Pharmacy Technician salary
The median pharmacy technician pay is $26.35 per hour, or about $54,808 a year, based on 310 postings with published pay from 65 employers. Collected October 15, 2026.
- 310roles with published pay
- $26.35median pay per hour
- $20–$36typical published range
- 65employers hiring
Pay percentiles, per hour and per year
| Level | Per hour | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $21.94 | $45,641 |
| 25th percentile | $23.97 | $49,858 |
| Median | $26.35 | $54,808 |
| 75th percentile | $30.51 | $63,450 |
| 90th percentile | $35.98 | $74,838 |
Pharmacy Technician salary by state, BLS data
Nationally the BLS median is $20.90 per hour, about $43,460 a year, across 487,920 workers. Pick a state for its metro areas, rankings and open roles.
| State | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $26.99 | $56,140 | 9,260 |
| Oregon | $24.62 | $51,210 | 4,570 |
| Alaska | $24.25 | $50,440 | 870 |
| California | $23.86 | $49,640 | 45,210 |
| Minnesota | $23.35 | $48,560 | 7,110 |
| Arizona | $22.89 | $47,620 | 11,260 |
| North Dakota | $22.89 | $47,600 | 910 |
| Montana | $22.59 | $46,980 | 1,400 |
| Utah | $22.48 | $46,760 | 5,370 |
| Nevada | $22.44 | $46,670 | 4,180 |
| Wyoming | $22.35 | $46,490 | 670 |
| Vermont | $22.14 | $46,050 | 770 |
| District of Columbia | $21.96 | $45,670 | 950 |
| Hawaii | $21.82 | $45,380 | 1,820 |
| New Hampshire | $21.78 | $45,300 | 2,200 |
| Idaho | $21.74 | $45,210 | 2,740 |
| New Mexico | $21.62 | $44,970 | 2,740 |
| Massachusetts | $21.46 | $44,640 | 11,980 |
| Illinois | $21.45 | $44,610 | 22,790 |
| Connecticut | $21.25 | $44,190 | 5,420 |
| Texas | $21.12 | $43,920 | 41,610 |
| South Dakota | $21.04 | $43,760 | 1,270 |
| Wisconsin | $20.97 | $43,620 | 8,840 |
| Delaware | $20.90 | $43,470 | 1,320 |
| Maryland | $20.72 | $43,100 | 8,590 |
| Virginia | $20.43 | $42,490 | 11,260 |
| Nebraska | $19.91 | $41,400 | 2,590 |
| Iowa | $19.90 | $41,380 | 4,480 |
| Maine | $19.69 | $40,950 | 2,300 |
| New York | $19.63 | $40,840 | 26,450 |
| Michigan | $19.25 | $40,040 | 14,610 |
| Indiana | $19.24 | $40,020 | 11,040 |
| North Carolina | $19.17 | $39,870 | 16,600 |
| Florida | $19.06 | $39,640 | 38,950 |
| Kansas | $18.85 | $39,210 | 4,370 |
| South Carolina | $18.73 | $38,960 | 7,720 |
| New Jersey | $18.70 | $38,890 | 14,130 |
| Louisiana | $18.61 | $38,700 | 6,350 |
| Georgia | $18.46 | $38,390 | 15,780 |
| Mississippi | $18.37 | $38,210 | 3,760 |
| Oklahoma | $18.37 | $38,200 | 5,110 |
| Tennessee | $18.33 | $38,130 | 12,350 |
| Missouri | $18.27 | $37,990 | 11,420 |
| Ohio | $18.20 | $37,860 | 20,100 |
| Rhode Island | $18.14 | $37,730 | 1,720 |
| Alabama | $18.12 | $37,690 | 8,710 |
| Kentucky | $18.09 | $37,630 | 10,040 |
| Pennsylvania | $18.06 | $37,560 | 19,630 |
| Arkansas | $17.97 | $37,380 | 4,740 |
| West Virginia | $17.97 | $37,370 | 3,690 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Pharmacy Technicians.
