The real Pharmacy tech Pay wage!!

[PharmacistApril]

Here in New York you are not required to be certified. I have been at Wegmans 5 years and a tech for 2 years and I make 10.50 an hour.

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[eeyore spice]

With shift differential, $13.10/hr in a hospital in NY. I was certified before I got here but had no experience, been working for a year. $8? $9? **** retail, yo...

 

[constance730]

I started off as a clerk for a month at CVS 9.90.. then after I got lic.. Ive been making 12.65.. in socal.. ive been there for 5 mos.. n i work my butt off..!! DONT GO TO CVS!

 

[bes686]

I'm jealous...I started at Eckerd a month or so ago and make $6.50/hour

:-( IT SUCKS!

 

[Leb]

OK, i see a lot of students saying aim a tech right now, but my pay wil increase when iam considered an intern.
However, when i was being interviewed for Pharmacy School, the adcoms told me that the internships must be volunteer work, so you wont get paid.
How come you guys get paid for it?

 

[SoylentGreen]

I was just hired at 12.50/hr for my first pharm tech job at Rx Solutions. Kansas City area. PTCB certified.

 

[piyi]

OK, i see a lot of students saying aim a tech right now, but my pay wil increase when iam considered an intern.
However, when i was being interviewed for Pharmacy School, the adcoms told me that the internships must be volunteer work, so you wont get paid.
How come you guys get paid for it?

Usually, you don't get paid for the hours that the school requires you to work as an intern; however, you can work for pay outside of those hours. At least that's how it works at USN.

 

[psychoandy]

What the hell is a "clinical tech"?

Anyways, I have this hunch that techs make more than I do. I told one of my coworkers that my pay was 14.50. He was like "dude I made more than that when I first started here...and I didn't have any previous pharmacy experience". I know that a lot of my coworkers who transfer into pharmacy (from say, food services or a secretary job) make at least 20, due to seniority from transferring and whatnot. At the high level, the purchasing/admin guys make at least 60, which isn't bad for not needing a college degree.

Of course, this doesn't include benefits like health insurance, earned time, bonuses (yay for making more money than we spend), compensation for getting certified, fringe benefits (I get 5% off my verizon bill!), and etc. If I failed out of pharm school it wouldn't be a bad career except for the shame thing.

OK, i see a lot of students saying aim a tech right now, but my pay wil increase when iam considered an intern.
However, when i was being interviewed for Pharmacy School, the adcoms told me that the internships must be volunteer work, so you wont get paid.
How come you guys get paid for it?

For pharm school, you have 2 types of hours required for licensure, introductory pharm practice experience (IPPE) and advanced pharm practice experience (APPE). Your APPE hours are basically your clinical rotations during P4. Your IPPE hours are general intern hours that you need to acquire to prove that you, generally speaking, know how a pharmacy works. Getting paid/not getting paid is completely irrelevant for hours...as long as you have a preceptor and are licensed as an intern, your paid/unpaid hours count.

The adcoms you were talking to probably have IPPE rotations, where you basically learn/work for a couple hours a week during school and don't get paid. Hence, you don't make money during those hours...but if you get a part time job/work during the summer as an intern, you make money. And in both settings you can log hours.

 

[Circuspeanut]

All you guys make so much! I havent started working yet, but the Pharmacist said he would start me at $9 (this is at rite aid), and he said thats higher then he normally starts his techs. I was happy with 9, but I am now hearing people make 12-20? thats insane!

The salary really depends on where you are located. I live in a less populated area of Kentucky, and the average wage here is $8 an hour (I'm certified and very happy to be making $10 starting). Closer to the larger cities in our state, the average is $12. I worked for an independent for 4 years, and started out at $7.50, but they made up for it with other benefits like profit sharing.

 

[antonio7983]

hey hows it going im new to this and im in san diego california, I just wanted to know i am going to take a 9 month course for the pharmacy tech program and wanted to know is the pay good here in san diego do you guys know? and is it hard the whole course? thanks guys

 

[rxtek]

I started off making $9/hr retail. Now I work in a clinic as a Pharmacy Billing Technician and make $17.77/hr. with lots of overtime. They were still doing paper claims when I started about a year and a half ago. I will be moving to Arizona in a couple of months. Does anyone know what Tech wages are like in the Phoenix area? My wife was accepted to Midwestern CPG and I need to find a job.

 

[sandeep33]

$19/hour....but I work for a Specialty Pharmacy that focuses on specific disease states. But I had to work for it! Been a tech for 7+ years! (worked retail, mail order, and now specialty)

 

[CHINONAK]

ive been working inpatient pharmacy for four years now, my pay is around 19/hr with a shift differential about 1.50...and i got my license the old school way, being grandfather in before California decided to change the law...

