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Become a Pharmacy Technician - Education & Salary Guide

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As advances in pharmaceutical technology lead us down the path towards more and more magic pills that can treat and cure myriad diseases and ailments, we will need more people who can understand the intricacies of the drugs we take and help to dispense them safely and effectively. These people will be pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work alongside them.

Between 2021 and 2031, the U.S. alone is expected to add 22,400 pharmacy technician jobs—a 5 percent increase nationally—according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2022). As pharmacists are called away from the pill-sorting machines to interact directly with patients, administer flu shots and vaccinations, and counsel on drug interactions, pharmacy technicians step in to take on much of the day-to-day pharmacy operations.

And pharmacy organizations are not blind to this increased need. National pharmacy education organizations have begun to work together to ensure that pharmacy technician students receive the quality of education they need to be valuable members of their teams once they gain employment. This includes the creation of the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC), which will “work collaboratively to develop an accreditation system for pharmacy technician education and training programs that reflects all pharmacy practice settings and, if feasible, to consolidate the activities into one accrediting body” (ASHP).


Pharmacy Technician fast facts
Projected Jobs Created22,400
Projected Job Growth5%
Average Salary$37,970
Low Salary$28,740
High Salary$47,580
Entry-Level EDU HS Diploma
Sourced from BLS 2022

Pharmacy Technician Degree & Certification Programs

As is the case with so many healthcare careers, degree requirements for pharmacy technicians vary from state to state. In some states, entry-level technicians may begin trainee programs with a high school diploma. No experience is required.

However, in other states, students must complete a fully accredited pharmacy technician training program and/or obtain an associate of science (AS) degree in pharmacy technology from a pharmacy tech school before they can begin work. Before enrolling in any program, students should be sure to familiarize themselves with the requirements in their state. The following is just a sampling of the types of pharmacy technician programs available around the country:

Clover Park Technical College

At Clover Park Technical College, pharmacy technician students will work towards an associate of applied technology (AAT) degree in five quarters, with courses starting every spring and fall quarter. The program combines classroom, laboratory, and clinical experience for a well-rounded pharmacy technician background. The program offers hands-on classroom and laboratory training and three months of on-the-job training.

Classes take place at either the Lakewood or Puyallup, Washington campus. Students can alternatively pursue a certificate, which takes three to four quarters to complete. Both pharmacy technician programs at CPTC are ASHP/ACPE accredited.

The AAT degree comprises 92 credits, while the certificate comprises 44 credits. The curriculum includes courses such as pharmaceutical calculations; pharmacology; generic drug names; medication research; introduction to pharmacy & pharmacy law; and hospital practice.

  • Location: Lakewood, WA; Puyallup, WA
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU); ASHP/ACPE
  • Expected Time to Completion: AAT (five quarters); certificate (three quarters)
  • Estimated Tuition: Resident ($119.13 per credit); non-resident ($306.92 per credit)

Cleveland Clinic

The pharmacy technician program at Cleveland Clinic is unique in that students begin with hands-on experience from day one. Additionally, the Cleveland Clinic program is one of the few hospital-based pharmacy technician programs in the US, making the learning environment quite unique. Applicants to the program must have a high school diploma or GED and pass math and reading evaluations (or show a minimum GPA from college courses in those subjects).

Due to the high demand for this program, students must also have at least two semesters of college-level coursework, five years of professional work experience, or ACT or SAT scores. The program consists of 20 weeks of didactic instruction, which students can complete online, simultaneous hands-on observation and training, and a 200-hour externship.

  • Location: Cleveland, OH
  • Accreditation: ASHP/ACPE
  • Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $2,500

Cerritos College

For Southern California residents, the pharmacy technician program at Cerritos College is convenient. The program offers both a certificate and associate’s degree track for incoming students. The Cerritos College program has been accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) since 1999.

Successful completion of either program qualifies students to register with the California State Board of Pharmacy, a prerequisite for obtaining employment as a pharmacy technician in California. The certificate requires students to complete 31 units, while the associate’s degree comprises 60 semester-units.

The curriculum includes courses such as medication calculations; pharmaceutical calculations; pharmacy operations; over-the-counter products; pharmacy technician pharmacology; medical terminology; and an introduction to anatomy and physiology.

  • Location: Norwalk, CA
  • Accreditation: Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC); ASHP/ACPE
  • Expected Time to Completion: Less than 12 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $46 per unit

Pima Medical Institute

With accredited locations across the western portion of the US, PMI offers a comprehensive pharmacy technician program to students in Arizona, California, Washington, Nevada, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado. In 840 clock-hours, plus a clinical externship, students will be prepared to take the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (CPhT) from the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

Consisting of 35.5 credits, this hybrid program includes courses such as pharmacy law and ethics; pharmacy math; inventory maintenance; pharmacology; principles of customer service; pharmacy computer applications; and chemistry fundamentals. All courses within this program are acceptable for credit toward Pima Medical Institute’s health care administration associate of applied science degree program.

  • Location: Mesa and Tucson, AZ; Chula Vista and San Marcos, CA; Colorado Springs and Denver, CO; Las Vegas, NV; Albuquerque, NM; El Paso, Houston, and, San Antonio, TX; Renton, WA
  • Accreditation: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
  • Expected Time to Completion: Nine months
  • Estimated Tuition: Albuquerque (on-ground: $18,219, hybrid: $18,732); Chula Vista (on-ground: $17,664, hybrid: $18,140); Colorado Springs ($16,909); Denver (on-ground: $16,909, hybrid: $17,385); El Paso (on-ground: $16,909, hybrid: $17,385); Houston ($16,909); Las Vegas ($16,909); Mesa (on-ground: $16,909, hybrid: $17,385); Renton ($17,911); San Antonio (on-ground: $16,909, hybrid: $17,385); San Marcos ($17,664); Tucson (on-ground: $16,909, hybrid: $17,385)

SELECT * FROM `mts_online_offline_data` WHERE `page_url` = '/pharmacy-technician' AND ( `table_type` = 'Offline' OR `table_type` = 'BOTH (Online + Offline)' ) ORDER BY `grads` DESC

