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.
What it pays
Pharmacy Technicians earn a median of $22.00/hr — about $46,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.32/hr; the top 10% earn $29.35/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Pharmacy Technicians earn a median of $22.00/hr — about $46,000 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $17.32/hr; the top 10% earn $29.35/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
- Enter prescription information into computer databases.
- Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
- Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
- Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.
- Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: High school diploma. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
The feel of the work
The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 0% of pharmacy technicians are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, hands-on and people-focused.
Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.Related careers
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Quick questions
- How much does a pharmacy technician make?
- The median pay is $22.00 per hour — roughly $46,000 a year, with the real range running from about $17.32/hr (10th percentile) to $29.35/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a pharmacy technician?
- The typical entry-level education is: High school diploma. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
- What does a pharmacy technician actually do all day?
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate. Enter prescription information into computer databases. Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.