CA · Salinas · Updated October 15, 2026

Pharmacy Technician jobs in Salinas, CA

Pay for pharmacy technicians in the Salinas area centers on $23.50 per hour, or about $48,870 a year. The lower quarter earns under $22.07 and the upper quarter over $29.30. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Salinas. That ranks 34th of 386 U.S. metro areas for pharmacy technician pay, and 124th of 341 once local prices are factored in. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Salinas.

Open Pharmacy Technician roles in Salinas

Per diemPosted 8 days ago

Pharmacy Tech I - PD

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System · Salinas, CA

$35.39–$39.21/ hour
  • Per Diem
  • Req SVH-103581
Top 25% pay
View role
Per diemPosted 29 days ago

Pharmacy Tech II - PD

Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System · Salinas, CA

$36.36–$40.26/ hour
  • Per Diem
  • Req SVH-103453
Top 25% pay
View role

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Pharmacy Technician pay in Salinas, CA

The metro median is 2% below the California statewide median of $23.86 per hour. Nationally the median is $20.90 per hour. BLS counts about 410 pharmacy technicians employed in the Salinas metro area, 2.2 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.69).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$18.53$38,54011% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$22.07$45,9106% above U.S. median
Median$23.50$48,87012% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$29.30$60,94040% above U.S. median
Top 10%$32.56$67,72056% above U.S. median

How Salinas ranks

  • 34th of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 124th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 11th 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 Salinas

  • Overall prices in Salinas run 9% above the U.S. average (index 109.0, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 46% above the U.S. average (index 145.7).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $23.50 median hour buys what $21.55 buys at the national price level, 3% 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 Salinas paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$846
  • Per year: $42,300
  • Per month: $3,525

Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Salinas metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.

Travel assignment per diem in Salinas

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$209
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,107
13-week assignment$27,391

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 Salinas

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Salinas, 1 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of pharmacy technicians.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Salinas Valley Health Medical Center
Salinas, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Natividad Medical Center
Salinas, CA
Acute careGovernment and federal3 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
Watsonville, CA18 mi$23.76/hr51,320
Gilroy, CA22 mi$34.01/hr60,390
Santa Cruz, CA30 mi$23.76/hr62,581
San Jose, CA43 mi$34.01/hr997,368
Cupertino, CA49 mi$34.01/hr58,710
Santa Clara, CA50 mi$34.01/hr133,132

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 Salinas

Salinas city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do pharmacy technicians make in Salinas, CA?

Pharmacy Technicians in the Salinas metro area have a median pay of $23.50 per hour, about $48,870 a year. The middle half earn between $22.07 and $29.30 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Salinas ranks 124th of 341 metro areas for pharmacy technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 34th of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring pharmacy technicians in Salinas?

We list 2 open roles with published pay from 1 employer in Salinas. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Salinas.

Do I need a California license to work in Salinas 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 Salinas?

The federal per diem benchmark in Salinas is $209 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,107 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place pharmacy technicians in Salinas?

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

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What do employers near Salinas pay pharmacy technicians? Get the report.

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  1. 1
    Pay for your role at other employers

    The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.

  2. 2
    What they are offering now

    The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.

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

Your Pharm Tech pay reportSalinas, 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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