List of Pharmacy Technician Schools

Filter by state :
School City State Website grads (2018)
National University College Bayamon Puerto Rico www.nuc.edu 284
San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia Visalia California www.sjvc.edu 188
Florida Vocational Institute Miami Florida www.fvi.edu 151
Manhattan Institute New York New York www.manhattaninstitute.edu 114
Mountainland Technical College Lehi Utah mtec.edu 89
Concorde Career College-Memphis Memphis Tennessee www.concorde.edu/campus/memphis-tennessee 86
Downey Adult School Downey California www.das.edu 79
Pima Medical Institute-Chula Vista Chula Vista California pmi.edu 74
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis Indiana www.ivytech.edu 71
Columbus State Community College Columbus Ohio www.cscc.edu 67
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Carolina Campus Carolina Puerto Rico une.suagm.edu 67
American Career College-Los Angeles Los Angeles California americancareercollege.edu 65
American Career College-Ontario Ontario California americancareercollege.edu 62
UEI College-Fresno Fresno California www.uei.edu 60
Davis Technical College Kaysville Utah www.davistech.edu 59
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Gurabo Campus Gurabo Puerto Rico ut.suagm.edu 59
Universidad Ana G. Mendez-Cupey Campus San Juan Puerto Rico umet.suagm.edu 56
Remington College-Memphis Campus Memphis Tennessee www.remingtoncollege.edu 54
UEI College-Bakersfield Bakersfield California www.uei.edu 54
UEI College-Riverside Riverside California www.uei.edu 53
Santa Ana College Santa Ana California www.sac.edu 51
Pima Medical Institute-Las Vegas Las Vegas Nevada pmi.edu 49
Contra Costa Medical Career College Antioch California www.ccmcc.edu 48
Florida Education Institute Miami Florida www.fei.edu 48
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Aguadilla Aguadilla Puerto Rico aguadilla.inter.edu 48
Imperial Valley College Imperial California www.imperial.edu 47
Pima Medical Institute-Mesa Mesa Arizona pmi.edu 47
Unitek College Fremont California www.unitekcollege.edu 44
North-West College-West Covina West Covina California www.north-westcollege.edu 43
Tulsa Technology Center Tulsa Oklahoma tulsatech.edu 43
American Career College-Anaheim Anaheim California americancareercollege.edu 41
Arizona College-Glendale Glendale Arizona www.arizonacollege.edu 41
Concorde Career Institute-Miramar Miramar Florida www.concorde.edu/campus/miramar-florida 41
New Horizons Medical Institute Norcross Georgia www.newhorizonsmedical.com 41
Southern Careers Institute-Pharr Pharr Texas www.scitexas.edu 41
United Education Institute-Encino Encino California www.uei.edu 40
Fortis College-Cutler Bay Cutler Bay Florida www.fortis.edu 39
Concorde Career Institute-Orlando Orlando Florida www.concorde.edu/campus/orlando-florida 39
San Jacinto Community College Pasadena Texas www.sanjac.edu 39
Dixie Technical College Saint George Utah www.dixietech.edu 38
ASA College Brooklyn New York www.asa.edu 37
Clark College Vancouver Washington www.clark.edu 37
St Louis College of Health Careers-St Louis Saint Louis Missouri www.slchc.edu 37
Remington College-Dallas Campus Garland Texas www.remingtoncollege.edu 36
Oakton Community College Des Plaines Illinois www.oakton.edu 36
Brookline College-Phoenix Phoenix Arizona www.brooklinecollege.edu 35
Pima Medical Institute-Albuquerque Albuquerque New Mexico pmi.edu 35
Albany Technical College Albany Georgia www.albanytech.edu 34
CBD College Los Angeles California www.cbd.edu 34
Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga California www.chaffey.edu 34
Houston Community College Houston Texas www.hccs.edu 34
Lone Star College System The Woodlands Texas www.lonestar.edu 34
Unitech Training Academy-Lafayette Lafayette Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 34
Charles A Jones Career and Education Center Sacramento California www.caj.scusd.edu 33
Wichita Technical Institute Wichita Kansas www.wti.edu 33
Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque New Mexico www.cnm.edu 32
Cerritos College Norwalk California www.cerritos.edu 32
Orange Technical College-Winter Park Campus Winter Park Florida www.orangetechcollege.net/campuses/winter_park 32
Antilles School of Technical Careers San Juan Puerto Rico www.antillespr.edu 31
Access Careers Hempstead New York www.accesscareers.net 31
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-San German San German Puerto Rico www.sg.inter.edu 31
Clover Park Technical College Lakewood Washington www.cptc.edu 30
Hawaii Medical College Honolulu Hawaii www.hmi.edu 30
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson Tucson Arizona pmi.edu 30
Remington College-Shreveport Campus Shreveport Louisiana www.remingtoncollege.edu 29
Carrington College-Stockton Stockton California carrington.edu 29
Northwest Career College Las Vegas Nevada northwestcareercollege.edu 29
United Education Institute-West Covina West Covina California www.uei.edu 29
Baldwin Park Adult & Community Education Baldwin Park California www.bpusd.net 28
Chemeketa Community College Salem Oregon www.chemeketa.edu 28
Southeastern College-West Palm Beach West Palm Beach Florida www.sec.edu 28
Altierus Career College-Tampa Tampa Florida www.altierus.edu 27
Arizona College-Mesa Mesa Arizona www.arizonacollege.edu 27
North-West College-Riverside Riverside California www.north-westcollege.edu 27
Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin Georgia www.sctech.edu 27
Augusta Technical College Augusta Georgia www.augustatech.edu 26
Carrington College-Albuquerque Albuquerque New Mexico carrington.edu 26
El Paso Community College El Paso Texas www.epcc.edu 26
North-West College-Long Beach Long Beach California www.nw.edu 26
Pima Medical Institute-Colorado Springs Colorado Springs Colorado pmi.edu 26
Ponce Paramedical College Inc Ponce Puerto Rico www.popac.edu 26
Sinclair Community College Dayton Ohio www.sinclair.edu 26
Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Georgia atlantatech.edu 25
Carrington College-Phoenix East Phoenix Arizona carrington.edu 25
Charter College Vancouver Washington www.chartercollege.edu 25
Concorde Career Institute-Tampa Tampa Florida www.concorde.edu/campus/tampa-florida 25
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Arecibo Arecibo Puerto Rico www.arecibo.inter.edu 25
Santa Rosa Junior College Santa Rosa California www.santarosa.edu 25
Southern Careers Institute-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi Texas www.scitexas.edu 25
Unitech Training Academy-Houma Houma Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 25
Foothill College Los Altos Hills California foothill.edu 24
Fortis College-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Louisiana www.fortis.edu 24
High Desert Medical College Lancaster California www.hdmc.edu 24
Huertas College Caguas Puerto Rico www.huertas.edu 24
Osceola Technical College Kissimmee Florida otec.osceolaschools.net 24
Pima Medical Institute-Renton Renton Washington pmi.edu 24
Baker College Flint Michigan www.baker.edu 23
