How Much Does a Pharmacy Technician Make in Philadelphia?
Pharmacy technicians work in retail stores and in hospital pharmacies filling prescriptions from healthcare providers under the supervision of a pharmacist. They place medications in bottles and other containers and add labels. Pharmacy technicians also maintain inventory and update patient records on the computer. A pharmacy technician in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, makes a similar salary to the nationwide average for this occupation.
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Averages
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The average salary for a pharmacy technician in Philadelphia as of May 2009 was $13.76 per hour, or $28,610 per year, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's higher than the average salary for pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania statewide at $13.05 per hour or $27,140 per year. The Philadelphia average salary is just a bit lower, however, than the national average for pharmacy techs at $13.92 per hour or $28,940 per year.
Salary Range
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The middle 50 percent of pharmacy technicians on the earnings scale in Philadelphia make $10.64 to $16.11 per hour. The bottom 10 percent have hourly pay rates at $9.16 and below, and the top 10 percent at $19.80 and higher. The Pennsylvania statewide range is lower, with the middle 50 percent making $10.36 to $15.19 per hour, the bottom 10 percent $8.89 and less, and the top 10 percent $18.32 and higher.
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Comparisons
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Pharmacy technicians in many Pennsylvania cities earn a lower average salary than those in Philadelphia. They earn about $12.20 to $13.40 per hour on average in Allentown, Altoona, Bethlehem, Erie, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, Reading, Scranton, State College, Wilkes-Barre, Williamsport and York. The Harrisburg-Carlisle metropolitan area has a similar average salary to Philadelphia at $13.79 per hour, and the average pharmacy technician salary is higher in Lebanon at $15.67 per hour.
Specifics
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The job search website Indeed.com lists about 30 jobs for pharmacy technicians in the Philadelphia area in February 2011. Although many pharmacy techs receive on-the-job training, some employers prefer or require formal training from a technical school along with professional certification from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. The job postings generally do not provide salary information, but indicate that full-time pharmacy technicians typically have benefits package including health and dental insurance, paid time off and a 401(k) or other retirement savings plan.
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References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Pharmacy Technicians Occupational Employment and Wages
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Philadelphia
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: May 2009 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates Pennsylvania
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment Statistics Query System
- Indeed.com: Pharmacy Technician Jobs in Philadelphia
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