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

I just wanted to know i am going to take a 9 month course for the pharmacy tech program...

I was interested in becoming a pharmacy technician as well, but as a university student, taking a 9-month course at another school is sort of out of the question.

Would an online course be more fessible (and legit)? Because obviously I'm an internet geek I read someone else self-studied? Without any pharmacy tech experience, could someone teach themselves the mathematics and pill categories, or even sit in for the test?

 

[constance730]

I was interested in becoming a pharmacy technician as well, but as a university student, taking a 9-month course at another school is sort of out of the question.

Would an online course be more fessible (and legit)? Because obviously I'm an internet geek I read someone else self-studied? Without any pharmacy tech experience, could someone teach themselves the mathematics and pill categories, or even sit in for the test?

Yes! I borrowed my friend's studyguide for the tech test, study on my own and passed. You can go to Barnes and find a guide there and just study off of that (just as a reference though for math, drug names.. because it wasnt made to prep you for the PTCB.. or at least I havent seen one)..
I also worked as a clerk for 2-3 months prior to the test and I was fortunate to have great coworkers (technicans) to teach me how to read and type up scripts, calculate day supply, what scripts should look like for controlled drugs (you can find all this stuff in a guide.. just make sure the guide is recent or look it up online..) So I was pretty much set for the math questions(most of the questions are math at least for last yrs in july?). The only problem I had was the laws/responsibilities of a tech.. since my book was so old but Im sure you can find all that stuff online. Good luck!

 

[MissPRN]

Been working as a certified tech for over 3.5 years and make 17+ an hour at Walgreens in southern cali. I urge alot of you who want to be pharmacists to at least volunteer or work in a pharmacy setting to see if this is what you truly want to do. Alot of the pharmacists I work with had minimal pharmacy experience before they became pharmacists, and now that they are they're not too thrilled.

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Yes! I borrowed my friend's studyguide for the tech test, study on my own and passed. You can go to Barnes and find a guide there and just study off of that (just as a reference though for math, drug names.. because it wasnt made to prep you for the PTCB.. or at least I havent seen one)..
I also worked as a clerk for 2-3 months prior to the test and I was fortunate to have great coworkers (technicans) to teach me how to read and type up scripts, calculate day supply, what scripts should look like for controlled drugs (you can find all this stuff in a guide.. just make sure the guide is recent or look it up online..) So I was pretty much set for the math questions(most of the questions are math at least for last yrs in july?). The only problem I had was the laws/responsibilities of a tech.. since my book was so old but Im sure you can find all that stuff online. Good luck!

Thank you very much for the info. I worked as a pharmacy clerk for a month (just filling in for a friend), so I have a little idea about stuff =) I'm definitely going to the bookstore today.

 

[antonio7983]

hey whats up so should i take the online course or go to that 8month school sorry guys it was 8 months , i got lots of time on my hands so what do you guys recommend thanks guys . and what is the pay here in san diego does anybody know thanks

 

[SoylentGreen]

I was just hired for $12.50/hour in Kansas City. I have the cert but no pharmacy experience, though I have worked with computers, customers, and phones, which seemed to be important to them.

 

[SoylentGreen]

hey whats up so should i take the online course or go to that 8month school sorry guys it was 8 months , i got lots of time on my hands so what do you guys recommend thanks guys . and what is the pay here in san diego does anybody know thanks

If you just want to pass the PTCE, just get a book and study it. The test isn't very hard. I passed it this way with no classes and was promptly hired, despite the fact that I have no pharmacy experience.

 

[CHINONAK]

i work at one of the major hospitals in San diego, depending on experience is your starting wage, straight out of tech school maybe 15/hr, it also depends on the hospital..look at my earlier post for my wage

 

[Avrelian]

how easy is to find this job with certification but no expierence? I am in TN..

 

[antonio7983]

Hey chino thanks man well the truth i just want to learn everything really good know the inn n outs of being a pharm tech so when i graduate ill just take the test and get my license and then just work thanks guys

 

[antonio7983]

Hey guys the program is like 10,000 dollars damn , i was aware of that but im getting convinced at these online programs the rx one are they good? i mean if u take that and i get my license dont i have to have some pharm tech experience working in a setting experience i mean . or as long as u have that license? and what program is good does this look real to you guys ? http://www.rxlearning.com/ u think its something that can help me or whats up? please help im away 2 weeks to making the decision

 

[brasilia01]

you know depending on the state you can just study and take the PTCB test and then apply for licensure? You don't have to do the program usually. If I were you I would look at your states requirements.