Bossier Parish Community College Bossier City Louisiana www.bpcc.edu 23
Fortis College-Smyrna Smyrna Georgia fortis.edu 23
Infinity College Lafayette Louisiana www.infinitycollege.edu 23
Pickens Technical College Aurora Colorado www.pickenstech.org 23
Spokane Community College Spokane Washington scc.spokane.edu 23
Unitech Training Academy-Alexandria Alexandria Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 23
Unitech Training Academy-West Monroe West Monroe Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 23
Vista Adult School Vista California vistaadultschool.org 23
CCI Training Center-Arlington Arlington Texas www.ccitraining.edu 22
Davidson County Community College Thomasville North Carolina www.davidsonccc.edu 22
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Bayamon Bayamon Puerto Rico bayamon.inter.edu 22
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Metro San Juan Puerto Rico www.metro.inter.edu 22
InterCoast Colleges-Fairfield Fairfield California www.intercoast.edu 22
Kirkwood Community College Cedar Rapids Iowa www.kirkwood.edu 22
North-West College-Glendale Glendale California www.nw.edu 22
San Bernardino Valley College San Bernardino California www.valleycollege.edu 22
Southern Careers Institute-San Antonio San Antonio Texas www.scitexas.edu 22
West Los Angeles College Culver City California www.wlac.edu 22
Coyne College Chicago Illinois www.coynecollege.edu 21
Fortis College-Montgomery Montgomery Alabama www.fortis.edu 21
Front Range Community College Westminster Colorado www.frontrange.edu 21
Medical Institute of Palm Beach Greenacres Florida www.medicalinstitutepb.edu 21
Platt College Tulsa Oklahoma www.plattcolleges.edu 21
Seminole State College of Florida Sanford Florida www.seminolestate.edu 21
UEI College-Gardena Gardena California www.uei.edu 21
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Ponce Mercedita Puerto Rico ponce.inter.edu 20
ABC Adult School Cerritos California www.abcadultschool.com 20
Atenas College Manati Puerto Rico www.atenascollege.edu 20
CEM College-San Juan San Juan Puerto Rico www.cemcollege.edu/cem 20
Humacao Community College Humacao Puerto Rico www.hccpr.edu 20
Orange Technical College-Westside Campus Winter Garden Florida www.orangetechcollege.net/campuses/westside 20
West Georgia Technical College Waco Georgia www.westgatech.edu 20
Remington College-Lafayette Campus Lafayette Louisiana www.remingtoncollege.edu 19
Ayers Career College Shreveport Louisiana www.ayers.edu 19
Carrington College-Sacramento Sacramento California carrington.edu 19
City College of San Francisco San Francisco California www.ccsf.edu 19
Edmonds Community College Lynnwood Washington www.edcc.edu 19
Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown North Carolina www.gtcc.edu 19
Saint Paul College Saint Paul Minnesota www.saintpaul.edu 19
Somerset Community College Somerset Kentucky somerset.kctcs.edu 19
Tulsa Community College Tulsa Oklahoma www.tulsacc.edu 19
United Education Institute-UEI College San Marcos San Marcos California www.uei.edu 19
Vance-Granville Community College Henderson North Carolina www.vgcc.edu 19
All-State Career-Baltimore Baltimore Maryland www.allstatecareer.edu 18
Carrington College-Citrus Heights Citrus Heights California carrington.edu 18
Carrington College-Tucson Tucson Arizona carrington.edu 18
Escondido Adult School Escondido California www.escondidoadultschool.org 18
Institute of Technology Clovis California www.iot.edu 18
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Guayama Guayama Puerto Rico www.guayama.inter.edu 18
Southern Careers Institute-Austin Austin Texas www.scitexas.edu 18
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Athens Athens Tennessee www.tcatathens.edu 18
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Memphis Memphis Tennessee www.tcatmemphis.edu 18
Wayne Community College Goldsboro North Carolina www.waynecc.edu 18
Remington College-Fort Worth Campus Fort Worth Texas www.remingtoncollege.edu 17
Asher College Sacramento California www.asher.edu 17
Cape Fear Community College Wilmington North Carolina www.cfcc.edu 17
Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland Ohio www.tri-c.edu 17
Fortis College-Landover Landover Maryland www.fortiscollege.edu 17
Fortis Institute-Cookeville Cookeville Tennessee www.fortis.edu 17
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Barranquitas Barranquitas Puerto Rico www.br.inter.edu 17
Inter American University of Puerto Rico-Fajardo Fajardo Puerto Rico fajardo.inter.edu 17
Los Angeles ORT College-Los Angeles Campus Los Angeles California www.laort.edu 17
North Seattle College Seattle Washington www.northseattle.edu 17
Northwest Educational Center Houston Texas nwec.edu 17
Pima Community College Tucson Arizona www.pima.edu 17
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Jacksboro Jacksboro Tennessee www.tcatjacksboro.edu 17
Vernon College Vernon Texas www.vernoncollege.edu 17
Wake Technical Community College Raleigh North Carolina www.waketech.edu 17
Brewster Technical College Tampa Florida www.brewster.edu 16
Carrington College-Mesa Mesa Arizona carrington.edu 16
CEM College-Humacao Humacao Puerto Rico www.cempr.edu 16
Chattanooga State Community College Chattanooga Tennessee www.chattanoogastate.edu 16
Delta College Inc Covington Louisiana www.deltacollege.com 16
Dewey University-Manati Manati Puerto Rico dewey.edu 16
Dorsey Business Schools-Wayne Wayne Michigan www.dorsey.edu 16
Johnston Community College Smithfield North Carolina www.johnstoncc.edu 16
Los Angeles ORT College-Van Nuys Campus Van Nuys California www.laort.edu 16
Michigan Career and Technical Institute Plainwell Michigan www.michigan.gov/mcti 16
Midlands Technical College West Columbia South Carolina www.midlandstech.edu 16
Milan Institute-Las Vegas Las Vegas Nevada www.milaninstitute.edu 16
Pima Medical Institute-Denver Denver Colorado pmi.edu 16
Southwest Tennessee Community College Memphis Tennessee www.southwest.tn.edu 16
Uintah Basin Technical College Roosevelt Utah www.ubtech.edu 16
Unitech Training Academy-Metairie Metairie Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 16
Cape Coral Technical College Cape Coral Florida capecoraltech.edu 15
Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Pleasant Hill California carrington.edu 15
College of the Sequoias Visalia California www.cos.edu 15
Columbia Central University-Caguas Caguas Puerto Rico www.columbiacentral.edu 15
Delgado Community College New Orleans Louisiana www.dcc.edu 15
Miami Lakes Educational Center and Technical College Miami Lakes Florida miamilakes.edu 15
Oconee Fall Line Technical College Sandersville Georgia www.oftc.edu 15
Tarrant County College District Fort Worth Texas www.tccd.edu 15
Unitech Training Academy-Lake Charles Lake Charles Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 15
Vatterott College-Berkeley Berkeley Missouri www.vatterott.edu 15
Walters State Community College Morristown Tennessee www.ws.edu 15
Northshore Technical Community College Lacombe Louisiana www.northshorecollege.edu 14
