Employment of
pharmacy technicians
Pharmacy technicians hold about 258,000 jobs. About 7 out of 10 Pharmacy technician jobs are in
retail pharmacies, either independently owned or
part of a drugstore chain, grocery store, department
store, or mass retailer.
About 2 out of 10 Pharmacy technician jobs are in
hospitals and a small proportion was in mail-order
and Internet pharmacies, clinics, pharmaceutical
wholesalers, and the Federal Government.
Future Outlook of Pharmacy technician jobs
Good job opportunities are expected for full-time
and part-time work, especially for technicians with
formal training or previous experience. Job openings
for pharmacy technicians will result from the
expansion of retail pharmacies and other employment
settings and from the need to replace workers who
transfer to other occupations or leave the labor
force.
Employment of pharmacy technicians is expected to
grow much faster than the average for all
occupations through 2014 because as the population
grows and ages, demand for pharmaceuticals will
increase dramatically. The increased number of
middle-aged and elderly people—who use more
prescription drugs than younger people—will spur
demand for technicians in all practice settings.
With advances in science, more medications are
becoming available to treat a greater number of
conditions.
In addition, cost-conscious insurers, pharmacies,
and health systems will continue to expand the role
of technicians. As a result, pharmacy technicians
will assume responsibility for some of the more
routine tasks previously performed by pharmacists.
Pharmacy technicians also will need to learn and
master new pharmacy technology as it emerges. For
example, robotic machines are being increasingly
used to dispense medicine into containers;
technicians must oversee the machines, stock the
bins, and label the containers. Thus, while
automation is increasingly incorporated into the
job, it will not necessarily reduce the need for
technicians.
Almost all States have legislated the maximum
number of technicians who can safely work under a
pharmacist at one time. In some States, technicians
have assumed more medication-dispensing duties as
pharmacists have become more involved in patient
care, resulting in more technicians per pharmacist.
Changes in these laws could directly affect
employment.
Earnings of pharmacy technicians
Median hourly earnings of wage and salary
pharmacy technicians are $11.37. The middle 50
percent earn between $9.40 and $13.85. The lowest 10
percent earn less than $7.96, and the highest 10
percent earn more than $16.61. Median hourly
earnings in the industries employing the largest
numbers of pharmacy technicians are:
- General medical and surgical hospitals
$12.93
- Grocery stores $11.77
- Other general merchandise stores $11.11
- Department stores $10.56
- Health and personal care stores $10.51
Certified technicians may earn more. Shift
differentials for working evenings or weekends also
can increase earnings. Some technicians belong to
unions representing hospital or grocery store
workers.
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