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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
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Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2016

29-2052 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.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
398,390 0.8 % $15.47 $32,170 0.3 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $10.27 $12.10 $14.86 $18.16 $21.98
Annual Wage (2) $21,370 $25,170 $30,920 $37,780 $45,710

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Health and Personal Care Stores 207,480 19.71 $14.44 $30,030
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals 61,530 1.14 $17.85 $37,130
Grocery Stores 31,300 1.16 $14.28 $29,710
Other General Merchandise Stores 30,270 1.59 $15.36 $31,940
Department Stores 12,770 0.93 $14.80 $30,790

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Health and Personal Care Stores 207,480 19.71 $14.44 $30,030
Drugs and Druggists' Sundries Merchant Wholesalers 10,240 5.14 $16.60 $34,530
Electronic Shopping and Mail-Order Houses 6,520 1.79 $15.31 $31,840
Other General Merchandise Stores 30,270 1.59 $15.36 $31,940
Grocery Stores 31,300 1.16 $14.28 $29,710

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 6,220 0.31 $20.53 $42,710
Outpatient Care Centers 4,100 0.49 $19.88 $41,350
Scientific Research and Development Services 120 0.02 $19.85 $41,280
Specialty (except Psychiatric and Substance Abuse) Hospitals 2,330 0.91 $18.78 $39,070
Offices of Physicians 5,740 0.23 $18.67 $38,840

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 34,870 2.18 0.77 $19.12 $39,760
Texas 33,030 2.81 0.99 $15.90 $33,080
Florida 27,660 3.36 1.19 $14.73 $30,630
Illinois 19,330 3.27 1.15 $15.48 $32,200
New York 17,660 1.94 0.68 $15.49 $32,230




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kentucky 8,420 4.50 1.59 $13.40 $27,880
West Virginia 3,110 4.46 1.57 $12.99 $27,010
Tennessee 12,740 4.40 1.55 $14.51 $30,190
Alabama 7,290 3.81 1.34 $13.40 $27,870
Missouri 10,240 3.71 1.31 $14.14 $29,420




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington 7,330 2.39 0.84 $20.28 $42,170
California 34,870 2.18 0.77 $19.12 $39,760
Alaska 680 2.10 0.74 $19.04 $39,600
North Dakota 730 1.71 0.60 $18.51 $38,510
Oregon 4,520 2.52 0.89 $18.27 $37,990





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Jersey City-White Plains, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 11,870 1.80 0.64 $16.07 $33,430
Chicago-Naperville-Arlington Heights, IL Metropolitan Division 11,010 3.03 1.07 $15.94 $33,160
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 8,670 2.05 0.72 $18.66 $38,800
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 8,170 2.78 0.98 $16.60 $34,530
Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ 6,730 3.48 1.23 $16.14 $33,580
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 6,630 2.60 0.91 $14.29 $29,720
Dallas-Plano-Irving, TX Metropolitan Division 6,540 2.69 0.95 $16.04 $33,370
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 5,040 3.99 1.41 $14.38 $29,910
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 4,690 2.46 0.87 $17.75 $36,910
St. Louis, MO-IL 4,600 3.42 1.21 $15.02 $31,240