Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
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By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Pharmacy technicians (SOC 29-2052) employed 471,680 people in May 2025. The median pay is $45,750 a year ($22.00 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $36,020 and the highest-paid 10% more than $61,040. BLS projects its employment to change by +6.4% between 2025 and 2035 (about 44,700 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest median pay: Washington ($58,900), California ($55,110), Oregon ($54,900). Most jobs: Texas (41,740), California (39,860), Florida (38,460).
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $36,020 | $17.32 |
| 25th percentile | $37,850 | $18.20 |
| Median | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| Mean | $46,620 | $22.41 |
| 75th percentile | $49,990 | $24.03 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $61,040 | $29.35 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 471,200 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 501,300 |
| Change in jobs | 30,100 |
| Percent change | +6.4% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 44,700 |
| Self-employed share | 0.1% |
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 8,510 | 1.33 | $39,030 | $31,620 | $49,760 | -15% | 33% |
| Alaska | 800 | 0.81 | $52,640 | $40,820 | $70,720 | +15% | 33% |
| Arizona | 12,970 | 1.32 | $47,640 | $39,040 | $60,820 | +4% | 42% |
| Arkansas | 4,560 | 1.15 | $38,680 | $33,400 | $48,620 | -15% | 30% |
| California | 39,860 | 0.72 | $55,110 | $42,850 | $81,190 | +20% | 46% |
| Colorado | 6,010 | 0.69 | $49,970 | $39,810 | $64,760 | +9% | 44% |
| Connecticut | 5,200 | 1.01 | $47,050 | $37,410 | $62,230 | +3% | 40% |
| Delaware | 1,480 | 1.01 | $46,430 | $35,460 | $57,400 | +1% | 40% |
| District of Columbia | 1,130 | 0.53 | $47,410 | $41,300 | $74,100 | +4% | 49% |
| Florida | 38,460 | 1.28 | $43,590 | $35,760 | $54,980 | -5% | 50% |
| Georgia | 14,680 | 0.99 | $41,910 | $35,160 | $56,820 | -8% | 43% |
| Hawaii | 1,540 | 0.81 | $46,760 | $36,120 | $62,190 | +2% | 50% |
| Idaho | 2,950 | 1.13 | $46,420 | $37,380 | $59,230 | +1% | 36% |
| Illinois | 21,340 | 1.15 | $46,650 | $36,550 | $58,260 | +2% | 34% |
| Indiana | 10,790 | 1.11 | $44,560 | $36,610 | $54,800 | -3% | 30% |
| Iowa | 4,630 | 0.98 | $44,860 | $36,140 | $52,150 | -2% | 26% |
| Kansas | 4,270 | 0.98 | $43,310 | $33,800 | $56,160 | -5% | 30% |
| Kentucky | 8,870 | 1.46 | $39,200 | $31,760 | $52,640 | -14% | 31% |
| Louisiana | 6,700 | 1.14 | $44,410 | $36,100 | $52,920 | -3% | 29% |
| Maine | 2,070 | 1.06 | $45,400 | $37,060 | $57,360 | -1% | 32% |
| Maryland | 7,990 | 0.95 | $45,120 | $36,180 | $60,050 | -1% | 46% |
| Massachusetts | 10,150 | 0.92 | $46,470 | $37,980 | $71,070 | +2% | 48% |
| Michigan | 14,240 | 1.07 | $44,340 | $35,430 | $54,740 | -3% | 32% |
| Minnesota | 7,340 | 0.82 | $48,300 | $38,110 | $62,080 | +6% | 32% |
| Mississippi | 4,040 | 1.14 | $39,040 | $33,340 | $49,250 | -15% | 30% |
| Missouri | 12,610 | 1.42 | $40,100 | $33,830 | $54,600 | -12% | 32% |
| Montana | 1,340 | 0.86 | $49,400 | $38,330 | $60,780 | +8% | 29% |
| Nebraska | 2,660 | 0.85 | $46,610 | $36,710 | $57,110 | +2% | 28% |
| Nevada | 4,070 | 0.87 | $47,980 | $37,350 | $62,500 | +5% | 43% |
| New Hampshire | 1,970 | 0.95 | $47,360 | $37,080 | $61,630 | +4% | 39% |
| New Jersey | 14,020 | 1.08 | $39,610 | $36,170 | $59,700 | -13% | 55% |
