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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

29-2052 Pharmacy Technicians

Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.


National estimates for Pharmacy Technicians
Industry profile for Pharmacy Technicians
Geographic profile for Pharmacy Technicians

National estimates for Pharmacy Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Pharmacy Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
453,630 0.8 % $ 19.35 $ 40,260 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for Pharmacy Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 14.25 $ 16.63 $ 18.17 $ 21.97 $ 24.35
Annual Wage (2) $ 29,640 $ 34,590 $ 37,790 $ 45,710 $ 50,640


Industry profile for Pharmacy Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Pharmacy Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Pharmacy Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Pharmacy Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Health and Personal Care Retailers 239,470 21.86 $ 18.12 $ 37,680
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 68,610 1.23 $ 22.32 $ 46,430
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) 41,940 1.40 $ 17.32 $ 36,030
General Merchandise Retailers 41,380 1.29 $ 20.06 $ 41,720
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) 10,420 2.68 $ 19.80 $ 41,190

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Pharmacy Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Health and Personal Care Retailers 239,470 21.86 $ 18.12 $ 37,680
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) 10,420 2.68 $ 19.80 $ 41,190
Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) 41,940 1.40 $ 17.32 $ 36,030
General Merchandise Retailers 41,380 1.29 $ 20.06 $ 41,720
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 68,610 1.23 $ 22.32 $ 46,430

Top paying industries for Pharmacy Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Outpatient Care Centers 6,730 0.66 $ 27.52 $ 57,240
Scientific Research and Development Services 180 0.02 $ 25.42 $ 52,870
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 6,750 0.32 $ 24.23 $ 50,400
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) 1,020 0.02 $ 24.01 $ 49,950
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools 1,260 0.04 $ 22.57 $ 46,950


Geographic profile for Pharmacy Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Pharmacy Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Pharmacy Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of pharmacy technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Pharmacy Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Florida 38,970 4.23 1.38 $ 18.40 $ 38,270
California 38,780 2.20 0.72 $ 25.04 $ 52,090
Texas 36,870 2.84 0.93 $ 19.53 $ 40,620
New York 23,550 2.58 0.84 $ 19.64 $ 40,860
Illinois 21,370 3.63 1.18 $ 19.67 $ 40,910


Map of location quotient of pharmacy technicians by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Pharmacy Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kentucky 9,910 5.22 1.70 $ 16.99 $ 35,340
West Virginia 3,490 5.15 1.68 $ 16.93 $ 35,210
Florida 38,970 4.23 1.38 $ 18.40 $ 38,270
Tennessee 12,820 4.11 1.34 $ 17.69 $ 36,790
Alabama 7,980 3.98 1.30 $ 16.69 $ 34,720


Map of annual mean wages of pharmacy technicians by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Pharmacy Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 38,780 2.20 0.72 $ 25.04 $ 52,090
Washington 7,600 2.23 0.73 $ 23.81 $ 49,530
Alaska 790 2.57 0.84 $ 23.18 $ 48,210
Oregon 4,470 2.36 0.77 $ 22.49 $ 46,770
District of Columbia 720 1.04 0.34 $ 21.75 $ 45,240



Map of employment of pharmacy technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Pharmacy Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 24,060 2.62 0.85 $ 20.09 $ 41,780
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 16,140 3.66 1.19 $ 20.18 $ 41,970
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 14,230 2.33 0.76 $ 24.28 $ 50,490
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 10,970 2.88 0.94 $ 18.95 $ 39,420
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 10,830 4.13 1.35 $ 19.16 $ 39,840
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 10,100 3.65 1.19 $ 18.33 $ 38,130
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 8,700 3.92 1.28 $ 20.49 $ 42,620
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 8,470 2.77 0.90 $ 21.48 $ 44,680
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 7,740 2.84 0.93 $ 18.42 $ 38,320
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 6,660 3.57 1.16 $ 18.42 $ 38,300


Map of location quotient of pharmacy technicians by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Pharmacy Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Morgantown, WV 480 7.39 2.41 $ 17.77 $ 36,960
Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH 820 6.41 2.09 $ 17.03 $ 35,410
Springfield, IL 650 6.35 2.07 $ 20.57 $ 42,780
Bloomsburg-Berwick, PA 250 6.31 2.06 $ 17.04 $ 35,450
Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH 230 6.23 2.03 $ 16.45 $ 34,210
Beckley, WV 240 5.97 1.95 $ 16.45 $ 34,210
Rochester, MN 700 5.94 1.94 $ 21.61 $ 44,960
Gadsden, AL 190 5.77 1.88 $ 16.25 $ 33,790
Hot Springs, AR 220 5.69 1.86 $ 16.63 $ 34,590
Iowa City, IA 510 5.65 1.84 $ 19.42 $ 40,390


Map of annual mean wages of pharmacy technicians by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Pharmacy Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 4,130 1.73 0.56 $ 29.87 $ 62,140
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 1,750 1.56 0.51 $ 29.60 $ 61,570
Napa, CA 120 1.66 0.54 $ 28.62 $ 59,540
Vallejo-Fairfield, CA 450 3.25 1.06 $ 27.81 $ 57,840
Santa Rosa, CA 380 1.89 0.62 $ 27.70 $ 57,620
Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA 2,590 2.52 0.82 $ 25.80 $ 53,650
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA 4,140 2.03 0.66 $ 24.97 $ 51,940
Stockton-Lodi, CA 660 2.39 0.78 $ 24.91 $ 51,810
Chico, CA 240 3.10 1.01 $ 24.51 $ 50,990
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 3,200 2.15 0.70 $ 24.42 $ 50,780

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Pharmacy Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 1,190 3.10 1.01 $ 16.90 $ 35,160
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,080 6.55 2.14 $ 16.24 $ 33,770
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 1,070 4.09 1.33 $ 17.38 $ 36,140
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 1,050 4.31 1.41 $ 17.13 $ 35,620
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,050 10.70 3.49 $ 14.87 $ 30,920

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Pharmacy Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
East Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,050 10.70 3.49 $ 14.87 $ 30,920
South Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 1,080 6.55 2.14 $ 16.24 $ 33,770
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 860 5.83 1.90 $ 16.27 $ 33,830
Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area 400 5.81 1.89 $ 15.01 $ 31,220
Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 940 5.24 1.71 $ 15.82 $ 32,910

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Pharmacy Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 230 2.31 0.75 $ 24.23 $ 50,400
North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area 230 2.32 0.76 $ 23.80 $ 49,500
Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area 130 2.14 0.70 $ 23.68 $ 49,260
North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area 310 2.96 0.96 $ 23.37 $ 48,610
Central Oregon nonmetropolitan area 140 2.17 0.71 $ 22.15 $ 46,080


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023