CA · El Cajon · Updated October 15, 2026

Pharmacy Technician jobs in El Cajon, CA

The median pharmacy technician pay in the El Cajon area is $23.82 per hour ($49,540 a year), with the typical range running from $22.28 to $29.85. 14 open roles with published pay are listed for El Cajon and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 18 hospitals in the El Cajon metro area. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near El Cajon.

Open Pharmacy Technician roles near El Cajon

Roles in other cities of the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area.

PermanentPosted 6 days ago

Pharmacy Technician

ScionHealth · San Diego, CA

$23.00–$27.90/ hour
  • External
  • Req 96000111008
New this week
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More open Pharmacy Technician roles in El Cajon

1 more open role from employers in El Cajon. Each employer’s range arrives with your free pay report.

PermanentPosted yesterday

Pharmacy Technician

CVS Health · El Cajon, CA

Pay range with your report
  • Part time
  • Req R1075027
New this week
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Named employers near El Cajon, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

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Who is hiring pharmacy technicians near El Cajon

EmployerRolesMedian pay / hour
Sharp HealthCare7$33.39
Sharp Healthcare5$33.39
ScionHealth1$25.45
Palomar Health1$33.38

Pharmacy Technician pay in El Cajon, CA

The metro median is in line with the California statewide median of $23.86 per hour. Nationally the median is $20.90 per hour. BLS counts about 3,840 pharmacy technicians employed in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area, 2.5 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.79).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$19.00$39,5209% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$22.28$46,3407% above U.S. median
Median$23.82$49,54014% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$29.85$62,09043% above U.S. median
Top 10%$37.78$78,58081% above U.S. median

How El Cajon ranks

  • 23rd of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 139th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 7th of 24 California metro areas

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Pharmacy Technicians (SOC 29-2052), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.

What your pay buys in El Cajon

  • Overall prices in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad run 12% above the U.S. average (index 111.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 79% above the U.S. average (index 179.3).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $23.82 median hour buys what $21.29 buys at the national price level, 2% above the national median.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.

Estimate your El Cajon paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$858
  • Per year: $42,876
  • Per month: $3,573

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in El Cajon

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$205
Meals and incidentals per day$86
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,037
13-week assignment$26,481

Travel pharmacy technician assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.

Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).

Hospitals in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area

CMS lists 18 hospitals in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area, 10 of the 13 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of pharmacy technicians.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Uc San Diego Health Hillcrest - Hillcrest Med Ctr
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Va San Diego Healthcare System
San Diego, CA
Acute Care - Veterans AdministrationGovernment and federal5 of 5Yes
Grossmont Hospital
La Mesa, CA
Acute careGovernment and federal4 of 5Yes
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Diego
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Kaiser Foundation Hospital - San Marcos
San Marcos, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Scripps Memorial Hospital - Encinitas
Encinitas, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Scripps Mercy Hospital
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Chula Vista Medical Center
Chula Vista, CA
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Coronado Hospital And Hlthcr Ctr
Coronado, CA
Acute careFor-profit4 of 5Yes
Sharp Memorial Hospital
San Diego, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes

Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.

Pharmacy Technician pay in nearby cities

CityDistanceMedian payPopulation
Santee, CA4 mi$23.82/hr59,104
La Mesa, CA4 mi$23.82/hr60,767
Temecula, CA49 mi$23.46/hr112,431

Pharmacy Technician jobs in California · Pharmacy Technician jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in California

State registration or license, as the state requires. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.

California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.

California state guide

Other healthcare roles in El Cajon

El Cajon city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do pharmacy technicians make in El Cajon, CA?

Pharmacy Technicians in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad metro area have a median pay of $23.82 per hour, about $49,540 a year. The middle half earn between $22.28 and $29.85 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

Is El Cajon a good place for pharmacy technicians once cost of living is counted?

San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad ranks 139th of 341 metro areas for pharmacy technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 23rd of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 12% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring pharmacy technicians in El Cajon?

We list 14 open roles with published pay from 4 employers in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near El Cajon.

Do I need a California license to work in El Cajon as a pharmacy technician?

State registration or license, as the state requires. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.

What is the per diem for a travel assignment in El Cajon?

The federal per diem benchmark in El Cajon is $205 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,037 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place pharmacy technicians in El Cajon?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in El Cajon and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near El Cajon.

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    What they are offering now

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Pay report · Pharm Tech near El Cajon, CA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Pharm Tech pay reportEl Cajon, CA · pay published by employers, collected October 15, 2026

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare SystemSalinas, CA · 2 postings$37.80/ hr$35–$40
  • CommonSpirit HealthSANTA MARIA, CA · 6 postings$35.76/ hr$26–$45
  • Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, CA · 10 postings$33.39/ hr$25–$40
  • Sharp HealthcareSan Diego, CA · 5 postings$33.39/ hr$25–$39

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published.

2What they are offering now

Low$24Median$32.09High$39

49 Pharm Tech postings with published pay in California, 46 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 49 Pharm Tech roles

  1. PHARMACY TECHNICIANPermanent
    $30.16–$37.70/ hour
    CommonSpirit Health · Santa Maria, CA · posted today
  2. Pharmacy TechnicianPermanent
    $52k–$67k/ year
    Military Treatment Facilities under DHA · Camp Pendleton, CA · posted today

+ 47 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.

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