| New Mexico | 2,550 | 0.96 | $46,630 | $37,470 | $58,780 | +2% | 29% |
| New York | 24,400 | 0.83 | $43,930 | $36,540 | $64,690 | -4% | 45% |
| North Carolina | 17,260 | 1.15 | $44,530 | $35,820 | $57,360 | -3% | 36% |
| North Dakota | 890 | 0.68 | $47,560 | $38,370 | $63,850 | +4% | 25% |
| Ohio | 17,820 | 1.06 | $40,650 | $34,980 | $56,520 | -11% | 32% |
| Oklahoma | 5,500 | 1.06 | $40,500 | $34,780 | $50,930 | -11% | 31% |
| Oregon | 4,320 | 0.72 | $54,900 | $44,530 | $68,000 | +20% | 35% |
| Pennsylvania | 18,880 | 1.03 | $40,040 | $35,140 | $51,290 | -12% | 38% |
| Rhode Island | 1,540 | 1.01 | $44,380 | $38,270 | $58,990 | -3% | 38% |
| South Carolina | 8,070 | 1.15 | $42,120 | $35,500 | $51,060 | -8% | 36% |
| South Dakota | 1,230 | 0.88 | $46,170 | $37,220 | $56,800 | +1% | 26% |
| Tennessee | 11,870 | 1.19 | $41,920 | $35,550 | $55,430 | -8% | 37% |
| Texas | 41,740 | 0.98 | $45,900 | $35,920 | $59,260 | +0% | 39% |
| Utah | 5,030 | 0.96 | $48,140 | $37,860 | $63,130 | +5% | 40% |
| Vermont | 760 | 0.83 | $47,940 | $37,610 | $65,060 | +5% | 33% |
| Virginia | 10,720 | 0.86 | $44,610 | $36,260 | $59,030 | -2% | 44% |
| Washington | 8,150 | 0.76 | $58,900 | $47,270 | $79,090 | +29% | 37% |
| West Virginia | 3,560 | 1.67 | $38,210 | $30,490 | $48,460 | -16% | 28% |
| Wisconsin | 9,540 | 1.07 | $45,970 | $36,080 | $58,700 | +0% | 30% |
| Wyoming | 600 | 0.71 | $48,260 | $37,360 | $63,950 | +5% | 25% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,780 | $75,490 | $47,770 | $99,470 | 0.52 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 370 | $61,800 | $45,030 | $86,720 | 0.60 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 4,630 | $61,320 | $48,000 | $82,040 | 0.73 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,040 | $60,550 | $46,790 | $94,310 | 0.56 |
| Vallejo, CA | 440 | $58,670 | $45,230 | $86,390 | 1.00 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,460 | $58,590 | $46,620 | $71,370 | 0.67 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 2,820 | $58,470 | $44,480 | $83,120 | 0.86 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 740 | $57,830 | $45,540 | $72,130 | 0.96 |
| Salinas, CA | 360 | $57,180 | $44,940 | $70,310 | 0.64 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 420 | $56,580 | $43,250 | $73,090 | 0.69 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 320 | $56,530 | $43,350 | $78,760 | 0.87 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 3,600 | $54,500 | $44,310 | $81,190 | 0.77 |
| Fresno, CA | 1,320 | $52,210 | $38,300 | $73,100 | 0.91 |
| Salem, OR | 400 | $52,210 | $40,700 | $66,880 | 0.69 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 680 | $52,160 | $39,150 | $79,430 | 0.77 |
| Anchorage, AK | 480 | $51,870 | $40,570 | $72,660 | 0.90 |
| Boulder, CO | 340 | $51,210 | $40,840 | $65,630 | 0.58 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 3,260 | $50,970 | $42,390 | $67,440 | 0.67 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 560 | $50,820 | $40,440 | $65,220 | 1.17 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,130 | $50,760 | $39,820 | $78,850 | 0.69 |
| Rochester, MN | 430 | $50,730 | $43,870 | $71,400 | 1.16 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 720 | $50,720 | $39,850 | $79,740 | 0.74 |
| Modesto, CA | 480 | $50,540 | $40,080 | $68,830 | 0.81 |
