Pharmacy Technicians vs Pharmacists salary

According to data from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for Pharmacy Technicians is $37,970 per year, while Pharmacists earn an average of $125,690 per year. This means that Pharmacy Technicians earn a much lower salary than Pharmacists.

However, it's important to keep in mind that the salary of an employee can be influenced by factors such as location and experience. In particular, Pharmacy Technicians working in California (with a salary of $49,990 on average) may earn more than those in West Virginia ($32,230). To provide another instance, Pharmacists in California have an average wage that is 27% higher than those in Tennessee.

Pharmacy Technicians vs Pharmacists overview

Pharmacy Technicians and Pharmacists are crucial to the Health and Personal Care Stores industry. People are often interested in learning about the distinctions between these job titles, including the average salary for each of them.

Pharmacy Technician job description

Pharmacy Technicians 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.

Pharmacy Technician education and experience

42% of Pharmacy Technicians hold a Post-Secondary Certificate, 36% hold a High School Diploma, and 15% have a College Course Certificate. With regard to experience, 39% of Pharmacy Technician occupations do not require any previous experience. A smaller number of roles (15%) require a previous experience of 1 to 3 months.

Pharmacy Technician average salary

According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were 436,630 Pharmacy Technicians employed in the United States in 2021, and they earned an average annual income of $37,970. The bottom 10 percent earned $28,740 or less, and the top 10 percent earned $47,580 or more. Compared to the previous year, the mean salary has gone up by 4.2%.

Do Pharmacy Technicians make good money?

Pharmacy Technicians are not typically highly paid, since their mean salary is about a third below the average salary in the United States ($58,260). Additionally, they make 20% less than the mean earnings of the Health and Personal Care Stores industry ($47,490).

Pharmacy Technicians are not typically highly paid, since their mean salary is about a third below the average salary in the United States ($58,260).

Pharmacy Technicians job growth

In 2021, there have been 21,320 more Pharmacy Technician roles than the previous year across the nation, and that marks a growth of 5.1%. Job growth has averaged 1.5% over the past 3 years.

Pharmacist job description

Pharmacists dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to patients about medications and their use. May advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosage, interactions, and side effects of medications.

Pharmacist education and experience

The majority of Pharmacists (78%) have obtained a Doctoral Degree. However this occupation also includes some employees who have a Bachelor's Degree (11%) and a Post-Doctoral Training (5%). In terms of experience, 45% of Pharmacist jobs require no previous experience. A smaller percentage of jobs (22%) require a previous experience of 2 to 4 years.

Pharmacist average salary

As reported by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2021, the number of Pharmacists employed in the United States was 312,550, and they earned an average of $125,690 per year. The bottom 10 percent had a salary of $76,840 or less, and the top 10 percent had a salary of $164,590 or more.

Do Pharmacists make good money?

Pharmacists are usually paid well, as their average salary is 116% higher than the average wage in the United States ($58,260). Moreover, they earn almost two times more than the average wage of the Health and Personal Care Stores industry ($47,490).

Pharmacists are usually paid well, as their average salary is 116% higher than the average wage in the United States ($58,260).

FAQ

Do Pharmacy Technicians or Pharmacists make more?

Pharmacists make over two times more than Pharmacy Technicians. The average annual pay for Pharmacy Technicians is $37,970, while Pharmacists earn $125,690 per year.

How long does it take to become a Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist?

Pharmacy Technicians generally need a Post-Secondary Certificate. It most often takes between 1 year and 2 years to obtain a Post-Secondary Certificate. While on the other hand, Pharmacists generally need a Doctoral Degree. It most often takes between 4 years and 6 years to obtain a Doctoral Degree. But, considering that a Master's Degree must be obtained first, it may take around 13 years to complete the full educational program.

Is it harder to become a Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist?

Becoming a Pharmacist is considerably harder than becoming a Pharmacy Technician, as it takes 11 more years of education.