Arkansas State University-Beebe Beebe Arkansas www.asub.edu 14
Austin Community College District Austin Texas www.austincc.edu 14
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins Georgia www.centralgatech.edu 14
Emerald Coast Technical College DeFuniak Springs Florida www.ectc.edu 14
Emily Griffith Technical College Denver Colorado www.emilygriffith.edu 14
Fayetteville Technical Community College Fayetteville North Carolina www.faytechcc.edu 14
Fortis College-Dothan Dothan Alabama www.fortiscollege.edu 14
Intellitec College-Grand Junction Grand Junction Colorado www.intellitec.edu 14
Meridian Technology Center Stillwater Oklahoma www.meridiantech.edu 14
Midwest Technical Institute-Springfield Springfield Illinois midwesttech.edu 14
Northwest Suburban College Rollng Meadows Illinois nwsc.edu 14
Ross College-Sylvania Sylvania Ohio www.rosseducation.edu 14
Trident Technical College Charleston South Carolina www.tridenttech.edu 14
West Kentucky Community and Technical College Paducah Kentucky westkentucky.kctcs.edu 14
William T McFatter Technical College Davie Florida www.mcfattertechnicalcollege.edu 14
Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Mayaguez Puerto Rico mayaguez.pucpr.edu 13
Northwest Vista College San Antonio Texas www.alamo.edu/nvc 13
Allegany College of Maryland Cumberland Maryland www.allegany.edu 13
Carrington College-Spokane Spokane Washington carrington.edu 13
CEM College-Bayamon Bayamón Puerto Rico www.cemcollege.edu 13
Cosumnes River College Sacramento California www.crc.losrios.edu 13
Fortis College Mobile Alabama www.fortis.edu 13
InterCoast Colleges-Rancho Cordova Rancho Cordova California www.intercoast.edu 13
Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls Minnesota www.northlandcollege.edu 13
Ogden-Weber Technical College Ogden Utah www.otech.edu 13
Pikes Peak Community College Colorado Springs Colorado www.ppcc.edu 13
Pima Medical Institute-Houston Houston Texas pmi.edu 13
Pinellas Technical College-St. Petersburg Saint Petersburg Florida www.myptc.edu 13
Radford M Locklin Technical Center Milton Florida www.locklintech.com 13
Renton Technical College Renton Washington www.rtc.edu 13
South Texas College McAllen Texas www.southtexascollege.edu 13
Miami Dade College Miami Florida www.mdc.edu 12
Ridge Technical College Winter Haven Florida www.polkedpathways.com/ridge-technical-college 12
Remington College-Mobile Campus Mobile Alabama www.remingtoncollege.edu 12
Remington College-North Houston Campus Houston Texas www.remingtoncollege.edu 12
Carrington College-Portland Portland Oregon carrington.edu 12
Central Carolina Technical College Sumter South Carolina www.cctech.edu 12
Dorsey Business Schools-Southgate Southgate Michigan www.dorsey.edu 12
East San Gabriel Valley Regional Occupational Program West Covina California www.esgvrop.org 12
Galaxy Medical College North Hollywood California www.galaxymedicalcollege.edu 12
Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway South Carolina www.hgtc.edu 12
Lake Technical College Eustis Florida www.laketech.org 12
Los Angeles Mission College Sylmar California www.lamission.edu 12
Pennco Tech-Blackwood Blackwood New Jersey www.penncotech.edu 12
Pueblo Community College Pueblo Colorado www.pueblocc.edu 12
Rio Grande Valley College Pharr Texas www.rgvcollege.edu 12
Ross Medical Education Center - Kalamazoo Kalamazoo Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 12
Ross Medical Education Center-Johnson City Johnson City Tennessee www.rosseducation.edu 12
Stratford University Fairfax Virginia www.stratford.edu 12
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Oneida-Huntsville Huntsville Tennessee www.tcatoneida.edu 12
Lorenzo Walker Technical College Naples Florida www.lwtc.edu 11
Atlantic Technical College Coconut Creek Florida www.atlantictechnicalcollege.edu 11
Brookline College-Tempe Tempe Arizona brooklinecollege.edu 11
Brookline College-Tucson Tucson Arizona www.brooklinecollege.edu 11
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College Chicago Illinois www.ccc.edu/colleges/malcolm-x 11
Colegio Tecnologico y Comercial de Puerto Rico Aguada Puerto Rico ctcpr.edu 11
Dorsey Business Schools-Saginaw Saginaw Michigan www.dorsey.edu 11
Indian River State College Fort Pierce Florida www.irsc.edu 11
Lansing Community College Lansing Michigan www.lcc.edu 11
Midwest Technical Institute-East Peoria East Peoria Illinois www.midwesttech.edu 11
Minneapolis Community and Technical College Minneapolis Minnesota www.minneapolis.edu 11
North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville Georgia northgatech.edu 11
North-West College-Pomona Pomona California www.north-westcollege.edu 11
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Livingston Livingston Tennessee www.tcatlivingston.edu 11
Texas State Technical College Waco Texas www.tstc.edu 11
Vincennes University Vincennes Indiana www.vinu.edu 11
Western Iowa Tech Community College Sioux City Iowa www.witcc.edu 11
Medical Training College Baton Rouge Louisiana www.mtcbr.com 10
North-West College-Santa Ana Santa Ana California www.nw.edu 10
Nova College de Puerto Rico Bayamon Puerto Rico www.novacollegepr.com 10
Piedmont Technical College Greenwood South Carolina www.ptc.edu 10
Riverside County Office of Education-School of Career Education Indio California www.riversidesce.org 10
Ross Medical Education Center-Charleston Charleston West Virginia www.rosseducation.edu 10
Southeastern College-Charlotte Charlotte North Carolina www.sec.edu 10
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro Tennessee www.tcatmurfreesboro.edu 10
University of Antelope Valley Lancaster California www.uav.edu 10
Angelina College Lufkin Texas www.angelina.edu 10
Carrington College-San Leandro San Leandro California carrington.edu 10
Henry Ford College Dearborn Michigan www.hfcc.edu 10
Remington College-Columbia Campus Columbia South Carolina www.remingtoncollege.edu 9
Alvin Community College Alvin Texas www.alvincollege.edu 9
American College of Healthcare and Technology Riverside California www.ach.edu 9
American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education Piscataway New Jersey www.aimseducation.edu 9
Carrington College-Boise Boise Idaho carrington.edu 9
CEM College-Mayaguez Mayaguez Puerto Rico www.cemcollege.edu/cem 9
Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire Wisconsin www.cvtc.edu 9
Columbus Technical College Columbus Georgia www.columbustech.edu 9
Dewey University-Hato Rey Hato Rey Puerto Rico dewey.edu 9
Eastern New Mexico University-Roswell Campus Roswell New Mexico www.roswell.enmu.edu 9
EDIC College Caguas Puerto Rico www.ediccollege.edu 9
Greenville Technical College Greenville South Carolina www.gvltec.edu 9
Hacienda La Puente Adult Education La Puente California www.hlpae.com 9
Jefferson Community and Technical College Louisville Kentucky jefferson.kctcs.edu 9
Nashville College of Medical Careers Madison Tennessee www.nashvillecollege.com 9
Ogeechee Technical College Statesboro Georgia www.ogeecheetech.edu 9