| Reno, NV | 720 | $50,290 | $37,510 | $61,440 | 0.86 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 4,630 | $50,270 | $39,290 | $76,830 | 0.89 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 740 | $49,930 | $38,160 | $61,590 | 0.77 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 2,570 | $49,250 | $37,870 | $65,600 | 1.03 |
| Visalia, CA | 420 | $48,870 | $38,620 | $71,200 | 0.81 |
| New Haven, CT | 1,080 | $48,830 | $37,200 | $64,480 | 1.27 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 4,670 | $48,520 | $38,240 | $61,790 | 0.79 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 1,040 | $48,170 | $38,000 | $61,990 | 0.85 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 870 | $48,110 | $39,020 | $72,410 | 0.85 |
| Charlottesville, VA | 340 | $48,110 | $38,020 | $62,720 | 0.98 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | 370 | $47,940 | $38,230 | $76,060 | 1.02 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 9,780 | $47,760 | $39,410 | $60,820 | 1.36 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | 1,630 | $47,600 | $36,280 | $56,710 | 0.90 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 3,040 | $47,590 | $37,340 | $62,570 | 0.88 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | 650 | $47,570 | $37,040 | $61,330 | 1.07 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | 400 | $47,510 | $37,040 | $58,330 | 1.06 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | 1,030 | $47,420 | $37,860 | $60,240 | 1.55 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 540 | $47,400 | $35,690 | $61,610 | 1.18 |
| Ogden, UT | 700 | $47,380 | $37,800 | $57,200 | 0.85 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,380 | $47,350 | $38,110 | $59,130 | 1.32 |
| Tucson, AZ | 1,630 | $47,310 | $37,680 | $63,250 | 1.38 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 3,170 | $47,300 | $36,610 | $60,890 | 1.27 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | 1,330 | $47,290 | $38,560 | $58,590 | 0.88 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 440 | $47,050 | $37,040 | $62,130 | 1.16 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 3,600 | $47,050 | $35,450 | $58,670 | 1.05 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 3,130 | $47,010 | $37,400 | $58,790 | 0.80 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 7,370 | $46,890 | $38,460 | $75,190 | 0.90 |
| St. George, UT | 300 | $46,870 | $36,600 | $66,190 | 1.10 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 15,830 | $46,820 | $37,780 | $59,170 | 1.16 |
| Madison, WI | 1,530 | $46,680 | $36,550 | $61,120 | 1.23 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 6,650 | $46,660 | $37,950 | $64,220 | 0.70 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 1,410 | $46,630 | $38,290 | $59,180 | 1.15 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 840 | $46,630 | $37,980 | $59,190 | 0.96 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 1,160 | $46,620 | $36,580 | $54,770 | 0.95 |
| Boise City, ID | 1,390 | $46,600 | $38,340 | $59,090 | 1.17 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | 1,660 | $46,600 | $37,750 | $59,860 | 0.91 |
| Topeka, KS | 350 | $46,590 | $35,310 | $67,180 | 1.01 |
The median is $45,750 a year ($22.00 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $36,020 and the highest-paid tenth over $61,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
471,680 in May 2025, and BLS projects +6.4% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: High school diploma or equivalent (BLS).
Washington, with a median of $58,900 (among states with published figures).