 

[trying4apharmd]

In 2002 I started out at $5.75/hr at eckerd, after one year (and about $1 in pay raise) I went to walgreens where I started out at $9/hr and after about 3 months got moved up to Senior Pharmacy Tech and my pay was bumped up to $11/hr and then got a few raises and when I quit in March 2005 I was getting $14.50/hr. BTW I wasn't certified when I started at Eckerd and I had NO experience. I got the CPhT by studying on my own and taking the exam about 4 months after I started at Eckerd. A friend of mine has been with Walgreens for 7 years and she makes $19/hour as a Senior Tech.
BTW I'm in TN.

 

[CaPhamT]

For those who have yet to take the exam, and really, you should because it is so easy. I registered and scheduled my test date (at PTCB.org), went down to barnes and noble, and picked up Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Review (2nd ed.) by Patrick K. Anthony. I also picked up another, but don't have time to read both. So far, this book has been great in keeping explanations simple and easy to understand. I am going to be taking my exam this Saturday (the 12th) all on self-studying. I've heard from numerous friends that it's pretty easy and even a person going off simple math fraction knowledge and common sense can pass. I don't even think of it as studying for the test, but more as studying to be more prepared when I get a job as a tech. So.... take the test if you have not already! If anything, it would give you some leverage in negotiating your next raise.

Besides that.... I live in Houston, Texas. So if anyone browsing the forums is a PharmD looking for a great intern, look no further. I am going to apply at pharmacies after I take my exam so I can tell them my score. There is a costco down by the willbrook mall that I would love to work at, if they can pay me well and flex my hours around school; sorry, it's just more important.

P.S. I live around Beltway 8 and 290, and would like to keep driving distance around 10 miles -15 max.

 

[rxpharmtech]

in florida...

$14.25/hr hospital
$13/hr home health
$10.50 retail
$24/hour teaching at a tech program...

I have over 8 yrs of experience and have been certified since '01...

 

[jasonc1213]

Got hired today as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens for $9.00 an hour! I'm not certified, but I will be taking the test when it is available.

 

[MichaelJames]

How much does a Pharmacy Technician get paid per hour? Depends on what part of the country you live in I imagine! There is some good news though alright. Now, that Congress has passed an increase in the minimum wage there will obviously be a wage increase for the paid-by-the-hour Rx tech. I would speculate that the average hourly wage in the midwest for a pharmacy tech in retail would be about $10 hr. while an experienced certified tech working at a hospital would be about $15 hr.

Mike

 

[DuhTEenuh]

I live in Spring/Houston, Tx and the starting wage at my Walgreens is $10.75 for a certified tech. I got hired at CVS as well, but they only paid $9.00. I hear some Targets pay $13. The workflow at my Walgreens, being a 24-hour store, is hectic most times. Target, from what I heard does about 125 scripts per day, while we do about 600.

 

[andrewattheU]

I'm working as a pharmacy clerk at a NC CVS, so I'm in the middle of training to get a tech license. I make 8 bucks an hour. Apparently that's really horrible compared to everyone else? I only get a raise after a year of working there, too. Ah well, I enjoy it.

lol $8 is about the minimum wage in my state for any job lol

but at least your getting pharmacy experience

 

[AMO69657]

In Omaha, techs start at 9.25-9.50 at walgreens

 

[Ghettocowboy23]

currently making $20/hr, 4 years of service, southern Calif, Walgreens

 

[PharmDToBe]

did anybody get a raise after being admitted to pharmacy school???

 

[StringTheorist]

I've been at Walgreens (in Florida) for 2+ years and I only make 9.75/hr. I've been certified for over a year now. I started at $7 something then with the certification and yearly raises, it has gotten up to 9.75 but it's slow moving from here on out.

i made 7.50 and hour starting out and ended at 8.40 2 years later. i know pay in florida sucks, so i hear, but JESUS... i feel so....used now...

 

[StringTheorist]

In 2002 I started out at $5.75/hr at eckerd, after one year (and about $1 in pay raise) I went to walgreens where I started out at $9/hr and after about 3 months got moved up to Senior Pharmacy Tech and my pay was bumped up to $11/hr and then got a few raises and when I quit in March 2005 I was getting $14.50/hr. BTW I wasn't certified when I started at Eckerd and I had NO experience. I got the CPhT by studying on my own and taking the exam about 4 months after I started at Eckerd. A friend of mine has been with Walgreens for 7 years and she makes $19/hour as a Senior Tech.
BTW I'm in TN.

and it depresses me i read "eckerd" and went..."whats that??" oh, eckerd, a parrt of my life for so long, and i forget thee so soon

 

[kidlove]

hey hows it going im new to this and im in san diego california, I just wanted to know i am going to take a 9 month course for the pharmacy tech program and wanted to know is the pay good here in san diego do you guys know? and is it hard the whole course? thanks guys

I took an online course for the pharm tech before. You can finish the course in like one month or so. however, a lot of the online pharm tech program will not qualify you to have your pharm tech license so you will end up taking the PTCB anyway.

