Pharmacy technicians

Detailed Occupation

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2021 Workforce

383k

Average Age

36.6

Estimated Job Growth

3.62%

10-year projection

Average Salary

$34,418

Average Male Salary

$38,983

Average Female Salary

$33,190

About

Pharmacy technicians are most often employed by the Pharmacies & drug stores industry. The average yearly wage for Pharmacy technicians was $34,418 in 2021.

The locations that employ the most Pharmacy technicians are Waukegan, Zion, Benton & Newport Townships PUMA, IL, Sioux Falls City PUMA, SD, and Baldwin County PUMA, AL. The locations with a relatively high concentration of Pharmacy technicians are Auburn Gresham, Roseland, Chatham, Avalon Park & Burnside PUMA, IL, Waukegan, Zion, Benton & Newport Townships PUMA, IL, and St. Clair County (Northwest, Southwest & Southeast) PUMA, IL.

Photo by Kyle Riess

Management, business, science, & arts occupations Healthcare practitioners & technical occupations

Employment and salary information for the Pharmacy technicians workforce. Pharmacy technicians workforce in 2021 was 382,954 people, of which 78.8% were women and 21.2% were men. Pharmacy technicians are paid most in Southwest Arkansas PUMA, AR but are relatively concentrated in Auburn Gresham, Roseland, Chatham, Avalon Park & Burnside PUMA, IL.

Employment Over Time

Metric

Grouping

81,193

Male Workforce

± 6.99k

301,761

Female Workforce

± 13.5k

The Pharmacy technicians workforce in 2021 was 382,954 people (78.8% women and 21.2% men). This implies an average annual growth of 4.25% between 2018 (367,335) and 2021 (382,954).

Employment by Location

Level

Metric

This map shows the states in the United States shaded by average wage for Pharmacy technicians.

During 2021, the states that concentrated the best average annual wage were Alaska ($75,832), Delaware ($55,138), and California ($45,370).

Yearly Wage Ranking

$34,418

AVERAGE WAGE

#428 in the ranking (2021)

$59,596

NATIONAL AVERAGE WAGE

For all occupations across the US

In 2021, Pharmacy technicians earned an average of $34,418, $25,178 less than the average national salary of $59,596

The graph shows the ranking of Pharmacy technicians in relation to all Detailed Occupation in 2021.

Wage Distribution

Gender

0.325

WAGE GINI

In 2021, Pharmacy technicians had a wage GINI coefficient of 0.325, which is lower than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly for Pharmacy technicians (shown in red) than for the overall labor force (shown in gray).

The graphic shows the distribution of average salaries by buckets for Pharmacy technicians compared to the entire workforce in the country.

Industry

Information on the industries that employ Pharmacy technicians and on wages for those in the field. Pharmacies & drug stores is the industry that employs the most Pharmacy technicians, both by share and by number, though the highest paid industry for Pharmacy technicians, by average wage, is Electronics stores ($72,967).

Occupations by Industries

Metric

Value

383k

2021 Workforce

± 15,174

0.834%

1 YEAR GROWTH

± 5.57%

This graphic shows the share of Pharmacy technicians employed by various industries. Pharmacies & drug stores employs the largest share of Pharmacy technicians at 74%, followed by General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals with 22.2% and Veterinary services with 3.78%.

Diversity

Demographic information on Pharmacy technicians in the US. The workforce of Pharmacy technicians in 2021 was 382,954 people, with 78.8% woman, and 21.2% men. The average age of male Pharmacy technicians in the workforce is 34.5 and of female Pharmacy technicians is 37.1, and the most common race/ethnicity for Pharmacy technicians is White.

Gender and Age

Metric

The workforce of Pharmacy technicians in 2021 was 382,954 people, with 78.8% woman, and 21.2% men.

The age ranges that concentrated the largest workforce were 25 to 29 years (68,384 people), 20 to 24 years (67,149 people), and 30 to 34 years (57,120 people). Among them they concentrated 50.3% of the total workforce.

Ethnicity

Gender

In 2021, 15.8% of Pharmacy technicians workers were Hispanic and 84.2% non-Hispanic.

The treemap shows the distribution of Hispanic workers according to their origin, highlighting Mexican (77.2%), Puerto Rican (15.4)%, and Cuban (7.39)%

You can review this information by gender using the selectors above.

Races

In 2021, 65.6% of the Pharmacy technicians workforce were White, of which 80.7% were women and 19.3% men. Other races that concentrated a significant number of workers were Black (13.9%) and Asian (8.44%).

Education & Skills

Data on higher education choices for Pharmacy technicians from The Department of Education and Census Bureau. The most common major for Pharmacy technicians is Health but the most specialized major according to RCA in 2021 were Biology.

Majors

ACS PUMS data only shows the major for bachelor's degrees. However, we can filter the data based on highest degree obtained.

Type of Majors

Degree

The most common majors achieved by Pharmacy technicians in 2021 (counting all academic degrees) were Health (14,909 people), Biology (12,344 people), and Business (9,077 people).

You can review this information for different academic grades by modifying the option selected in the selector above.

Education Levels

Metric

The main educational levels achieved by the Pharmacy technicians workers were Some college (139,878 people), High School or Equivalent (98,203 people), and Associates Degree (64,848 people).

The graphic shows the Pharmacy technicians workforce by gender and educational level.

Projections

Projections on job growth for Pharmacy Technicians from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The 10-year national workforce is projected to grow 3.71%, but Pharmacy Technicians are expected to see a growth of 3.62% over the same period. This occupation is expected to grow less than the national average.

Job Growth

3.62%

Estimated Job Growth

10-year Projection

3.71%

National Growth

10-year Projection

This line chart shows the projected 10-year growth in the number of jobs for Pharmacy technicians. This profession is expected to grow less than than 3.71%, the average rate of national job growth.