Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$36,020
- 25th Percentile — Junior$37,850
- 50th Percentile — Median$45,750
- 75th Percentile — Senior$49,990
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$61,040
The top 10% of Pharmacy Technicians earn $61,040 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $36,020, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | $61,140 | +31.1% |
| California | $58,330 | +25.1% |
| Oregon | $55,180 | +18.4% |
| Alaska | $54,230 | +16.3% |
| District of Columbia | $53,700 | +15.2% |
| Colorado | $52,210 | +12.0% |
| Massachusetts | $50,680 | +8.7% |
| Montana | $50,230 | +7.7% |
| Arizona | $49,760 | +6.7% |
| Vermont | $49,680 | +6.6% |
| Wyoming | $49,520 | +6.2% |
| North Dakota | $49,310 | +5.8% |
| Minnesota | $49,250 | +5.6% |
| Hawaii | $48,910 | +4.9% |
| Nevada | $48,900 | +4.9% |
| Utah | $48,870 | +4.8% |
| Connecticut | $48,120 | +3.2% |
| New Hampshire | $48,020 | +3.0% |
| New Mexico | $47,810 | +2.6% |
| Idaho | $47,120 | +1.1% |
| New York | $46,800 | +0.4% |
| Delaware | $46,280 | -0.7% |
| Rhode Island | $46,120 | -1.1% |
| Illinois | $45,930 | -1.5% |
| Maine | $45,850 | -1.7% |
| South Dakota | $45,750 | -1.9% |
| Wisconsin | $45,750 | -1.9% |
| Maryland | $45,670 | -2.0% |
| Nebraska | $45,670 | -2.0% |
| Texas | $45,670 | -2.0% |
| Virginia | $45,330 | -2.8% |
| New Jersey | $44,690 | -4.1% |
| North Carolina | $44,500 | -4.5% |
| Iowa | $44,340 | -4.9% |
| Michigan | $44,250 | -5.1% |
| Florida | $44,120 | -5.4% |
| Indiana | $44,020 | -5.6% |
| Georgia | $43,960 | -5.7% |
| Kansas | $43,850 | -5.9% |
| Louisiana | $43,650 | -6.4% |
| Tennessee | $43,590 | -6.5% |
| Ohio | $43,440 | -6.8% |
| South Carolina | $43,120 | -7.5% |
| Oklahoma | $42,690 | -8.4% |
| Missouri | $42,590 | -8.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $42,300 | -9.3% |
| Kentucky | $41,660 | -10.6% |
| Alabama | $41,360 | -11.3% |
| Mississippi | $41,330 | -11.3% |
| Arkansas | $41,160 | -11.7% |
| West Virginia | $40,250 | -13.7% |
What Factors Affect Pharmacy Technicians Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Pharmacy Technicians is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: Washington pays an average of $61,140, while West Virginia pays $40,250 — a gap of $20,890 per year.
The middle half of Pharmacy Technicians earn between $37,850 and $49,990 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $36,020, while the top 10% earn more than $61,040.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Pharmacy Technicians?
The average salary for Pharmacy Technicians in the United States is $46,620 per year, with a median of $45,750.
What is the starting salary for Pharmacy Technicians?
Entry-level Pharmacy Technicians typically earn between $36,020 and $37,850 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Pharmacy Technicians the most?
Washington pays Pharmacy Technicians the most at $61,140 per year on average, followed by California ($58,330) and Oregon ($55,180).
How much do Pharmacy Technicians make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $46,620, Pharmacy Technicians earn approximately $22.41 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Pharmacy Technicians a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 471,680 Pharmacy Technicians jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $46,620 and a median of $45,750 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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