IA · Council Bluffs · Updated October 15, 2026

Pharmacy Technician jobs in Council Bluffs, IA

Pharmacy Technicians in the Council Bluffs area earn a median of $22.00 per hour, about $45,760 a year, and the middle half of them earn between $18.84 and $22.95. That ranks 81st of 386 U.S. metro areas for pharmacy technician pay, and 28th of 341 once local prices are factored in. The CMS hospital directory lists 2 hospitals in Council Bluffs. Your free pay report adds named employers and the roles open near Council Bluffs.

More open Pharmacy Technician roles in Council Bluffs

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

PermanentPosted today

Pharmacy Technician

CVS Health · Council Bluffs, IA

Pay range with your report
  • Part time
  • Req R1075865
New this week
View role

Pharmacy Technician pay in Council Bluffs, IA

The metro median is 11% above the Iowa statewide median of $19.90 per hour. Nationally the median is $20.90 per hour. BLS counts about 1,280 pharmacy technicians employed in the Omaha metro area, 2.6 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 0.83).

LevelPer hourPer yearCompared with U.S.
Lowest 10%$18.07$37,59014% below U.S. median
Lower quartile$18.84$39,19010% below U.S. median
Median$22.00$45,7605% above U.S. median
Upper quartile$22.95$47,74010% above U.S. median
Top 10%$24.11$50,15015% above U.S. median

How Council Bluffs ranks

  • 81st of 386 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
  • 28th of 341 after adjusting for local prices

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.

Get the Council Bluffs Pharmacy Technician pay report

Named employers near Council Bluffs, what they pay and the roles open now. Free for candidates, email only.

Get my free pay report

What your pay buys in Council Bluffs

  • Overall prices in Omaha run 8% below the U.S. average (index 91.9, U.S. = 100).
  • Housing is the biggest driver: 14% below the U.S. average (index 86.4).
  • Adjusted for local prices, a $22.00 median hour buys what $23.94 buys at the national price level, 15% 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 Council Bluffs paycheck

Estimated weekly gross$792
  • Per year: $39,600
  • Per month: $3,300

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

Travel assignment per diem in Council Bluffs

ItemFederal rate
Lodging per night$110
Meals and incidentals per day$68
Per week (7 nights, 7 days)$1,246
13-week assignment$16,198

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 (this is the standard rate that applies here). 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).

Open Pharmacy Technician roles in Iowa

Nearest open roles with published pay. Your free report adds roles in Council Bluffs as they open.

All Pharmacy Technician jobs in Iowa

Hospitals in Council Bluffs

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

HospitalTypeOwnershipCMS ratingEmergency
Chi Health Mercy Council Bluffs
Council Bluffs, IA
Acute careNonprofit5 of 5Yes
Methodist Jennie Edmundson
Council Bluffs, IA
Acute careNonprofit3 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
Bellevue, NE8 mi$22.00/hr64,777
Omaha, NE11 mi$22.00/hr489,265
Lincoln, NE52 mi$18.99/hr300,619
Sioux City, IA91 mi$20.13/hr86,875
West Des Moines, IA110 mi$20.97/hr73,664
St. Joseph, MO116 mi$19.19/hr71,098

Pharmacy Technician jobs in Iowa · Pharmacy Technician jobs nationwide

License and tax basics in Iowa

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

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

Iowa state guide

Other healthcare roles in Council Bluffs

Council Bluffs city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing

Common questions

How much do pharmacy technicians make in Council Bluffs, IA?

Pharmacy Technicians in the Omaha metro area have a median pay of $22.00 per hour, about $45,760 a year. The middle half earn between $18.84 and $22.95 per hour (BLS, May 2024).

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

Omaha ranks 28th of 341 metro areas for pharmacy technician pay after adjusting for local prices, and 81st of 386 before adjusting. Overall prices run 8% below the U.S. average.

Where do pharmacy technicians work in Council Bluffs?

CMS lists 2 hospitals in Council Bluffs, led by Chi Health Mercy Council Bluffs. Ask for the free report to see current openings and pay.

Do I need a Iowa license to work in Council Bluffs as a pharmacy technician?

State registration or license, as the state requires. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what Iowa requires for your role with the Iowa 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 Council Bluffs?

The federal per diem benchmark in Council Bluffs is $110 a night for lodging and $68 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,246 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.

Does Valorem Health place pharmacy technicians in Council Bluffs?

Yes. We place healthcare staff in Council Bluffs and across Iowa. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Council Bluffs.

Free for every candidate

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

Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.

  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.

  3. 3
    Roles open for you right now

    Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.

Get your free pay report

20+ Pharmacy Technician roles in Iowa, sent free by email

Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
That email doesn't look quite right.
Please choose your role.
Please enter your city or ZIP.

Free for candidates. No phone number, no cold calls. One-click unsubscribe.

The Joint Commission Gold Seal of Approval: Health Care Staffing Services Certification, since 2022American Staffing Association memberNATHO member: National Association of Travel Healthcare OrganizationsNALTO member: National Association of Locum Tenens Organizations

Pay report · Pharm Tech near Council Bluffs, IA
Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]

Your Pharm Tech pay reportTop-paying employers shown · your Iowa list by name comes with the full report

1Pay for your role at other employers

  • CommonSpirit HealthSeattle, WA · 7 postings$37.85/ hr$26–$49
  • MultiCareAuburn, WA · 20 postings$36.66/ hr$25–$52
  • CommonSpirit HealthSANTA MARIA, CA · 6 postings$35.76/ hr$26–$45
  • Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, CA · 10 postings$33.39/ hr$25–$40

Median posted pay per hour, with the range each employer published. Request your Iowa list

2What they are offering now

Low$19Median$26.35High$36

310 Pharm Tech postings with published pay in the US, 262 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.

3Open now: 1 Pharm Tech roles

  1. Pharmacy Technician - ClinicalPermanent
    $61k–$80k/ year
    Veterans Health Administration · Des Moines, IA · posted today

Each one has pay, shift and start date.

I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.
Check my pay