Before deciding to begin a career as a pharmacy technician, you need to gather information and research and one of the important pieces of information will be the pharmacy technician salary. You also want to make sure the field you choose is suitable for your personality. It is easier to work in a job that you enjoy over one you “have” to take.
The role of the pharmacy technician is one career field that is ideal if you are a people person and you are interested in pharmaceuticals. A pharmacy technician can do anything a pharmacist can do only they have to do it under the pharmacists supervision. It is much like the doctor and nurse relationship.
Before you decide to become a pharmacy technician you will want to know what they do and what responsibilities are required. Other information you want to learn includes the educational requirements, courses included, costs of education and the pharmacy technician salary. This information will give you the full spectrum of information to help you decide if this is something you want to do.
What does a pharmacy technician do? The primary function of a pharmacy technician is to assist the pharmacist. This includes:
- Taking phone calls
- Handling customers
- Stocking medications
- Computer data entry
- Assist in filling prescriptions
The responsibilities and job description of a pharmacy technician will vary depending on the venue in which you work. You may do more in a stand alone pharmacy than in a hospital. The opposite can also be true. Likewise, the pharmacy technician salary will vary depending on the venue, the responsibilities and the level at which you work. Pharmacy techs can get promotions and take supervisory positions in many venues which increases the salary.
Here is a breakdown of the average pharmacy technician salary one can expect based on experience level:
- Entry level beginning to 3 years – $7.40-$10.90 per hour or $15,390 to $22,670 per year
- Intermediate Level 3 to 6 years – $11.20-$16.30 per hour or $23,290 to $33,900 per year
- Senior or Supervisor 6 years or more – $17.00-$12.10 per hour or $35,510 to $48,450 per year
The amount of pharmacy technician salary may be higher or lower than these number as these include the national average only. Private pharmacies may pay more than the national average.
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