Ross Medical Education Center-Huntsville Huntsville Alabama www.rosseducation.edu 9
Ross Medical Education Center-Ontario Ontario Ohio www.rosseducation.edu 9
Southeast Technical Institute Sioux Falls South Dakota www.southeasttech.edu 9
Spartanburg Community College Spartanburg South Carolina www.sccsc.edu 9
Sullivan University Louisville Kentucky www.sullivan.edu 9
Texarkana College Texarkana Texas www.texarkanacollege.edu 9
Washtenaw Community College Ann Arbor Michigan www.wccnet.edu 9
American College of Healthcare and Technology Huntington Park California www.ach.edu 8
Bridgerland Technical College Logan Utah www.btech.edu 8
Broward College Fort Lauderdale Florida www.broward.edu 8
Columbia Central University-Yauco Yauco Puerto Rico www.columbiacentral.edu 8
Del Mar College Corpus Christi Texas www.delmar.edu 8
Florida Career College-Orlando Orlando Florida www.floridacareercollege.edu 8
Gateway Technical College Kenosha Wisconsin www.gtc.edu 8
Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee Wisconsin matc.edu 8
New Professions Technical Institute Miami Florida www.npti.edu 8
Pasco-Hernando State College New Port Richey Florida www.phsc.edu 8
Pike County Joint Vocational School District Piketon Ohio www.pikectc.org 8
Pima Medical Institute-El Paso El Paso Texas www.pmi.edu 8
Pinnacle Career Institute-South Kansas City Kansas City Missouri pcitraining.edu 8
Regional Center for Border Health Somerton Arizona www.rcbh.edu 8
Skagit Valley College Mount Vernon Washington www.skagit.edu 8
Southern Careers Institute-San Antonio San Antonio Texas www.scitexas.edu 8
Tallahassee Community College Tallahassee Florida www.tcc.fl.edu 8
The College of Health Care Professions-Austin Austin Texas www.chcp.edu 8
U S Grant Joint Vocational School Bethel Ohio www.grantcareer.com 8
Valley College of Medical Careers West Hills California www.valleycollegeofmedicalcareers.info 8
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta Georgia www.wiregrass.edu 8
American National University Salem Virginia www.an.edu/locations 7
Arkansas Tech University Russellville Arkansas www.atu.edu 7
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville North Carolina www.abtech.edu 7
Ashland Community and Technical College Ashland Kentucky ashland.kctcs.edu 7
Baldy View Regional Occupational Program Ontario California www.baldyviewrop.com 7
Bidwell Training Center Inc Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.bidwelltraining.edu 7
Carrington College-San Jose San Jose California carrington.edu 7
Central Louisiana Technical Community College Alexandria Louisiana www.cltcc.edu 7
Central Piedmont Community College Charlotte North Carolina www.cpcc.edu 7
D'Mart Institute Barranquitas Puerto Rico www.dmartpr.com 7
Florida Panhandle Technical College Chipley Florida fptc.edu 7
Louisiana State University-Alexandria Alexandria Louisiana www.lsua.edu 7
Manatee Technical College Bradenton Florida manateetech.edu 7
Mountwest Community and Technical College Huntington West Virginia www.mctc.edu 7
North Central Kansas Technical College Beloit Kansas www.ncktc.edu 7
Quinsigamond Community College Worcester Massachusetts www.qcc.edu 7
Roane State Community College Harriman Tennessee www.roanestate.edu 7
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Dickson Dickson Tennessee www.tcatdickson.edu 7
RIVEROAK Technical College Live Oak Florida rtc.suwannee.k12.fl.us 6
Lincoln Trail College Robinson Illinois www.iecc.edu 6
Remington College-Nashville Campus Nashville Tennessee www.remingtoncollege.edu 6
Bay Area Medical Academy San Francisco California www.bamasf.com 6
Chester Career College CHESTER Virginia chestercareercollege.edu 6
Cisco College Cisco Texas www.cisco.edu 6
Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Iowa www.dmacc.edu 6
Forsyth Technical Community College Winston-Salem North Carolina www.forsythtech.edu 6
Lamar State College-Orange Orange Texas www.lsco.edu 6
Lanier Technical College Gainesville Georgia www.laniertech.edu 6
Lively Technical Center Tallahassee Florida www.livelytech.com 6
Mid Michigan College Harrison Michigan www.midmich.edu 6
Milan Institute-Sparks Sparks Nevada www.milaninstitute.edu 6
Pima Medical Institute-Seattle Seattle Washington pmi.edu 6
Ross Medical Education Center-Davison Davison Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 6
Ross Medical Education Center-Granger Granger Indiana www.rosseducation.edu 6
Ross Medical Education Center-Saginaw Saginaw Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 6
South Suburban College South Holland Illinois www.ssc.edu 6
Southeastern Illinois College Harrisburg Illinois www.sic.edu 6
Southeastern College-Charleston North Charleston South Carolina www.sec.edu 6
Stanly Community College Albemarle North Carolina www.stanly.edu 6
Western Dakota Technical Institute Rapid City South Dakota www.wdt.edu 6
YTI Career Institute-York York Pennsylvania www.yti.edu 6
Lincoln Technical Institute-Lincoln Lincoln Rhode Island www.lincolntech.edu/campus/lincoln-lti-ri 5
Aiken Technical College Graniteville South Carolina www.atc.edu 5
Amarillo College Amarillo Texas www.actx.edu 5
Anoka-Ramsey Community College Coon Rapids Minnesota www.anokaramsey.edu 5
Arapahoe Community College Littleton Colorado www.arapahoe.edu 5
College of the Mainland Texas City Texas www.com.edu 5
Dewey University-Juana Díaz Juana Diaz Puerto Rico dewey.edu 5
Educational Technical College-Recinto de Coamo Coamo Puerto Rico www.edutecpr.com 5
ICPR Junior College-Manati Manatí Puerto Rico www.icprjc.edu 5
Jones County Junior College Ellisville Mississippi www.jcjc.edu 5
Pioneer Technology Center Ponca City Oklahoma pioneertech.edu 5
Pittsburgh Career Institute Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.pci.edu 5
Polaris Career Center Middleburg Heights Ohio www.polaris.edu 5
Rogue Community College Grants Pass Oregon www.roguecc.edu 5
Ross Medical Education Center-Cincinnati Cincinnati Ohio www.rosseducation.edu 5
Ross Medical Education Center-Kentwood Kentwood Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 5
Ross Medical Education Center-Lansing Lansing Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 5
Ross Medical Education Center-Madison Heights Madison Heights Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 5
South Dade Technical College-South Dade Skills Center Campus Leisure City Florida www.southdadetech.edu 5
Southeastern Technical College Vidalia Georgia www.southeasterntech.edu 5
Tri-County Technical College Pendleton South Carolina www.tctc.edu 5
Warren County Career Center Lebanon Ohio www.mywccc.org 5
Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training Marietta Ohio www.mycareerschool.com 5
West Virginia Junior College-Bridgeport Bridgeport West Virginia www.wvjc.edu 5
Gulf Coast State College Panama City Florida www.gulfcoast.edu 4
Central Ohio Technical College Newark Ohio www.cotc.edu 4
Central Oregon Community College Bend Oregon www.cocc.edu 4
College of Southern Maryland La Plata Maryland www.csmd.edu 4
Crowder College Neosho Missouri www.crowder.edu 4
