CA · Santa Barbara · Updated October 15, 2026

Pharmacy Technician jobs in Santa Barbara, CA

The median pharmacy technician pay in the Santa Barbara area is $23.62 per hour ($49,130 a year), with the typical range running from $21.39 to $30.72. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Santa Barbara and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 3 hospitals in Santa Barbara. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Santa Barbara.

Open Pharmacy Technician roles near Santa Barbara

Roles in other cities of the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara area.

PermanentPosted today

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN

CommonSpirit Health · Santa Maria, CA

$30.16–$37.70/ hour
  • Full Time
  • Req 102054442912
New this week
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More open Pharmacy Technician roles in Santa Barbara

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

PermanentPosted 8 days ago

Pharmacy Technician

CVS Health · Santa Barbara, CA

Pay range with your report
  • Part time
  • Req R1034743
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Pharmacy Technician pay in Santa Barbara, CA

The metro median is 1% below the California statewide median of $23.86 per hour. Nationally the median is $20.90 per hour. BLS counts about 470 pharmacy technicians employed in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area, 2.3 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.74).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$18.47$38,42012% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$21.39$44,4902% above U.S. median
Median$23.62$49,13013% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$30.72$63,90047% above U.S. median
Top 10%$34.23$71,20064% above U.S. median

How Santa Barbara ranks

  • 30th of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 113th of 341 after adjusting for local prices
  • 9th 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 Santa Barbara

  • Overall prices in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara run 9% above the U.S. average (index 108.8, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 51% above the U.S. average (index 151.4).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $23.62 median hour buys what $21.71 buys at the national price level, 4% 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 Santa Barbara paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$850
  • Per year: $42,516
  • Per month: $3,543

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

Travel assignment per diem in Santa Barbara

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$214
Meals and incidentals per day$92
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$2,142
13-week assignment$27,846

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 Santa Barbara

CMS lists 3 hospitals in Santa Barbara, 2 of the 2 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of pharmacy technicians.

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital
Santa Barbara, CA
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital
Santa Barbara, CA
Acute careNonprofit4 of 5Yes
Santa Barbara County Psychiatric Health Facility
Santa Barbara, CA
PsychiatricGovernment and federalNot ratedNo

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
San Buenaventura, CA28 mi$23.52/hr109,831
Oxnard, CA32 mi$23.52/hr200,616
Camarillo, CA41 mi$23.52/hr69,881
Thousand Oaks, CA50 mi$23.52/hr124,229
Santa Maria, CA55 mi$23.62/hr111,346
Simi Valley, CA56 mi$23.52/hr125,778

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 Santa Barbara

Santa Barbara city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do pharmacy technicians make in Santa Barbara, CA?

Pharmacy Technicians in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara metro area have a median pay of $23.62 per hour, about $49,130 a year. The middle half earn between $21.39 and $30.72 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Santa Maria-Santa Barbara ranks 113th of 341 metro areas for pharmacy technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 30th of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 9% above the U.S. average.

Who is hiring pharmacy technicians in Santa Barbara?

We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in the Santa Maria-Santa Barbara area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Santa Barbara.

Do I need a California license to work in Santa Barbara 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 Santa Barbara?

The federal per diem benchmark in Santa Barbara is $214 a night for lodging and $92 a day for meals and incidentals, about $2,142 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place pharmacy technicians in Santa Barbara?

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

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  1. 1
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    What they are offering now

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

Your Pharm Tech pay reportSanta Barbara, 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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