Pharmacy tech salary by percentile
Half of all pharmacy technicians earn more than $45,750 and half earn less; the middle half of the field is paid between $37,850 and $49,990.[1][2] The range is narrow at the bottom: the 10th and 25th percentiles are only $1,830 apart, which reflects how many entry-level retail jobs pay close to the same rate. The table adds the hourly equivalent and what a single filer keeps after 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare.[8][9]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $36,020 | $17.32 | $31,122 |
| 25th | $37,850 | $18.20 | $32,592 |
| Median (50th) | $45,750 | $22.00 | $38,940 |
| 75th | $49,990 | $24.03 | $42,347 |
| 90th | $61,040 | $29.35 | $51,226 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
A $50,000 pharmacy tech salary sits around the 75th percentile nationally. Pay above the 75th percentile ($49,990) is mostly found in hospitals, in high-wage states on the West Coast and in specialized roles such as sterile compounding, which BLS does not report separately.
Pharmacy technician hourly pay
Pharmacy technician hourly pay is $22.00 at the national median, $17.32 at the 10th percentile and $29.35 at the 90th.[1] BLS turns hourly rates into annual salaries at 2,080 hours a year (40 hours × 52 weeks), and the survey wage is straight-time pay without overtime or shift differentials.[3] Many retail pharmacy techs work fewer than 40 hours, so the table shows yearly pay at common schedules.
| Percentile | Hourly | 20 h/week | 32 h/week | 40 h/week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $17.32 | $18,010 | $28,816 | $36,020 |
| 25th | $18.20 | $18,925 | $30,280 | $37,850 |
| Median | $22.00 | $22,875 | $36,600 | $45,750 |
| 75th | $24.03 | $24,995 | $39,992 | $49,990 |
| 90th | $29.35 | $30,520 | $48,832 | $61,040 |
To compare an hourly offer with a salaried one, enter both in the calculator above with your real weekly hours; the result shows the percentile your offer lands on in your state or metro area.
Pharmacy technician pay rate and starting pay
The typical pay rate for a pharmacy technician is $22.00 an hour nationally, and starting pay for a new pharmacy tech is usually near the 10th to 25th percentile, $17.32 to $18.20 an hour.[1] BLS does not publish a "starting pay" figure, so the low percentiles are the closest official guide; in the highest-paying state, Washington, the 10th percentile is $22.73.
| State | 10th pct. (entry) | 25th pct. | Median | Median per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $17.27 | $18.14 | $22.07 | $45,900 |
| California | $20.60 | $22.32 | $26.50 | $55,110 |
| Florida | $17.19 | $17.81 | $20.96 | $43,590 |
| New York | $17.57 | $18.14 | $21.12 | $43,930 |
| Illinois | $17.57 | $18.36 | $22.43 | $46,650 |
| Pennsylvania | $16.89 | $17.38 | $19.25 | $40,040 |
| Ohio | $16.82 | $17.62 | $19.54 | $40,650 |
| North Carolina | $17.22 | $18.02 | $21.41 | $44,530 |
| Georgia | $16.90 | $17.85 | $20.15 | $41,910 |
| Michigan | $17.03 | $18.04 | $21.32 | $44,340 |
Pay rises fastest with the setting and the market rather than with years alone: hospital work and West Coast states sit well above the national median, as the sections below show. Training to get the first job is covered on pharmacy tech training.