Hibbing Community College Hibbing Minnesota www.hibbing.edu 4
Hopkinsville Community College Hopkinsville Kentucky hopkinsville.kctcs.edu 4
Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Kansas www.hutchcc.edu 4
ICPR Junior College-General Institutional Hato Rey Puerto Rico www.icprjc.edu 4
Lamar Institute of Technology Beaumont Texas www.lit.edu 4
North Idaho College Coeur d'Alene Idaho www.nic.edu 4
Oakland Community College Bloomfield Hills Michigan www.oaklandcc.edu 4
Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School District Chillicothe Ohio www.pickawayross.com 4
Professional Skills Institute Maumee Ohio www.proskills.edu 4
Ross Medical Education Center-Brighton Brighton Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 4
Ross Medical Education Center-Evansville Evansville Indiana www.rosseducation.edu 4
Salem Community College Carneys Point New Jersey www.salemcc.edu 4
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Pulaski Pulaski Tennessee www.tcatpulaski.edu 4
The University of Montana Missoula Montana www.umt.edu 4
Ventura Adult and Continuing Education Ventura California www.adultedventura.edu 4
West Virginia Junior College-Morgantown Morgantown West Virginia www.wvjc.edu 4
Treasure Coast Technical College Vero Beach Florida tctc.indianriverschools.org 3
Columbiana County Career and Technical Center Lisbon Ohio www.ccctc.k12.oh.us 3
American Educational College Bayamon Puerto Rico www.amedcopr.com 3
American National University-Lexington Lexington Kentucky www.an.edu/locations 3
Blackhawk Technical College Janesville Wisconsin www.blackhawk.edu 3
Brookline College-Albuquerque Albuquerque New Mexico www.brooklinecollege.edu 3
California Healing Arts College Carson California www.chac.edu 3
Durham Technical Community College Durham North Carolina www.durhamtech.edu 3
Eagle Gate College-Murray Murray Utah eaglegatecollege.edu 3
Great Falls College Montana State University Great Falls Montana www.gfcmsu.edu 3
Laurel Technical Institute Sharon Pennsylvania www.laurel.edu 3
American National University Nashville Tennessee www.an.edu 3
North-West College-Van Nuys Van Nuys California www.north-westcollege.edu 3
Northwest Iowa Community College Sheldon Iowa www.nwicc.edu 3
Onondaga Cortland Madison BOCES Liverpool New York ocmboces.org 3
Pensacola State College Pensacola Florida www.pensacolastate.edu 3
Ross Medical Education Center-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 3
Ross Medical Education Center-Bowling Green Bowling Green Kentucky www.rosseducation.edu 3
Ross Medical Education Center-Muncie Muncie Indiana www.rosseducation.edu 3
Ross Medical Education Center-Niles Niles Ohio www.rosseducation.edu 3
South Central College North Mankato Minnesota www.southcentral.edu 3
South Mountain Community College Phoenix Arizona www.southmountaincc.edu 3
Southeastern College-Columbia Columbia South Carolina www.sec.edu 3
National American University-Independence Independence Missouri www.national.edu 2
Ashland County-West Holmes Career Center Ashland Ohio www.acwhcc.org 2
Baton Rouge Community College Baton Rouge Louisiana www.mybrcc.edu 2
Carrington College-Phoenix North Phoenix Arizona carrington.edu 2
Casper College Casper Wyoming www.caspercollege.edu 2
Central Arizona College Coolidge Arizona www.centralaz.edu 2
Community College of Beaver County Monaca Pennsylvania www.ccbc.edu 2
Daymar College-Murfreesboro Murfreesboro Tennessee www.daymarcollege.edu 2
Daymar College-Nashville Nashville Tennessee www.daymarcollege.edu 2
Florida Career College-UEI College-Phoenix Phoenix Arizona www.uei.edu 2
Florida State College at Jacksonville Jacksonville Florida www.fscj.edu 2
Fortis Institute-Nashville Nashville Tennessee www.fortis.edu 2
George C Wallace State Community College-Hanceville Hanceville Alabama www.wallacestate.edu 2
Global Medical & Technical Training Institute Miami Florida www.gmtti.edu 2
Hagerstown Community College Hagerstown Maryland www.hagerstowncc.edu 2
Harris School of Business-Linwood Campus Linwood New Jersey www.harrisschool.edu 2
High Plains Technology Center Woodward Oklahoma www.hptc.edu 2
Jackson College Jackson Michigan www.jccmi.edu 2
Lewis-Clark State College Lewiston Idaho www.lcsc.edu 2
Madison Media Institute-Rockford Career College Rockford Illinois www.rockfordcareercollege.edu 2
Milan Institute-Amarillo Amarillo Texas www.milaninstitute.edu 2
Montana State University Billings Billings Montana www.msubillings.edu 2
Pennsylvania Highlands Community College Johnstown Pennsylvania www.pennhighlands.edu 2
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology Media Pennsylvania www.pit.edu 2
Ross Medical Education Center-Fort Wayne Fort Wayne Indiana www.rosseducation.edu 2
Ross Medical Education Center-Grand Rapids North Grand Rapids Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 2
Ross Medical Education Center-Portage Portage Michigan www.rosseducation.edu 2
Southeast Community College Area Lincoln Nebraska www.southeast.edu 2
Unitech Training Academy-Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Louisiana www.unitechtrainingacademy.com 2
Yakima Valley College Yakima Washington www.yvcc.edu 2
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences Concord North Carolina atriumhealth.org/education/cabarrus-college-of-health-sciences 1
Pennco Tech-Bristol Bristol Pennsylvania www.penncotech.edu/locations/bristol-pa 1
Remington College-Houston Southeast Campus Webster Texas www.remingtoncollege.edu 1
American National University-Dayton Kettering Ohio www.an.edu/locations/dayton-oh 1
Bristol Community College Fall River Massachusetts www.bristolcc.edu 1
Carrington College-Pomona Pomona California carrington.edu 1
Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh Pennsylvania www.ccac.edu 1
Flathead Valley Community College Kalispell Montana www.fvcc.edu 1
Hennepin Technical College Brooklyn Park Minnesota www.hennepintech.edu 1
IBMC College Fort Collins Colorado www.ibmc.edu 1
ICPR Junior College-Mayaguez Mayaguez Puerto Rico www.icprjc.edu 1
Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa Iowa www.indianhills.edu 1
Kirtland Community College Roscommon Michigan www.kirtland.edu 1
Laurel Business Institute Uniontown Pennsylvania laurel.edu 1
Midstate College Peoria Illinois www.midstate.edu 1
Midwest Technical Institute-Moline Moline Illinois www.midwesttech.edu 1
Miles Community College Miles City Montana www.milescc.edu 1
Monroe College Bronx New York www.monroecollege.edu 1
Navarro College Corsicana Texas www.navarrocollege.edu 1
North Central Missouri College Trenton Missouri www.ncmissouri.edu 1
Richland Community College Decatur Illinois www.richland.edu 1
Santa Barbara Business College-Santa Maria Santa Maria California sbbcollege.edu 1
Vatterott College-Joplin Joplin Missouri www.vatterott.edu 1
Vatterott College-Kansas City Kansas City Missouri www.vatterott.edu 1
Wayne County Community College District Detroit Michigan www.wcccd.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Hybrid & Online Programs for Pharmacy Technicians

