Pharmacy Technicians

Also Called: Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Lead Pharmacy Technician (Lead Pharmacy Tech), Pharmacy Technician (Pharmacy Tech), Senior Pharmacy Technician

High School Diploma/GED

usually needed

Not Available
(Students Only)
Match Percentage

$32,720

Entry Salary

Average

Job outlook

What Pharmacy Technicians do

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.

  • Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
  • Prepack bulk medicines, fill bottles with prescribed medications, and type and affix labels.
  • Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
Industry Areas:

Health Care

Training Program Areas:

OCT-Only Health Care • Pharmacy Technician

Expand For Additional Details

Work Context

  • Telephone
  • Contact With Others
  • Face-to-Face Discussions
  • Spend Time Standing
  • Indoors, Environmentally Controlled

Tools

  • Laboratory balances
  • Sterile or aseptic processing or filling machines
  • Laboratory mills
  • Filling or sealing auger dose machines
  • Digital pen

Technology

Medical software
Medical condition coding software
MEDITECH software
Data base user interface and query software
Database software
Drug compatibility software
Spreadsheet software
Microsoft Excel

The Education & Training You Need

Skills

  • Active Listening
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Speaking
  • Critical Thinking
  • Monitoring

Knowledge

Business
customer service
administrative services
Arts and Humanities
English language
Health
medicine and dentistry
Math and Science
arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, or statistics

Education

  • 60% High school diploma or equivalent
  • 14% Post-secondary certificate
  • 13% Some college, no degree

Experience

Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.

What are some related occupations at different educational levels?


Job Training Match

Pharmacy Technicians Currently Selected

Educational Level

High School Diploma or Equivalent

 Job Training Match

Medical Assistants

Educational Level

Post-secondary, non-degree

 Job Training Match

Physical Therapist Assistants

Educational Level

Associate's Degree

Agents & Business Managers of Artists, Performers, & Athletes

Educational Level

Bachelor's Degree

Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary

Educational Level

Advanced Degree

What are your training options on the pathway to this occupation?

Advanced Training

There are currently no advanced training opportunities for this career.

ACT & College

  • Aaniiih Nakoda College

    Harlem, MT

  • Academy of Careers and Technology

    Beckley, WV

Apprenticeships

Earn while you learn. Apprenticeships combines paid training & specialized classes to help workers enter highly skilled occupations. Click here for to locate an apprenticeship near you.

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Are You a Good Fit?

Occupation Traits

    • Conventional (Organizer)
    • Realistic (Doer)

Work Styles

  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Concern for Others
  • Cooperation
  • Dependability
  • Stress Tolerance

Values

  • Relationships
  • Support
  • Achievement

Abilities

  • Verbal
  • Ideas and Logic
  • Math
  • Hand and Finger Use

This is what Pharmacy Technicians across the country typically make.

$15.73 / hour
$32,720 /year

Entry Level

$19.37 / hour
$40,300 /year

Median Level

$27.47 / hour
$57,130 /year

Experienced Level

Income information reflects a regional average.
Income information reflects a national average.

This career’s National Job Outlook is

Average

Please be sure to verify the outlook of this occupation with your instructor.

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