Pharmacy technician salary by state
Washington pays pharmacy technicians the most, with a median of $58,900, followed by California ($55,110) and Oregon ($54,900); West Virginia pays the least at $38,210.[1][4] The five largest job markets pay very differently: Texas $45,900, California $55,110, Florida $43,590, New York $43,930, Illinois $46,650. California, with 39,860 pharmacy tech jobs, has its own page with every metro area: pharmacy technician salary in California; so do the two biggest markets, pharmacy technician salary in Texas and pharmacy technician salary in Florida.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Washington | $58,900 | $28.32 | $47,270 | $79,090 | 8,150 |
| 2. California | $55,110 | $26.50 | $42,850 | $81,190 | 39,860 |
| 3. Oregon | $54,900 | $26.39 | $44,530 | $68,000 | 4,320 |
| 4. Alaska | $52,640 | $25.31 | $40,820 | $70,720 | 800 |
| 5. Colorado | $49,970 | $24.02 | $39,810 | $64,760 | 6,010 |
| 6. Montana | $49,400 | $23.75 | $38,330 | $60,780 | 1,340 |
| 7. Minnesota | $48,300 | $23.22 | $38,110 | $62,080 | 7,340 |
| 8. Wyoming | $48,260 | $23.20 | $37,360 | $63,950 | 600 |
| 9. Utah | $48,140 | $23.14 | $37,860 | $63,130 | 5,030 |
| 10. Nevada | $47,980 | $23.07 | $37,350 | $62,500 | 4,070 |
| 11. Vermont | $47,940 | $23.05 | $37,610 | $65,060 | 760 |
| 12. Arizona | $47,640 | $22.90 | $39,040 | $60,820 | 12,970 |
| 13. North Dakota | $47,560 | $22.87 | $38,370 | $63,850 | 890 |
| 14. District of Columbia | $47,410 | $22.79 | $41,300 | $74,100 | 1,130 |
| 15. New Hampshire | $47,360 | $22.77 | $37,080 | $61,630 | 1,970 |
| 16. Connecticut | $47,050 | $22.62 | $37,410 | $62,230 | 5,200 |
| 17. Hawaii | $46,760 | $22.48 | $36,120 | $62,190 | 1,540 |
| 18. Illinois | $46,650 | $22.43 | $36,550 | $58,260 | 21,340 |
| 19. New Mexico | $46,630 | $22.42 | $37,470 | $58,780 | 2,550 |
| 20. Nebraska | $46,610 | $22.41 | $36,710 | $57,110 | 2,660 |
| 21. Massachusetts | $46,470 | $22.34 | $37,980 | $71,070 | 10,150 |
| 22. Delaware | $46,430 | $22.32 | $35,460 | $57,400 | 1,480 |
| 23. Idaho | $46,420 | $22.32 | $37,380 | $59,230 | 2,950 |
| 24. South Dakota | $46,170 | $22.20 | $37,220 | $56,800 | 1,230 |
| 25. Wisconsin | $45,970 | $22.10 | $36,080 | $58,700 | 9,540 |
| 26. Texas | $45,900 | $22.07 | $35,920 | $59,260 | 41,740 |
| 27. Maine | $45,400 | $21.83 | $37,060 | $57,360 | 2,070 |
| 28. Maryland | $45,120 | $21.69 | $36,180 | $60,050 | 7,990 |
| 29. Iowa | $44,860 | $21.57 | $36,140 | $52,150 | 4,630 |
| 30. Virginia | $44,610 | $21.45 | $36,260 | $59,030 | 10,720 |
| 31. Indiana | $44,560 | $21.42 | $36,610 | $54,800 | 10,790 |
| 32. North Carolina | $44,530 | $21.41 | $35,820 | $57,360 | 17,260 |
| 33. Louisiana | $44,410 | $21.35 | $36,100 | $52,920 | 6,700 |
| 34. Rhode Island | $44,380 | $21.34 | $38,270 | $58,990 | 1,540 |
| 35. Michigan | $44,340 | $21.32 | $35,430 | $54,740 | 14,240 |
| 36. New York | $43,930 | $21.12 | $36,540 | $64,690 | 24,400 |
| 37. Florida | $43,590 | $20.96 | $35,760 | $54,980 | 38,460 |
| 38. Kansas | $43,310 | $20.82 | $33,800 | $56,160 | 4,270 |
| 39. South Carolina | $42,120 | $20.25 | $35,500 | $51,060 | 8,070 |
| 40. Tennessee | $41,920 | $20.15 | $35,550 | $55,430 | 11,870 |
| 41. Georgia | $41,910 | $20.15 | $35,160 | $56,820 | 14,680 |
| 42. Ohio | $40,650 | $19.54 | $34,980 | $56,520 | 17,820 |
| 43. Oklahoma | $40,500 | $19.47 | $34,780 | $50,930 | 5,500 |
| 44. Missouri | $40,100 | $19.28 | $33,830 | $54,600 | 12,610 |
| 45. Pennsylvania | $40,040 | $19.25 | $35,140 | $51,290 | 18,880 |
| 46. New Jersey | $39,610 | $19.04 | $36,170 | $59,700 | 14,020 |
| 47. Kentucky | $39,200 | $18.85 | $31,760 | $52,640 | 8,870 |
| 48. Mississippi | $39,040 | $18.77 | $33,340 | $49,250 | 4,040 |
| 49. Alabama | $39,030 | $18.76 | $31,620 | $49,760 | 8,510 |
| 50. Arkansas | $38,680 | $18.60 | $33,400 | $48,620 | 4,560 |
| 51. West Virginia | $38,210 | $18.37 | $30,490 | $48,460 | 3,560 |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate for May 2025. State rules for registration and certification also differ; see how to become a pharmacy technician.
