | $47,861 |
Certified Pharmacy Technician Salaries State by State
Compensation for certified pharmacy technicians varies from state to state due to key factors like cost of living, local economies, and industry presence.
The state with the highest average annual certified pharmacy technician salary is the District of Columbia with $42,600, followed by California with $42,500 and Massachusetts with $41,900.
Meanwhile, the state with the lowest average annual salary is Mississippi with $34,400, followed by West Virginia with $34,700 and Arkansas with $34,800.
| States | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Alaska | $41,700 |
| Alabama | $35,400 |
| Arkansas | $34,800 |
| Arizona | $37,500 |
| California | $42,500 |
| Colorado | $39,300 |
| Connecticut | $41,200 |
| District of Columbia | $42,600 |
| Delaware | $39,000 |
| Florida | $36,500 |
| Georgia | $37,200 |
| Hawaii | $40,300 |
| Iowa | $36,900 |
| Idaho | $36,000 |
| Illinois | $39,300 |
| Indiana | $37,000 |
| Kansas | $36,700 |
| Kentucky | $36,300 |
| Louisiana | $36,600 |
| Massachusetts | $41,900 |
| Maryland | $39,700 |
| Maine | $37,600 |
| Michigan | $37,900 |
| Minnesota | $39,400 |
| Missouri | $36,600 |
| Mississippi | $34,400 |
| Montana | $36,400 |
| North Carolina | $36,600 |
| North Dakota | $38,100 |
| Nebraska | $36,300 |
| New Hampshire | $38,900 |
| New Jersey | $41,800 |
| New Mexico | $35,700 |
| Nevada | $38,100 |
| New York | $41,000 |
| Ohio | $37,500 |
| Oklahoma | $35,600 |
| Oregon | $39,100 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,400 |
| Rhode Island | $39,900 |
| South Carolina | $36,100 |
| South Dakota | $35,000 |
| Tennessee | $36,000 |
| Texas | $37,600 |
| Utah | $36,900 |
| Virginia | $38,800 |
| Vermont | $37,800 |
| Washington | $41,800 |
| Wisconsin | $37,900 |
| West Virginia | $34,700 |
| Wyoming | $36,900 |
What are the Best-Paying Cities for Certified Pharmacy Technicians?
The cities that give the best salary for certified pharmacy technicians are shown in the table below. With an average annual compensation of $48,600, San Jose, California is the best-paying city.
| Cities | Average Pay |
|---|---|
| San Jose, California | $48,600 ($23 per hour) |
| San Francisco, California | $48,100 ($23 per hour) |
| Oakland, California | $47,000 ($23 per hour) |
| New York, New York | $44,600 ($21 per hour) |
| Queens Village, New York | $44,400 ($21 per hour) |
| Paramus, New Jersey | $44,000 ($21 per hour) |
How Does Experience Affect Certified Pharmacy Technician Salaries?
Just like any profession, more experience will lead to higher pay when it comes to certified pharmacy technician compensation.
With less than a year of experience, an entry-level position will have an average starting salary of $37,981. An intermediate-level certified pharmacy technician with 1 to 2 years of experience gets $38,413.
A senior level with 2 to 4 years of experience will have $39,743, while the specialist level with 5 to 8 years of experience usually gets $40,913 on average. The most experienced certified pharmacy technician is on the expert level with over 8 years of practice, earning $41,060.
| Levels | Salary |
|---|---|
| Entry Level Certified Pharmacy Technician | $37,981 |
| Intermediate Level Certified Pharmacy Technician | $38,413 |
| Senior Level Certified Pharmacy Technician | $39,743 |
| Specialist Level Certified Pharmacy Technician | $40,913 |
| Expert Level Certified Pharmacy Technician | $41,060 |
How to Increase Salary as a Certified Pharmacy Technician?
The job position as a certified pharmacy technician usually requires a high school diploma or completion of a postsecondary education program in pharmacy technology.
Important certification requirements in most states for pharmacy technicians include formal education or pharmacy technician training program, examination, fees, continuing education, and criminal background check.
Organizations like the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offer certifications for pharmacy technicians. Technicians need to get recertified every two years by accomplishing 20 hours of continuing education courses.
When all these qualifications are met, there are ways that can increase the salary of certified pharmacy technicians. Here are some of them:
Certified Pharmacy Technician Advancements
-
Gain advanced certification:
Advanced pharmacy technician certificates are more valuable to employers since they signify further training and knowledge. Some of these certifications include Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician, Controlled Substances Diversion Prevention Certificate, and Hazardous Drug Management Certificate. -
Specialize in specific pharmacy jobs:
Specialization requires additional education, training, and expertise so there is a boost in earning potential in advanced and specialty pharmacy technician jobs, such as home health, informatics, and nuclear or chemotherapy medicine. -
Seek higher education:
Gaining further knowledge through admission in a pharmacy, nursing, physical assistant, and advanced healthcare schools is a steppingstone in acquiring a higher pay as a certified pharmacy technician. -
Apply in high-paying sectors:
Go for industries that have more competitive salaries than the others. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the top industries with high annual median salary for certified pharmacy technicians:
- Outpatient care centers: $61,080
- Psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals: $57,220
- Scientific research and development services: $56,450
- Federal, state, and local government, excluding state and local government schools and hospitals and the US postal service: $55,450
- Local government, excluding schools and hospitals: $55,350
Certified Pharmacy Technician Skills
According to Salary.com's Real-time Job Posting Salary Data Report, emotional support skills give the highest increase in salary at 9.44%, followed by skills in patient safety at 9.12% and inventory control at 9.04%.
Other significant skills with high salary increases are drug distribution (8.35%), data entry (8.29%), and phone support (7.87%).
| Skill | Demand | Salary Increase |
|---|---|---|
| Emotional Support | 10.80% | +9.44% |
| Patient Safety | 10.60% | +9.12% |
| Inventory Control | 10.40% | +9.04% |
| Drug Distribution | 10.50% | +8.35% |
| Data Entry | 10.40% | +8.29% |
| Phone Support | 10.50% | +7.87% |
What are the FAQs About Certified Pharmacy Technician Salaries?
Here are some common questions about certified pharmacy technician salary:
Is it worth becoming a certified pharmacy tech?
It is worth becoming a certified pharmacy tech if you want good job security and can thrive in a fast-paced healthcare career. Being a certified pharmacy tech is also a good steppingstone when you want to advance to medical school, nursing school, or pharmacy program.
What is the highest paid pharmacy technician?
The highest paid pharmacy technician includes pharmacy technician program director, pharmacy technician informaticist, pharmacy technician instructor, and hospital pharmacy technician.
The annual salary range for certified pharmacy technicians in the US is $32,960 to $47,861. Factors like experience level, skills, and location can affect these numbers. For example, an entry-level technician earns $37,981 while an expert level can earn $41,060. Meanwhile, those in the District of Columbia get $42,600 while those in Mississippi get $34,400.
Is pharmacy tech certification hard?
The passing rate of the pharmacy technician certification exam is around 71%. It can be challenging if you have not completed a preparation course prior to taking the exam.
The requirements to be eligible for the pharmacy technician exam include a high school diploma and completion of a PTCB-recognized training program or a minimum of 500 hours of work experience as a pharmacy technician in a pharmacy setting.
