Jetted FoxCareers · Clinics, dental, eyes & pharmacy
Pharmacy technicians
Fill prescriptions, count pills, label medicine and help customers at a pharmacy under a pharmacist. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $17.19/hr in West Virginia to $24.23/hr in Washington.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $15.20–17.66/hr | $18.77/hr |
| Alaska | $19.62–22.66/hr | $25.31/hr |
| Arizona | $18.77–22.06/hr | $22.90/hr |
| Arkansas | $16.06–17.60/hr | $18.60/hr |
| California | $20.60–22.32/hr | $26.50/hr |
| Colorado | $19.14–22.26/hr | $24.02/hr |
| Connecticut | $17.98–18.64/hr | $22.62/hr |
| Delaware | $17.05–18.31/hr | $22.32/hr |
| Florida | $17.19–17.81/hr | $20.96/hr |
| Georgia | $16.91–17.85/hr | $20.15/hr |
| Hawaii | $17.37–18.52/hr | $22.48/hr |
| Idaho | $17.97–19.07/hr | $22.32/hr |
| Illinois | $17.57–18.36/hr | $22.43/hr |
| Indiana | $17.60–18.13/hr | $21.42/hr |
| Iowa | $17.38–18.17/hr | $21.57/hr |
| Kansas | $16.25–18.03/hr | $20.82/hr |
| Kentucky | $15.27–17.47/hr | $18.84/hr |
| Louisiana | $17.35–18.14/hr | $21.35/hr |
| Maine | $17.82–18.57/hr | $21.83/hr |
| Maryland | $17.39–17.98/hr | $21.69/hr |
| Massachusetts | $18.26–18.78/hr | $22.34/hr |
| Michigan | $17.04–18.04/hr | $21.32/hr |
| Minnesota | $18.32–20.91/hr | $23.22/hr |
| Mississippi | $16.03–17.71/hr | $18.77/hr |
| Missouri | $16.27–17.44/hr | $19.28/hr |
| Montana | $18.43–22.08/hr | $23.75/hr |
| Nebraska | $17.65–18.69/hr | $22.41/hr |
| Nevada | $17.96–19.04/hr | $23.07/hr |
| New Hampshire | $17.83–18.58/hr | $22.77/hr |
| New Jersey | $17.39–17.65/hr | $19.04/hr |
| New Mexico | $18.01–19.50/hr | $22.42/hr |
| New York | $17.57–18.15/hr | $21.12/hr |
| North Carolina | $17.22–18.02/hr | $21.41/hr |
| North Dakota | $18.45–19.89/hr | $22.86/hr |
| Ohio | $16.82–17.62/hr | $19.55/hr |
| Oklahoma | $16.72–17.79/hr | $19.47/hr |
| Oregon | $21.41–23.17/hr | $26.39/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $16.89–17.39/hr | $19.25/hr |
| Rhode Island | $18.40–18.55/hr | $21.34/hr |
| South Carolina | $17.07–17.78/hr | $20.25/hr |
| South Dakota | $17.89–18.77/hr | $22.20/hr |
| Tennessee | $17.09–17.82/hr | $20.15/hr |
| Texas | $17.27–18.14/hr | $22.07/hr |
| Utah | $18.20–20.07/hr | $23.14/hr |
| Vermont | $18.08–18.70/hr | $23.05/hr |
| Virginia | $17.43–18.25/hr | $21.45/hr |
| Washington | $22.73–24.23/hr | $28.32/hr |
| Washington, DC | $19.86–22.25/hr | $22.79/hr |
| West Virginia | $14.66–17.19/hr | $18.37/hr |
| Wisconsin | $17.35–18.25/hr | $22.10/hr |
| Wyoming | $17.96–20.62/hr | $23.20/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: 18+ (usually) · Background check
Once you're hired
State pharmacy technician registration or license: required in every state. It lets you assist pharmacists in preparing and dispensing medication. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
Other way in: Certificate program.
A normal day
You work behind the counter at a drugstore, grocery pharmacy or hospital. You type in prescriptions, count and bottle pills, call insurance companies and doctors' offices, and ring up customers. The pharmacist checks your work, and the pace gets fast when the line and phone stack up.
The good parts
Get hired as a trainee with a diploma in many states. Jobs in every town, retail and hospital. Hospital and specialty pharmacy jobs pay more.
The hard parts
Retail pharmacies are busy and understaffed; long lines and phone calls all day. Upset customers about cost and insurance problems. Evening, weekend and holiday shifts in retail.
Where it leads
technician to certified and lead technician, then hospital, specialty or compounding roles, or pharmacy school.
Quick answers
Do pharmacy technicians need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for pharmacy technicians?
3–12 months of paid training at work, or a certificate course.
How much do pharmacy technicians make?
About $17.32–18.20 an hour to start and $22 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
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Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.