Rasmussen University - Online
Pharmacy Technician (Certificate)
University of West Alabama (Campus)
Chemistry - Pre-Pharmacy (BA/BS)
MedCerts
Pharmacy Technician Certification Training (CPhT)
Regis University
Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.)
Grad Cert - Pharmaceutical Industry Affairs
sponsored

Completing pharmacy technician courses online is a great way for busy people to further their education without having to travel to campus. Many schools offer a selection of courses online while others offer completely online pharmacy tech programs. It is important to note that clinical experience, while not a requirement for licensing in every state, can be a major factor in finding employment. For this reason, in most cases, it is best to choose an online program that also offers externship placement.

San Francisco State University

As part of its extended learning program, San Francisco State University offers an online pharmacy technician program that students can complete at their own pace.

Upon successfully completing the program, students will earn a professional development certificate and be eligible to take the PTCB certification exam. This program includes an 80-hour externship where students gain hands-on work experience. Tuition is a low $1,399 flat rate for the entire program.

  • Location: San Francisco, CA
  • Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC)
  • Expected Time to Completion: Up to 9 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $1,399

Coastal Carolina Community College

At Coastal Carolina Community College, students can choose from a classroom track, a hybrid program, or an entirely online pharmacy tech course of study. Students who choose to complete their coursework on campus can take daytime and weekend classes for greater flexibility. Although the school does offer job placement assistance, there is no clinical externship component of this particular program, which may make it less attractive to some students.

Students in this 200-hour course are prepared to take national pharmacy technician certification exams and will be trained to work under the supervision of pharmacists in institutional or retail settings. Topics covered include patient safety and quality assurance, federal requirements, medications, regulations and technician duties, order entry processing, the dispensing process, drug and drug products, and math calculations necessary for daily pharmacy operations in various types of pharmacy settings.

