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How much does entry level pharmacy techs make?
I am in trade school to be a Pharmacy Technician
#Pharmacy
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7 answers
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Anthony’s Answer
Hi Olliyah,
The answer to your question depends on several factors. First, like all forms of employment, you're only worth as much as you can negotiate. For that reason, pharmacies with a higher demand for pharmacy technicians will start their technicians off at a higher rate. For example, I am currently a retail pharmacy chain pharmacy manager in a seasonal area. Due to the extreme difficulty of finding technicians willing to work in the summer, I have been given the authorization to start technicians at $20. However, I know many stores not too far from me that are beginning far below this.
Additionally, your experience also makes a big difference. Some states require you to be licensed before you can begin working as a pharmacy technician. In these states, technicians tend to start a bit higher due to a barrier to entry for the job. Being a certified pharmacy technician or having other experience in customer service can also impact your starting wage.
I also believe that hospital technicians tend to have a higher starting salary than retail technicians. I have not confirmed this. However, I have heard of many retail technicians transferring to hospital jobs due to higher starting salaries.
An important thing I want to mention about technician wages is that being a technician is a reliable way to gain benefits. These retail pharmacy chains offer help to all employees, such as vacation, sick time, health insurance, retirement, etc. These benefits should not be overlooked when considering a technician's salary. Although this is not something that usually kicks in immediately, it is essential to keep in mind after a few months of employment.
Anthony
The answer to your question depends on several factors. First, like all forms of employment, you're only worth as much as you can negotiate. For that reason, pharmacies with a higher demand for pharmacy technicians will start their technicians off at a higher rate. For example, I am currently a retail pharmacy chain pharmacy manager in a seasonal area. Due to the extreme difficulty of finding technicians willing to work in the summer, I have been given the authorization to start technicians at $20. However, I know many stores not too far from me that are beginning far below this.
Additionally, your experience also makes a big difference. Some states require you to be licensed before you can begin working as a pharmacy technician. In these states, technicians tend to start a bit higher due to a barrier to entry for the job. Being a certified pharmacy technician or having other experience in customer service can also impact your starting wage.
I also believe that hospital technicians tend to have a higher starting salary than retail technicians. I have not confirmed this. However, I have heard of many retail technicians transferring to hospital jobs due to higher starting salaries.
An important thing I want to mention about technician wages is that being a technician is a reliable way to gain benefits. These retail pharmacy chains offer help to all employees, such as vacation, sick time, health insurance, retirement, etc. These benefits should not be overlooked when considering a technician's salary. Although this is not something that usually kicks in immediately, it is essential to keep in mind after a few months of employment.
Anthony
Updated
Perry’s Answer
That is a great question which is dependent on a couple of different factors.
The first factor is your local area/state. A quick google search will reveal (at times) the huge differences in compensation among pharmacy technicians who live in different states/cities from your own. One reason for this is due to the cost of living in that particular area and possible need for such hires.
The second factor depends on your education, training, license, certification, and experience. Each of these can be used as bargaining chips to increase a pharmacy technicians wages.
The third factor is the type of job/setting a pharmacy technician is working (think hospital vs retail pharmacy). Typically, hospitals pay their pharmacy technicians more because their scope of practice is increased, meaning they will have more work duties to perform. For example, a pharmacy technician in a hospital can be trained to make IV's, which is something retail pharmacy technicians mostly never do.
There are many settings in which a pharmacy technician can now work including health insurances, long term care pharmacies, compounding pharmacies, and even clinical research. As a pharmacy technicians role evolves, so too do more places for their employment become available. I highly encourage you to research the different areas a pharmacy tech can work and I hope you find one that may be right for you in the future.
The first factor is your local area/state. A quick google search will reveal (at times) the huge differences in compensation among pharmacy technicians who live in different states/cities from your own. One reason for this is due to the cost of living in that particular area and possible need for such hires.
The second factor depends on your education, training, license, certification, and experience. Each of these can be used as bargaining chips to increase a pharmacy technicians wages.
The third factor is the type of job/setting a pharmacy technician is working (think hospital vs retail pharmacy). Typically, hospitals pay their pharmacy technicians more because their scope of practice is increased, meaning they will have more work duties to perform. For example, a pharmacy technician in a hospital can be trained to make IV's, which is something retail pharmacy technicians mostly never do.
There are many settings in which a pharmacy technician can now work including health insurances, long term care pharmacies, compounding pharmacies, and even clinical research. As a pharmacy technicians role evolves, so too do more places for their employment become available. I highly encourage you to research the different areas a pharmacy tech can work and I hope you find one that may be right for you in the future.
Updated
Dinah’s Answer
The pay rate depends on what state you are in, if you had experience before, and if you are nationally certified as a pharmacy technician. I started off at $10.50 in retail and then around six months after my training, I got raised to $11.50. Then, I got raised to $13.50 and after getting nationally certified after 2 years, I got a raise to $15.50. I am an intern now and my pay raise went again. I am from Illinois, so pay will differ. On the other hand, I am not sure about clinical pharmacy technicians. Also, it depends on each company because so companies will pay more than others.
Updated
Raphael’s Answer
O*net online ( https://www.onetonline.org/find/ ) may provide some helpful information and it also provides technology skills, education, salary, etc.. to go along with the career path. Use keyword search or explore via the "Career Cluster" drop down.
Reference:
The O*NET Program is the nation's primary source of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*NET database, containing hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors on almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy. The database, which is available to the public at no cost, is continually updated from input by a broad range of workers in each occupation. The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration
Reference:
The O*NET Program is the nation's primary source of occupational information. Central to the project is the O*NET database, containing hundreds of standardized and occupation-specific descriptors on almost 1,000 occupations covering the entire U.S. economy. The database, which is available to the public at no cost, is continually updated from input by a broad range of workers in each occupation. The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) is developed under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Labor/Employment and Training Administration
Updated
Karina’s Answer
$10-17 per hour to start! Room to go up from there with experience.
Updated
Jacob’s Answer
Your pay will be depended on your experience and where you work but it can range from $12-$20 per hr. Hospital technicians with an IV certification will typically get hired on at the higher end vs. retail.
Updated
Giaan’s Answer
An entry level pharmacy tech make about $14-20 an hour but that also depends on which region of the US you're working at.
You can read more about it here: https://work.chron.com/much-entry-level-pharmacy-technician-make-22675.html
Giaan recommends the following next steps: