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Pharmacy Technician

Prepare and dispense prescriptions alongside a pharmacist.

What it pays in the U.S.

Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.

Median pay (national)$45,750about $22.00 an hour
Typical range$36,020 – $61,040lowest to highest tenth of earners
Usual way inHigh school diploma or equivalentthen 1 to 12 months on-the-job training

Wage figures are 2025 survey data for United States, shown nationally because no state figure was reported. They describe what people in this job earn now, not what any one person will be offered.

Demand in United StatesBright outlook

Employment is projected to change 6% between 2024 and 2034. About 49,000 openings are projected each year. CareerOneStop flags this career for: Rapid Growth.

What the work actually is

  • Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.
  • Prepare and process medical insurance claim forms and records.
  • Restock intravenous (IV) supplies and add measured drugs or nutrients to IV solutions under sterile conditions to prepare IV packs for various uses, such as chemotherapy medication.
  • Clean and help maintain equipment or work areas and sterilize glassware, according to prescribed methods.
  • Price and file prescriptions that have been filled.
  • Supply and monitor robotic machines that dispense medicine into containers and label the containers.

Read the full Occupational Outlook Handbook entry from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Licensing, by state

Licensing is set by each state, so there is no national answer. Choose a state above to see which licenses it requires for this career, or look one up with the CareerOneStop License Finder.

Certifications employers recognize

These are national certifications, issued by industry bodies rather than a state. Most are optional, but they are how you prove skill to an employer.

Apprenticeships, by state

Registered apprenticeships pay you while you train. Each state runs its own registration office, which is where to start when you want to find an open program.

Choose a state above to see the offices that register apprenticeships there.

Search open programs directly at apprenticeship.gov.

Now find the schools.

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