Highest-paying metro areas for pharmacy techs
The best-paying metro area for pharmacy technicians is Napa, CA, at a median of $77,360.[1] Pick a state in the calculator and the metro list loads for every area BLS publishes, including nonmetropolitan regions.
| Metro area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Napa, CA | $77,360 | $37.19 | $48,670 | $84,450 |
| 2. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,490 | $36.29 | $47,770 | $99,470 |
| 3. Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,800 | $29.71 | $45,030 | $86,720 |
| 4. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $61,320 | $29.48 | $48,000 | $82,040 |
| 5. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,550 | $29.11 | $46,790 | $94,310 |
| 6. Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $59,380 | $28.55 | $45,910 | $76,150 |
| 7. Vallejo, CA | $58,670 | $28.21 | $45,230 | $86,390 |
| 8. Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,590 | $28.17 | $46,620 | $71,370 |
| 9. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $58,470 | $28.11 | $44,480 | $83,120 |
| 10. Longview-Kelso, WA | $58,250 | $28.00 | $47,220 | $66,210 |
| 11. Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $57,830 | $27.80 | $45,540 | $72,130 |
| 12. Walla Walla, WA | $57,190 | $27.50 | $44,970 | $70,550 |
| 13. Salinas, CA | $57,180 | $27.49 | $44,940 | $70,310 |
| 14. Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $57,090 | $27.45 | $46,280 | $72,760 |
| 15. Bend, OR | $56,950 | $27.38 | $49,320 | $62,200 |
High metro medians come with high living costs. Enter the metro median in the calculator, add your state's income tax rate, and compare the monthly take-home figure with local rent before you relocate.
Pay by work setting: retail vs hospital
Hospital pharmacy technicians earn more than technicians in retail pharmacies: BLS puts the May 2025 median at $50,760 in hospitals against $39,240 in pharmacies and drug retailers.[5] Pharmacies and drug retailers are the lowest-paying of the five largest employers of pharmacy techs, while general merchandise retailers (big-box stores with pharmacy counters) pay almost as much as outpatient clinics.
| Industry | Median pay |
|---|---|
| Hospitals (state, local and private) | $50,760 |
| Ambulatory healthcare services | $48,860 |
| General merchandise retailers | $48,150 |
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | $41,430 |
| Pharmacies and drug retailers | $39,240 |
Pharmacy techs vs pharmacists and pharmacy aides
Pharmacists earn about three times as much as pharmacy technicians at the median ($140,910 vs $45,750), and pharmacy aides earn about $8,070 less than technicians.[1][6][7] The chart shows each occupation's full pay range from the same survey.
The full pharmacist breakdown, with a technician-vs-pharmacist comparison tool, is on pharmacist salary. Becoming a pharmacist takes a four-year Doctor of Pharmacy degree; see pharmacist school and pharmacy school cost.
Does certification raise pharmacy tech pay?
BLS does not publish separate wages for certified and uncertified pharmacy technicians, so no government figure shows a "CPhT premium".[3] What certification does change is where you can work: many states and most hospital employers require national certification, and the higher-paying settings above are those that ask for it. The exam, training and renewal costs are added up on pharmacy tech certification cost.
- How to become a pharmacy technicianTraining, PTCB or ExCPT, state registration
- Pharmacy tech certification costExam, program and renewal fees added up
- Pharmacist salaryBy state, metro and percentile
- Pharmacy technician certificationPTCB vs ExCPT, exam content, renewal
- Pharmacy technician licenseRules and fees in 10 states
- Pharmacist vs pharmacy technicianPay, training and duties side by side
- How to become a pharmacistPharmD, NAPLEX, MPJE, time and cost
- Pharmacy tech trainingTraining hours, routes, state approval
- Clinical pharmacist salaryHospital vs retail pharmacist pay
- Pharmaceutical sales rep salaryPay by employer type and state
Frequently asked questions
How much do pharmacy technicians make?
The national median is $45,750 a year (BLS, May 2025). The middle half of pharmacy techs earn $37,850 to $49,990.
What is the starting pay for a pharmacy tech?
BLS does not publish starting pay; the 10th to 25th percentiles, $17.32 to $18.20 an hour, are the closest guide to entry-level rates nationally.
How much do pharmacy techs make an hour?
$22.00 at the median. The 10th percentile is $17.32 and the 90th is $29.35 an hour.
How much does a pharmacy technician make a month?
About $3,813 a month before tax at the national median for full-time work, or roughly $3,245 after federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare for a single filer with no state tax.
Which state pays pharmacy technicians the most?
Washington, with a median of $58,900, followed by California and Oregon. West Virginia has the lowest median at $38,210.
Do hospital pharmacy techs make more than retail?
Yes. The May 2025 median is $50,760 in hospitals and $39,240 in pharmacies and drug retailers (BLS).
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-2052.00 Pharmacy Technicians (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- OEWS employment by state, May 2025 (series OEUS…29205201 and OEUS…29105101)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacy Technicians
- Local Wages: 29-1051.00 Pharmacists (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 31-9095.00 Pharmacy Aides (state and metro percentiles)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)