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Considering a career as a pharmacy technician? Here’s what you can expect in terms of salary and job outlook
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The Field of Pharmacy
A pharmacy technician is a member of the health care team who works under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. They help filling prescriptions, take inventory, and may even assist customers. A pharmacy tech make an average of $32,700 per year.
What is a pharmacy technician?
A pharmacy technician is a health care worker who performs many of the same tasks as a pharmacist. They work in hospitals, drugstores, and other health care settings.
The duties of a pharmacy technician include measuring and mixing medications, counting pills, and filling bottles with prescribed medications. They may also help customers with questions about their medications.
In some states, pharmacy technicians must be licensed. To become licensed, they must pass an examination.
What are the duties of a pharmacy technician?
A pharmacy technician is a professional who works under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist to help dispense medication and provide customer service in a pharmacy setting. Pharmacy technicians typically have an associate degree or certificate in pharmacy technology, although some may have received on-the-job training.
The duties of a pharmacy technician include tasks such as measuring and mixing drugs, counting pills, filling prescriptions, answering customer questions, and maintaining records. In some states, pharmacy technicians may also be responsible for verifying insurance coverage and entering patient information into the pharmacy computer system.
What are the education requirements for a pharmacy technician?
high school diploma or equivalent is needed to become a pharmacy technician, although postsecondary education is highly recommended. Most employers prefer to hire applicants who have completed a formal pharmacy technician training program offered by a community college, vocational school, hospital, or the military. These programs generally last one year or less and lead to certification. Formal training is not required in all states, but it is generally necessary to obtain a position with a retail pharmacy chain or other large organization. Some pharmacy technician programs include an externship component, which allows students to gain experience working in a real pharmacy setting before they complete their training.
The Salary of a Pharmacy Technician
The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians was $32,700 in May 2018. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $23,370, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $47,040.
What is the average salary of a pharmacy technician?
The average salary for a pharmacy technician in the United States is $30,920 per year. This is significantly lower than the average salary for all jobs in the United States, which is $48,160 per year. However, it is important to remember that the cost of living in different parts of the country can be very different. For example, a pharmacy technician in New York City will likely make much more than a pharmacy technician in a small town because the cost of living is much higher in New York City.
What are the factors that affect a pharmacy technician’s salary?
There are a number of factors that can affect how much a pharmacy technician makes. The most important factor is experience. Generally, the more experience a pharmacy technician has, the higher their salary will be. Other important factors include the type of pharmacy they work in (hospital, retail, etc.), the size of the pharmacy, and the location of the pharmacy.
What are the highest and lowest paying states for pharmacy technicians?
There is a wide range of salaries for pharmacy technicians across the United States. The following states have the highest and lowest average salaries for pharmacy technicians, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) in 2018.
The highest paying state for pharmacy technicians is Alaska, where the average salary is $52,030. The next highest paying states are California ($48,460), Washington ($48,090), Hawaii ($47,600), and Oregon ($46,920).
The lowest paying state for pharmacy technicians is Mississippi, where the average salary is $26,950. The next lowest paying states are West Virginia ($27,280), Louisiana ($28,520), Arkansas ($29,070), and Alabama ($29,100).
The job outlook for Pharmacy Technicians
What is the job outlook for pharmacy technicians?
There is currently a high demand for pharmacy technicians, and this is expected to continue in the coming years. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that employment of pharmacy technicians will grow by 7% from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.1
There are several factors that contribute to this growth. The first is an aging population that requires more medications. The second is an increase in the number of middle-aged and older adults with chronic conditions such as diabetes and high blood pressure. These conditions require complex drug regimens that need to be closely monitored by a pharmacist, which means more work for pharmacy technicians.
In addition, many pharmacies are now open 24 hours a day, which means they need more employees to cover all shifts. And as more insurance companies require patients to use mail-order pharmacies, there is a need for more pharmacy technicians to help fill these orders.
If you are interested in becoming a pharmacy technician, you can expect to find plenty of job opportunities. There are also several ways to advance your career, such as becoming a certified pharmacy technician or a registered pharmacy technician.
What are the factors that will affect the job outlook for pharmacy technicians?
The job outlook for pharmacy technicians is strong. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that employment for pharmacy technicians will grow by 7% from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.1
There are a number of factors that will affect the job outlook for pharmacy technicians. One is the aging population. As people live longer and require more medical care, there will be a greater need for pharmacy technicians to help fill prescriptions and provide customer service in pharmacies.
Another factor is the increasing use of prescription drugs. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of prescriptions filled in the United States increased by nearly 3% from 2016 to 2017.2 This increase in prescription drug use will likely lead to a corresponding increase in demand for pharmacy technicians.
In addition, the growing popularity of mail-order pharmacies will also spur demand for pharmacy technicians. These pharmacies allow customers to order their medications online or over the phone and have them delivered to their homes. As more people take advantage of this convenience, pharmacies will need more staff to help fill orders and answer customer questions.
1 https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/pharmacy-technicians.htm#tab-1
2 https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db290tot2017finalized_web_v2-508c pdf iconPDF – 2 MB
What are the states with the highest demand for pharmacy technicians?
There are a number of states that have a high demand for pharmacy technicians. Many of these states have a large number of pharmacies and other healthcare facilities, which means that there are more opportunities for pharmacy technicians. The following states have the highest demand for pharmacy technicians:
1. California
2. Texas
3. Florida
4. Pennsylvania
5. Ohio
