Careers / Pharmacy Technicians
Pharmacy Technicians — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$45,750
United States, 2025
Employment
471,680
United States, 2025
Typical education
Post-Secondary Certificate
Job Zone 3
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
- O*NET code
- 29-2052.00
- Job zone
- 3
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
- Enter prescription information into computer databases.
- Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
- Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.
- Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
- Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.
- Operate cash registers to accept payment from customers.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$36,020
25th percentile
$37,850
75th percentile
$49,990
90th percentile
$61,040
Most important skills
- Active Listening4.0
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Speaking3.8
- Critical Thinking3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Monitoring3.1
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Time Management3.0
- Mathematics3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 14 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
14
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.0 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.8 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.3 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Writing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $123,860
Compare with Pharmacy TechniciansSupplemental
National median $74,310
Compare with Pharmacy TechniciansSupplemental
National median not published
Compare with Pharmacy TechniciansSupplemental
National median $45,930
Compare with Pharmacy TechniciansHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $77,360 | 200 | 2025 |
| San Jose, CA | $75,490 | 1,780 | 2025 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | $61,800 | 370 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $61,320 | 4,630 | 2025 |
| San Francisco, CA | $60,550 | 4,040 | 2025 |
| Bremerton, WA | $59,380 | 200 | 2025 |
| WA | $58,900 | 8,150 | 2025 |
| Vallejo, CA | $58,670 | 440 | 2025 |
| Portland, OR | $58,590 | 2,460 | 2025 |
| Sacramento, CA | $58,470 | 2,820 | 2025 |
| Longview, WA | $58,250 | 100 | 2025 |
| Spokane, WA | $57,830 | 740 | 2025 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $57,190 | 60 | 2025 |
| Salinas, CA | $57,180 | 360 | 2025 |
| Olympia, WA | $57,090 | 260 | 2025 |
| Bend, OR | $56,950 | 220 | 2025 |
| Wenatchee, WA | $56,600 | 130 | 2025 |
| Santa Maria, CA | $56,580 | 420 | 2025 |
| San Luis Obispo, CA | $56,530 | 320 | 2025 |
| Chico, CA | $56,320 | 220 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Pharmacy Technicians to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.