Highest-paying metro areas
| Metro area | Median / hr | Median / year | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $39.09 | $81,310 | 190 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $34.01 | $70,740 | 2,080 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $29.80 | $61,990 | 4,460 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $29.47 | $61,290 | 460 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $28.83 | $59,960 | 5,330 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $26.83 | $55,810 | 3,140 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $26.77 | $55,690 | 280 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $26.32 | $54,740 | 2,740 |
| Vallejo, CA | $26.22 | $54,530 | 450 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $25.91 | $53,890 | 80 |
Pharmacy Technician pay by state
| State | Postings | Median / hour | Median / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 33 | $36.66 | $76,253 |
| California | 49 | $32.09 | $66,747 |
| Minnesota | 33 | $27.69 | $57,595 |
| North Carolina | 7 | $27.32 | $56,826 |
| Colorado | 15 | $27 | $56,160 |
| Virginia | 31 | $26.93 | $56,014 |
| Oregon | 3 | $26.25 | $54,600 |
| Massachusetts | 37 | $25.57 | $53,186 |
| Texas | 3 | $25.50 | $53,040 |
| Delaware | 5 | $25.30 | $52,624 |
| Wisconsin | 7 | $24.73 | $51,438 |
| Maine | 4 | $24.48 | $50,918 |
| Arizona | 8 | $24.08 | $50,086 |
| South Dakota | 6 | $23.81 | $49,525 |
| Maryland | 3 | $23.77 | $49,442 |
| Nebraska | 3 | $23.62 | $49,130 |
| New Jersey | 9 | $23 | $47,840 |
| New York | 13 | $21.96 | $45,677 |
| Illinois | 14 | $21.73 | $45,198 |
| Hawaii | 4 | $18.50 | $38,480 |
Who pays what
| Employer | Postings | Median / hour | Median / year |
|---|---|---|---|
| El Camino Health | 1 | $48.48 | $100,838 |
| MarinHealth | 1 | $43.74 | $90,979 |
| Seattle Children's | 1 | $42.74 | $88,899 |
| Stanford Children's Health | 1 | $42.72 | $88,858 |
| Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System | 2 | $37.80 | $78,634 |
| MultiCare | 20 | $36.66 | $76,253 |
| Valley Children's Healthcare | 1 | $34.20 | $71,136 |
| Sharp HealthCare | 10 | $33.39 | $69,451 |
| Sharp Healthcare | 5 | $33.39 | $69,451 |
| Palomar Health | 1 | $33.38 | $69,430 |
What moves your pay
- Experience and credentials: certifications and years in the specialty usually move you up the published range.
- Shift: nights, weekends and holidays often add a differential on top of the base range.
- Setting: academic centers, trauma hospitals and large systems often publish higher ranges than community sites.
- Location: pay follows local cost of living and demand, so compare cities, not only states.
Method
Figures are the midpoints of pay ranges that employers published in 310 postings from 65 employers, collected October 15, 2026. They are not survey estimates and do not include overtime or bonuses.
Common questions
How much does a pharmacy technician make?
The median pharmacy technician pay across 310 postings with published pay is $26.35 per hour, about $54,808 a year. Half of the postings fall between $24 and $31 per hour.
Which states pay pharmacy technicians the most?
Among states with at least 3 postings, the highest medians are Washington ($36.66/hr), California ($32.09/hr), Minnesota ($27.69/hr).
What do pharmacy technicians get paid at other employers in California?
- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare SystemSalinas, CA$37.80/hr
- CommonSpirit HealthSANTA MARIA, CA$35.76/hr
- Sharp HealthCareSan Diego, CA$33.39/hr
See all employers by name, how pay is moving and the roles that pay more.
Get the free pay reportFree for candidates · email onlyWhat do other employers pay pharmacy technicians near you?
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.
- 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
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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280+ Pharmacy Technician roles in California, sent free by email
Tell us who you are and what you do. We email the report within 24 hours on business days.
Your Pharm Tech pay reportCalifornia · 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
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.