Pharmacy Technicians salary
Healthcare · OCC code 29-2052 · gross annual wage · BLS OEWS May 2024
Pharmacy Technicians in the US earn a median of $43,460 per year (mean $44,800) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey — that is -12.2% versus the $49,500 median for all US jobs, below the US median wage for all jobs. The middle half earn between $36,920 and $48,580; the top 10% earn $59,450 or more. The median hourly wage is $20.90. About 487,920 are employed nationally. The highest-paying state is Washington ($56,140). Wages are gross (pre-tax) and vary by employer, experience and location.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Pharmacy Technicians pay range (national percentiles)
What pharmacy technicians earn across the pay distribution, nationally (BLS OEWS, May 2024):
| Pay level | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th percentile (lowest-paid 10%) | $35,100 |
| 25th percentile | $36,920 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $43,460 |
| Mean (average) | $44,800 |
| 75th percentile | $48,580 |
| 90th percentile (highest-paid 10%) | $59,450 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
A dash (—) means BLS did not release that figure; a plus (+) means the wage is at or above the BLS top code of $239,200/yr. See what wage percentiles mean or check where your salary ranks.
Pharmacy Technicians salary by state
Median and mean wage for pharmacy technicians in each of the 51 states with published data, highest median first. The national median is $43,460.
| # | State | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $56,140 | $57,890 | 9,260 |
| 2 | Oregon | $51,210 | $53,790 | 4,570 |
| 3 | Alaska | $50,440 | $52,040 | 870 |
| 4 | California | $49,640 | $56,270 | 45,210 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $48,560 | $48,470 | 7,110 |
| 6 | Colorado | $48,070 | $49,670 | 6,120 |
| 7 | Arizona | $47,620 | $47,880 | 11,260 |
| 8 | North Dakota | $47,600 | $47,110 | 910 |
| 9 | Montana | $46,980 | $46,940 | 1,400 |
| 10 | Utah | $46,760 | $46,770 | 5,370 |
| 11 | Nevada | $46,670 | $46,490 | 4,180 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $46,490 | $46,400 | 670 |
| 13 | Vermont | $46,050 | $45,370 | 770 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $45,670 | $51,130 | 950 |
| 15 | Hawaii | $45,380 | $46,120 | 1,820 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $45,300 | $45,410 | 2,200 |
| 17 | Idaho | $45,210 | $46,110 | 2,740 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $44,970 | $45,480 | 2,740 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $44,640 | $47,100 | 11,980 |
| 20 | Illinois | $44,610 | $44,110 | 22,790 |
| 21 | Connecticut | $44,190 | $45,270 | 5,420 |
| 22 | Texas | $43,920 | $43,890 | 41,610 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $43,760 | $43,640 | 1,270 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $43,620 | $43,630 | 8,840 |
| 25 | Delaware | $43,470 | $43,780 | 1,320 |
| 26 | Maryland | $43,100 | $44,890 | 8,590 |
| 27 | Virginia | $42,490 | $43,780 | 11,260 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $41,400 | $42,580 | 2,590 |
| 29 | Iowa | $41,380 | $43,350 | 4,480 |
| 30 | Maine | $40,950 | $42,930 | 2,300 |
| 31 | New York | $40,840 | $45,010 | 26,450 |
| 32 | Michigan | $40,040 | $42,530 | 14,610 |
| 33 | Indiana | $40,020 | $42,110 | 11,040 |
| 34 | North Carolina | $39,870 | $42,360 | 16,600 |
| 35 | Florida | $39,640 | $42,810 | 38,950 |
| 36 | Kansas | $39,210 | $41,590 | 4,370 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $38,960 | $41,580 | 7,720 |
| 38 | New Jersey | $38,890 | $43,140 | 14,130 |
| 39 | Louisiana | $38,700 | $41,180 | 6,350 |
| 40 | Georgia | $38,390 | $41,300 | 15,780 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $38,210 | $39,620 | 3,760 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $38,200 | $40,170 | 5,110 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $38,130 | $40,720 | 12,350 |
| 44 | Missouri | $37,990 | $40,840 | 11,420 |
| 45 | Ohio | $37,860 | $41,430 | 20,100 |
| 46 | Rhode Island | $37,730 | $43,180 | 1,720 |
| 47 | Alabama | $37,690 | $39,440 | 8,710 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $37,630 | $39,790 | 10,040 |
| 49 | Pennsylvania | $37,560 | $40,710 | 19,630 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $37,380 | $38,540 | 4,740 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $37,370 | $39,190 | 3,690 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. Data as of OEWS May 2024 (BLS), retrieved June 2026.
Highest median: Washington ($56,140). Lowest: West Virginia ($37,370).
Similar-paying jobs
| Occupation | Median wage | Mean wage | vs US median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy Technicians (this job) | $43,460 | $44,800 | -12.2% |
| Office Clerks, General | $43,630 | $45,470 | -11.9% |
| Customer Service Representatives | $42,830 | $45,380 | -13.5% |
| Light Truck Drivers | $44,140 | $47,950 | -10.8% |
| Medical Assistants | $44,200 | $44,720 | -10.7% |
| Photographers | $42,520 | $55,650 | -14.1% |
Office Clerks, General · Customer Service Representatives · Light Truck Drivers · Medical Assistants · Photographers
Frequently asked questions
How much do pharmacy technicians make?
Pharmacy Technicians earn a national median of $43,460 per year (mean $44,800) as of the BLS OEWS May 2024 survey. The middle half earn between $36,920 (25th percentile) and $48,580 (75th percentile); the top 10% earn $59,450 or more and the bottom 10% earn under $35,100. These are gross, pre-tax wages.
What is the hourly wage for pharmacy technicians?
The median hourly wage is $20.90 and the mean is $21.54 (BLS OEWS, May 2024). BLS reports some occupations only as annual wages, in which case hourly figures are shown as a dash.
Which state pays pharmacy technicians the most?
Washington has the highest median wage for pharmacy technicians at $56,140, versus a national median of $43,460. State pay reflects local cost of living, demand and industry mix. See the full state table on this page.
How many pharmacy technicians are there in the US?
BLS estimates about 487,920 pharmacy technicians are employed in the US (OEWS, May 2024). Among the 124 occupations tracked here, this job ranks #108 of 124 by median pay.
Keep exploring
Sources & accuracy
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 (OCC 29-2052), gross annual wages, U.S. public domain, retrieved June 2026. OEWS figures are survey estimates and reflect pay before tax. Your actual pay depends on employer, experience, certifications, industry and location. This is information, not financial or career advice — see our methodology and disclaimer.
Last updated: 2026-06-20