If I were to do it again, I probably won't take the online course but to buy the book and study for it and then take the test. There is not much different. Just know your calculation, conversion, a few top drugs, and laws * a lot of common sense*, then you will be fine.

 

[No1 Pusher]

Alot of common sense? No.

 

[kidlove]

Alot of common sense? No.

maybe on my test, they didn't ask a lot of hard law questions, and a few of them are not very hard to know because of how much the media has covered these topics.

but obviously, pharmacy law is not easy!

 

[mzvon82]

That is the avg. starting pay in retail chains. However, after 3-6 months, I would definitely look into getting certified, and moving into a hospital as a tech. I started off at a hospital making about $14 per hour, and 2 years later am at $17.

 

[crocadilen]

What does it mean intern? I want to attend a four year community college in Houston, Tx. which I will tell the college advisor my classes need to be ones in pre pharmacy. I need a salary that will be enough to survive until I am an actual pharmacist. What information should I tell the pharmacy that will help me make this goal a reality. I need to make at least $14.00 an hour that should not be hard right? Is there anything other than a great resume and my certification(PTCB) that I should learn more about to obtain my goal of $14.00 an hour? Thank you.

 

[eelo]

What is a "four year community college?"

 

[Maestrojo]

I get $17/hour at an inpatient hospital pharmacy in the midwest.

yeah, i'm pushing about $16/hr. I think hospital pharmacies pay more. but in my case its probably because I live in California. So, i'm really making about $8-$9/hr.

 

[crocadilen]

What is a "four year community college?"

My pre- med courses which I will be taking at HCC. After I complete those courses then I will apply for med school and that will be the happiest day of my life; besides graduating from med school.

 

[RoyalBean]

So, I just got back from an interview for a tech position at a hospital. They said the starting pay would be 14.29 for me, and I have basically never stepped foot in a pharmcy before (i have completed 1 year of pharmacy school, so i figure its about time to see what pharmacy is about ). On top of that, night shifts, which you must do every once in a while, pay $1.15 more an hour. This is almost twice as high as the starting wage for other tech positions i was looking into at walmart. Walmart starts at 7.50, and my friend who has been working at walmart as a tech for two years is making just over 9. I live in the midwest, so $9/hr is pretty good for a student, especially with no experience, and $14 an hour pretty much makes you a big shot. 3rd and 4th year interns at walgreens around here make that much.....

So to get to the point, even after interviewing and touring the hospital pharmacy, i fail to see the catch. The job seems great, and it pays twice as much as retail, so what are the pros and cons of hospital tech compared to retail? Why aren't hospital pharmacy tech positions super-competitive as compared to retail pharmacy tech positions?

 

[vesonexavier]

I live in Slidell, LA & work at walgreens ptch certified & get paid $11.25/hr. I will be moving up to Indianapolis... what is the pay rate up there, anyone know????

 

[DuhTEenuh]

...I need to make at least $14.00 an hour that should not be hard right? Is there anything other than a great resume and my certification(PTCB) that I should learn more about to obtain my goal of $14.00 an hour? Thank you.

I live in Spring/Northwest Houston, and $14/hr is pretty hard to come by if you're a starting tech. Although I heard Target pays $13/hr starting. It's not that accredited as a pharmacy, so it's not that useful if you want to put that on your pharm school app. Do you plan on attending UH? If so, you're going to want to attend at least 1 year of undergrad at UH before you apply for pharm school. Good thing for us.. Houston has 2 pharm schools!

 

[ismellLikflower]

I took the PTCB while I was a clerk at Kaiser. After I got my CA license, I got hired as a tech for $19/hr.

 

[crocadilen]

I live in Spring/Northwest Houston, and $14/hr is pretty hard to come by if you're a starting tech. Although I heard Target pays $13/hr starting. It's not that accredited as a pharmacy, so it's not that useful if you want to put that on your pharm school app. Do you plan on attending UH? If so, you're going to want to attend at least 1 year of undergrad at UH before you apply for pharm school. Good thing for us.. Houston has 2 pharm schools!

I think I will apply at target first since they pay $13.00 an hour. I am planning on going to HCC for the four years of pre- med which then I will go to one of those pharmacy schools in Houston. Are you saying I need in addition to the four years at HCC that I need to attend one year at UH before med school? And thank you for the target information that is going to help me afford my rent. lol