Classes, Courses, and Degrees for a Career as a
Pharmacy Technician

How Much Does a Pharmacy Technician Make? | Pharmacy Technician Salary

The median yearly salary for pharmacy technicians was $28,400 in May 2010 (the most recent data available). This median salary is simply the salary where half the employees earned more and half earned a lesser amount. Employees in the lower 10 percent had an annual salary less than $19,840, and those employees in the top 10 percent earned greater then $40,710. The median annual wages for pharmacy technicians in hospitals were $32,400 in May 2010 (the most recent data available),

What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do? | Job Description

Pharmacy Technician is one of U.S. News and World Report "100 Best Jobs of 2013." Pharmacy technicians help licensed pharmacists dispense prescription medication. They work in retail pharmacies and hospitals.

Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of pharmacists, who must review all prescriptions before they are given to patients. If a customer's question is about the medication or health matters, the pharmacy technician arranges for the customer to speak with the pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians working in hospitals and other medical facilities prepare a greater variety of medications, such as intravenous medications. They may make rounds in the hospital, giving medications to patients.

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician?

Becoming a pharmacy technician usually requires earning a high school diploma or the equivalent. Other requirements vary by state, with some states requiring passing an exam or completing a formal training program. Most states regulate pharmacy technicians in some way. Consult your state’s Board of Pharmacy for its particular regulations.

Pharmacy Technician Classes and Courses | Degree Programs

Many pharmacy technicians learn how to perform their duties through on-the-job training. Others attend career college education programs in pharmacy technology at vocational schools or community colleges, which award certificates. These programs typically last 1 year or less and cover a variety of subjects, such as arithmetic used in pharmacies, recordkeeping, ways of dispensing medications, and pharmacy law and ethics. Technicians also learn the names, actions, uses, and doses of medications. Many training programs include internships, in which students get hands-on experience in a pharmacy.

Pharmacy Technician Jobs | Who is Hiring?

Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to grow by 32 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations. As a result of advances in pharmaceutical research, more prescription medications are being used to fight diseases. Also, the number of older people is growing, and older people use more prescription drugs than younger people.

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