California pharmacy tech salary by percentile
California pharmacy technicians are paid more than the national figures at every percentile: the 10th percentile is $42,850 (vs $36,020 nationally) and the 90th is $81,190 (vs $61,040).[1] The middle half earns $46,430 to $65,590. California has 39,860 pharmacy technician jobs, the 2nd most of any state, according to the BLS employment estimate.[2]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $42,850 | $20.60 | $36,610 |
| 25th | $46,430 | $22.32 | $39,487 |
| Median (50th) | $55,110 | $26.50 | $46,461 |
| 75th | $65,590 | $31.53 | $54,882 |
| 90th | $81,190 | $39.03 | $65,947 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Pharmacy technician salary by California metro area
Napa pays California pharmacy techs the most at a $77,360 median, followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($75,490); the Bay Area and Sacramento fill most of the top of the list.[1] Southern California pays less than the state median: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim $50,760, San Diego $54,500, Riverside-San Bernardino $50,270.
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $77,360 | $37.19 | $48,670 | $84,450 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $75,490 | $36.29 | $47,770 | $99,470 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,800 | $29.71 | $45,030 | $86,720 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,550 | $29.11 | $46,790 | $94,310 |
| Vallejo, CA | $58,670 | $28.21 | $45,230 | $86,390 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $58,470 | $28.11 | $44,480 | $83,120 |
| Salinas, CA | $57,180 | $27.49 | $44,940 | $70,310 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $56,580 | $27.20 | $43,250 | $73,090 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $56,530 | $27.18 | $43,350 | $78,760 |
| Chico, CA | $56,320 | $27.08 | $38,750 | $72,240 |
| Yuba City, CA | $56,160 | $27.00 | $43,120 | $75,360 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $54,500 | $26.20 | $43,740 | $77,810 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $54,500 | $26.20 | $44,310 | $81,190 |
| Redding, CA | $52,860 | $25.41 | $38,920 | $77,310 |
| Fresno, CA | $52,210 | $25.10 | $38,300 | $73,100 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $52,160 | $25.08 | $45,240 | $73,050 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $52,160 | $25.08 | $39,150 | $79,430 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $51,530 | $24.77 | $40,990 | $72,950 |
| El Centro, CA | $51,130 | $24.58 | $38,900 | $62,250 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $50,760 | $24.40 | $39,820 | $78,850 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $50,720 | $24.38 | $39,850 | $79,740 |
| Modesto, CA | $50,540 | $24.30 | $40,080 | $68,830 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $50,270 | $24.17 | $39,290 | $76,830 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $50,100 | $24.09 | $43,700 | $85,420 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $50,060 | $24.07 | $42,610 | $62,250 |
| Visalia, CA | $48,870 | $23.50 | $38,620 | $71,200 |
| Merced, CA | $48,680 | $23.40 | $39,020 | $64,130 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $48,110 | $23.13 | $39,020 | $72,410 |
Within the Bay Area, San Jose pays far more than San Francisco-Oakland ($60,550), and Sacramento ($58,470) beats both Los Angeles and San Diego. Pharmacy technician salary in Los Angeles, the largest market, is $4,350 below the California median.
California vs nearby states
Washington is the only state that pays pharmacy technicians more than California at the median; Oregon is a close third.[1] Arizona and Nevada pay noticeably less.
California pharmacy technician license requirements
California requires a pharmacy technician license from the Board of Pharmacy before you can work as a technician. Applicants need a high school diploma or GED and one of seven qualifying methods, pay a $120 application fee and pass a background check.[3][4]
| Item | Rule |
|---|---|
| Credential | Pharmacy technician license (Business and Professions Code section 4202) |
| Education | High school diploma, GED or equivalent |
| Qualifying methods (one) | Associate degree in pharmacy technology; a training course of at least 240 hours (16 CCR 1793.6(c)); an ASHP-accredited training course; graduation from an ACPE-accredited school of pharmacy; PTCB certification; NHA ExCPT certification dated on or after Jan 1, 2017; or military pharmacy technician training (DD214) |
| Application fee | $120, non-refundable |
| Background check | Live Scan fingerprints, or board fingerprint cards at $49 each ($32 DOJ + $17 FBI) for out-of-state applicants; a National Practitioner Data Bank self-query report |
| Renewal | $150 every two years ($225 with the delinquency fee once expired), with continuing education required at renewal |
National certification is one route in California, not a requirement: a 240-hour course or an accredited program also qualifies. The national exam options and their fees are compared on pharmacy tech certification cost, and the steps for other states are on how to become a pharmacy technician.
Take-home pay for a California pharmacy tech
A single California pharmacy tech earning the state median of $55,110 keeps about $43,154 a year ($3,596 a month) if their California income tax works out to 6% of wages; this example rate is only for illustration, and your own rate is on your last return or pay stub.[5][6] The calculator applies 2026 federal rules exactly; change the state rate to match yours. For the national view see pharmacy technician salary.
California pharmacists vs pharmacy techs
California pharmacists earn a $164,610 median, about 3.0 times the state's pharmacy technician median.[7] The pharmacist breakdown by state is on pharmacist salary.
Frequently asked questions
How much do pharmacy techs make in California?
$55,110 a year at the median (BLS, May 2025), second-highest of any state after Washington. The middle half earn $46,430 to $65,590.
How much do pharmacy technicians make an hour in California?
$26.50 at the median; $20.60 at the 10th percentile and $39.03 at the 90th.
What is the pharmacy technician salary in Los Angeles?
$50,760 at the median in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area, below the California median of $55,110.
Do you need a license to be a pharmacy technician in California?
Yes. California issues a pharmacy technician license through the Board of Pharmacy. You need a high school diploma or GED and one qualifying method, such as PTCB or ExCPT certification, an accredited or 240-hour training course, or an associate degree in pharmacy technology. The application fee is $120 and renewal is $150 every two years.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-2052.00 Pharmacy Technicians (state and metro percentiles)
- OEWS employment by state, May 2025 (series OEUS…29205201 and OEUS…29105101)
- Pharmacy Technician Application Packet (17A-7, rev. 1/2025): $120 fee, qualifying methods, fingerprints
- Pharmacy Technician License Renewal ($150; $225 if expired)
- IRS releases tax inflation adjustments for tax year 2026 (Rev. Proc. 2025-32)
- Contribution and Benefit Base ($184,500 for 2026)
- Local Wages: 29-1051.00 Pharmacists (state and metro percentiles)