Pharmacy technician salary
Pharmacy technician salary varies enormously. Wages can fall between $7 to $20 per hour. The exact wage is determined by whether or not the technician is certified, region of employment, the type of pharmacy the technician works in, and the years of experience the technician has.
In most cases, certification will increase the pharmacy technician salary. The increase may be minimal, with only 50 cents or a dollar in difference. However, depending on the starting wage, certification could make a significant difference in the pharmacy technician’s salary. Some uncertified technicians earn as little as $7.00 per hour, while the average wage for a certified pharmacy technician falls more in the $10 to $12 per hour. Some certified pharmacy technicians report salaries of up to $19.00 dollars per hour following certification. The general rule to keep in mind is that because certification is to required in most states, a jump from $7 to $19 dollars is not going to be likely. A price increase of $1 to $3 per hour following certification is much more likely.
Regional employment figures primarily into the pharmacy technician salary. Larger cities pay more, but that difference may not be noticeable after the cost of living is taken into consideration. Likewise, if the state requires certification, the starting wage may be higher than those that don’t.
Pharmacy technicians can work in a variety of environments, and that variety can directly influence a pharmacy technician salary. Hospitals generally pay their their workers more than drug stores or the big name department store pharmacies, such as Wal-Mart and Kroger.
Perhaps the biggest influence on the exact pharmacy technician salary that one earns is the number of years of experience a pharmacy technician has under their belt. While initial starting wages for the technician can be as low as $19,000 per year, according to the American Medical Association, with certification and ten years working in the field, that salary can increase to as much as $40,000 per year.
Other factors may influence a pharmacy technicians salary. These include whether or not the technician works in an environment that requires a union and the policies of the store management. Depending upon the environment the technician works in, the salary can be set by a district manager, a senior pharmacist, or both.
Overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics in the United States breaks the pharmacy technician salary down into three groups when reporting the median salary. Those working in hospitals report a median earning of $13.86 per hour. Pharmacy technicians working in grocery stores report median earnings of $12.78 per hour. Those who work in drug stores and pharmacies report a median earning of $11.50.