SOC 29-2052 · May 2025
Pharmacy Technician Salary
Pharmacy Technicians in the US earn a median of $45,750 a year ($22.41 an hour on average), according to the BLS May 2025 wage survey. Average Pharmacy Technician pay climbed from $35,250 in 2019 to $46,620 in 2025, a +32.3% change in 6 years.
Median annual
$45,750
Half of all Pharmacy Technicians in the United States earn more than this figure, half earn less. From the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release.
Wage trend
+32.3% since 2019 · +4.1% YoY
Hourly
$22.41
Job growth 2025-35
+6.4%
US workers
471,680
BLS series
Annual median wage for Pharmacy Technicians in All Industries in the United States
Salary range
From entry to top decile
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread for Pharmacy Technicians is $36,020 – $61,040.
Percentile distribution
USD · annual
10th
$36,020
25th
$37,850
Median
$45,750
75th
$49,990
90th
$61,040
Percentile bands
Where your pay would sit
Percentile bands
Annual wages at each point of the BLS distribution for Pharmacy Technicians. Where you sit depends on experience, employer, location and credentials.
| Percentile | What it means | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | 10% earn less. Common for new entrants | $36,020 |
| 25th percentile | A quarter earn less | $37,850 |
| Median | Half earn more, half earn less | $45,750 |
| 75th percentile | A quarter earn more | $49,990 |
| 90th percentile | 10% earn more. Often senior or specialist staff | $61,040 |
Geography
Pharmacy Technician pay by state
Pharmacy Technicians earn the most in Washington ($58,900, +29% against the national median) and the least in West Virginia ($38,210). BLS publishes a May 2025 estimate for this occupation in 51 of 51 states and D.C.
National median
$45,750
Highest-paying states for pharmacy technicians
| State | Annual median | vs national | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $58,900 | +29% | 8,150 |
| California | $55,110 | +20% | 39,860 |
| Oregon | $54,900 | +20% | 4,320 |
| Alaska | $52,640 | +15% | 800 |
| Colorado | $49,970 | +9% | 6,010 |
| Montana | $49,400 | +8% | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $48,300 | +6% | 7,340 |
| Wyoming | $48,260 | +5% | 600 |
| Utah | $48,140 | +5% | 5,030 |
| Nevada | $47,980 | +5% | 4,070 |
All 51 states, highest to lowest
| State | Annual median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| D.C. | $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 |
| 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 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, state estimates, May 2025, all industries.
What affects this salary
Pay drivers for Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy technicians (BLS SOC 29-2052) help pharmacists dispense prescription medication and perform administrative tasks in retail pharmacies, hospitals, and mail-order facilities. Most states require certification (CPhT through PTCB or NHA) and varying levels of training. Hospital and specialty/compounding pharmacy technicians typically pay above retail-chain technicians. Supervisory and lead-tech roles command additional pay differentials not always reflected in OEWS aggregate figures.
The 10th-to-90th percentile spread is $36,020 – $61,040. That gap reflects experience, certification, employer type, geographic cost of living, and shift differentials where applicable.
Geography matters. The best-paying states for this role are Washington, California and Oregon. Pay in Washington runs 1.5 times the level in West Virginia, before any adjustment for cost of living.
Getting in. BLS lists the typical entry-level education as high school diploma or equivalent, and projects about 44,700 openings a year over 2025-35. Employment is projected to grow 6.4% over the same period, against 3.5% for all occupations.
Frequently asked
Questions readers ask
Frequently asked
What is the average Pharmacy Technician salary in the US?
How much does a Pharmacy Technician make an hour?
How much do Pharmacy Technicians make at the low and high end?
Which state pays Pharmacy Technicians the most?
Is the average Pharmacy Technician salary higher than the median?
Is Pharmacy Technician a growing career?
Open positions
Open Pharmacy Technician roles hiring now
Browse current Pharmacy Technician listings on Indeed and ZipRecruiter, filtered to your role.
Source & methodology
Wage and employment figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program, May 2025 release. Standard Occupational Classification: 29-2052. Figures represent the national median, mean, and percentile distribution across all employers and industries. Hourly equivalents assume a 2,080-hour work year. Job growth, annual openings and typical education are from the BLS Employment Projections program, 2025-35; see the Occupational Outlook Handbook entry. Read our methodology for details on how the data is sourced, transformed, and refreshed.