PermanentPosted 2 days ago
Pharmacy Tech
CommonSpirit Health · Santa Cruz, CA
$39.73–$44.79/ hour
Top 25% payNew this week
Pharmacy Technician jobs in Watsonville, CA
Pharmacy Technicians in the Watsonville area earn a median of $23.76 per hour, about $49,420 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $21.83 and $29.47. That ranks 24th of 386 U.S. metro areas for pharmacy technician pay, and 122nd of 341 once local prices are factored in. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Watsonville and its metro area. The free report below lists employers near Watsonville and what they pay.
- $23.76median pay per hour, Santa Cruz
- $22–$29typical range per hour
- 280pharmacy technicians employed in the metro area
- 1open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Pharmacy Technician roles near Watsonville
Roles in other cities of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville area.
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65+ more Pharmacy Technician roles for you in Watsonville, CA
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Named employers near Watsonville, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.
Get my free pay reportPharmacy Technician pay in Watsonville, 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 280 pharmacy technicians employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area, 2.9 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.91).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $18.83 | $39,170 | 10% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $21.83 | $45,410 | 4% above U.S. median |
| Median | $23.76 | $49,420 | 14% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $29.47 | $61,300 | 41% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $39.17 | $81,470 | 87% above U.S. median |
How Watsonville ranks
- 24th of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 122nd of 341 after adjusting for local prices
- 8th 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 Watsonville
- Overall prices in Santa Cruz-Watsonville run 10% above the U.S. average (index 109.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 64% above the U.S. average (index 164.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $23.76 median hour buys what $21.62 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 Watsonville paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$855
- Per year: $42,768
- Per month: $3,564
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Watsonville
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $148 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,638 |
| 13-week assignment | $21,294 |
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 Watsonville
CMS lists 1 hospital in Watsonville, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of pharmacy technicians.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville Community Hospital Watsonville, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Pharmacy Technician pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilroy, CA | 12 mi | $34.01/hr | 60,390 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 15 mi | $23.76/hr | 62,581 |
| Salinas, CA | 18 mi | $23.50/hr | 160,783 |
| San Jose, CA | 26 mi | $34.01/hr | 997,368 |
| Cupertino, CA | 31 mi | $34.01/hr | 58,710 |
| Santa Clara, CA | 32 mi | $34.01/hr | 133,132 |
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.
Other healthcare roles in Watsonville
Watsonville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do pharmacy technicians make in Watsonville, CA?
Pharmacy Technicians in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area have a median pay of $23.76 per hour, about $49,420 a year. The middle half earn between $21.83 and $29.47 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Watsonville a good place for pharmacy technicians once cost of living is counted?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville ranks 122nd of 341 metro areas for pharmacy technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 24th of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring pharmacy technicians in Watsonville?
We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Watsonville.
Do I need a California license to work in Watsonville 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 Watsonville?
The federal per diem benchmark in Watsonville is $148 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,638 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place pharmacy technicians in Watsonville?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Watsonville and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Watsonville.
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What do employers near Watsonville pay pharmacy technicians? Get the report.
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- 1Pay for your role at other employers
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
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280+ Pharmacy Technician roles in California, sent free by email
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Pharm Tech pay reportWatsonville, 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
- PHARMACY TECHNICIANPermanent$30.16–$37.70/ hour
- Pharmacy TechnicianPermanent$52k–$67k/ year
+ 47 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.