What Is the Pay Rate for a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists with prescriptions by preparing medicines, dealing with customers and performing clerical tasks as needed. Depending on state regulations, they can process prescriptions sent electronically, from the phone or verbally. They prepare the medicine and labels, price the package, prepare insurance forms and deliver the prescription to the customer. Most states require that techs register with the state board of pharmacy.
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Basics
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Pharmacy technicians have a pay rate of $13.49 hourly or $28,070 yearly. The bottom 10 percent make $9.36 or $19,480 and the upper 10 percent receive $19.31 or $40,160. This information is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics states as of May 2009.
Industries
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The industry of employment can control salaries. The best for this job is the federal government with compensation $18.77 or $39,040; research and development at $18.69 or $38,870; insurance carriers at $18.08 or $37,610; company management services at $17.53 or $36,470; and specialty hospitals, not including psychiatric or substance abuse services, at $17.06 or $35,470.
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States
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The state in which the job is located determines income. The best-paying jobs are in Alaska, with salaries at $17.83 or $37,090; California, with salaries at $17.68 or $36,770; Washington, with salaries at $17.63 or $36,670; Hawaii, with salaries at $16.89 or $35,130; and Nevada, with salaries at $16.33 or $33,960.
Cities
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The city in which a job is located also affects wages. The best for this job are all in California. San Francisco has compensation at $20.91 or $43,500, San Jose is at $20.32 or $42,260; Oakland is at $19.82 or $41,220; Santa Cruz is at $19.44 or $40,430; and Santa Barbara is at $19.39 or $40,330.
Employment Levels
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The areas with the greatest job opportunities do not match those offering the top five best salaries. For example, the industries with the most jobs include health and personal care stores, in which rates are $13.27 or $27,590; and general medical and surgical hospitals at $15.73 or $32,710. The states with the greatest job levels are West Virginia, with wages of $11.42 or $23,760; and Kentucky, with wages of $11.77 or $24,480. The cities offering the most jobs are Morristown, Tennessee, in which pay is $13.02 or $27,080; and Gadsden, Alabama, in which pay is $10.62 or $22,090.
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References
- Photo Credit préparatrices en pharmacie image by cédric chabal from Fotolia.com