  • Location: Jacksonville, NC
  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Expected Time to Completion: 200 clock-hours
  • Estimated Tuition: Contact the college for a customized assessment

Ashworth College

Ashworth College offers a hybrid program that has both online components and a 160-hour clinical externship placement through a partnership with Walgreens and CVS. This allows students to truly learn at their own pace while also getting the experience that many employers want. Although there is no age requirement for enrolling in the program, students must be at least 18 years of age and have a high school diploma or its equivalent to complete the externship portion.

Graduates of this program are prepared to take either the National Healthcareer Association’s (NHA) ExCPT Pharmacy Technician certification exam or the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s (PTCB’s) Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE).

As part of the program, students will explore topics such as introduction to pharmacy; drug classification and pharmaceutical calculations; pharmacology; community and hospital pharmacy practice; and laboratory simulation and certification preparation.

  • Location: Norcross, GA
  • Accreditation: Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC)
  • Expected Time to Completion: Four to 12 months
  • Estimated Tuition: $1,199
School City State Website grads (2018)
Ultimate Medical Academy-Clearwater Clearwater Florida www.ultimatemedical.edu/about 193
Martinsburg College Martinsburg West Virginia www.martinsburgcollege.edu 160
Rasmussen College-Florida Ocala Florida rasmussen.edu 56
Carrington College-Stockton Stockton California carrington.edu 29
Daymar College-Clarksville Clarksville Tennessee www.daymarcollege.edu 20
Carrington College-Sacramento Sacramento California carrington.edu 19
Rasmussen College-Minnesota St. Cloud Minnesota rasmussen.edu 19
Carrington College-Citrus Heights Citrus Heights California carrington.edu 18
Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland Ohio www.tri-c.edu 17
Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls Minnesota www.minnesota.edu 17
Rasmussen College-Illinois Rockford Illinois rasmussen.edu 16
Carrington College-Pleasant Hill Pleasant Hill California carrington.edu 15
Lakeshore Technical College Cleveland Wisconsin www.gotoltc.edu 10
Vatterott College-Sunset Hills Sunset Hills Missouri www.vatterott.edu 10
Carrington College-San Leandro San Leandro California carrington.edu 10
Carrington College-San Jose San Jose California carrington.edu 7
Rasmussen College-Kansas Topeka Kansas rasmussen.edu 6
North Dakota State College of Science Wahpeton North Dakota www.ndscs.edu 5
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska www.uaa.alaska.edu 5
Allen County Community College Iola Kansas www.allencc.edu 3
Barton County Community College Great Bend Kansas www.bartonccc.edu 3
Rasmussen College-Wisconsin Green Bay Wisconsin rasmussen.edu 3
Daymar College-Bowling Green Bowling Green Kentucky www.daymarcollege.edu 2
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls Minnesota www.mnwest.edu 2
North Central State College Mansfield Ohio www.ncstatecollege.edu 2
Southwestern Oregon Community College Coos Bay Oregon www.socc.edu 2
University of Phoenix-Arizona Tempe Arizona www.phoenix.edu 1
2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Core & Elective Courses for Pharmacy Techs

The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) has made it’s Pharmacy Technician and Training Program Model Curriculum available online. The curriculum can be accessed on the ASHP website.

According to this model, pharmacy technician students should spend their educational efforts cultivating interpersonal knowledge and skills and foundational professional knowledge and skills. Some of the career-specific skills of the curriculum include:

  • The process and handling of medications
  • Sterile and nonsterile compounding
  • Procurement billing, reimbursement, and inventory management
  • Patient and medication safety
  • Technology and informatics
  • Regulatory issues
  • Quality assurance

Each course in a typical pharmacy technician curriculum should further at least one of the above goals. Because these programs typically last two years or less, there is little time for elective courses while striving to meet these model curriculum goals. Curricula may be organized to use a combination of didactic, laboratory, and experiential training techniques for each of their courses.

Accreditation of Pharmacy Tech Programs

Institutions of higher learning seek accreditation to guarantee to their incoming students that their education will be held to the high standards of accrediting bodies. Schools usually have institutional accreditation in addition to program-specific accreditations. Institutions may be accredited by regional groups, such as the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCC) or the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Any individual school's accreditation information should be readily available on its website.

Pharmacy Technician programs are accredited by the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission (PTAC), which is a collaboration between the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

To become accredited, schools must complete an application, including a professional record and CV for the pharmacy technician training program director, and submit an application fee. Upon receipt of these materials, an onsite accreditation survey will be scheduled to determine the school's eligibility.

Career Outlook

The outlook for pharmacy technician jobs is quite good. Between 2021 and 2031, the demand for pharmacy technicians is expected to grow 5 percent. Although people of all ages can and do use prescription medications, older adults tend to use more and take medication more often.

Therefore, as the U.S. population ages, there will be a higher demand for prescription medication and, consequently, for those professionals who can assist with dispensing it, such as pharmacy technicians. Higher rates of chronic diseases have also been reported in the U.S., such as diabetes, which requires long-term prescriptions, also fostering demand for pharmacy technicians.

Further, as the Affordable Care Act has found more Americans with health insurance than ever before, those patients may begin to take medications they could not afford. Most pharmacy technicians (50 percent as of 2022) work in pharmacies and drugstores, but a certain percentage also work in hospitals, grocery stores, general merchandise stores, and ambulatory healthcare services. As more pharmacies and pharmaceuticals are necessary, more diverse employers may also start to emerge.

Finally, pharmacists are expected to take on more patient care activities at many pharmacies, including administering flu shots. This means an increased need for pharmacy technicians to sort, dose, and prepare prescriptions.

Career Facts Pharmacy Technician
Related CareersDental Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Records, and Health Information Technician
Common Job TitlesAccredited Pharmacy Technician, Billing and Quality Technician, Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), Compounding Technician, Pharmacy Technician
Technology & EquipmentAutomatic Dose Strip Packaging Machines, Tube Filling and Crimping Machines, Billing and Reimbursement Software, Database Software, Drug Compatibility Software, Inventory Management Software, Label-Making Software, Medical Software
Sourced from BLS May 2021

How Much Do Pharmacy Technicians Make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS May 2021)—the latest data available as of November 2022—there were 436,630 pharmacy technicians working in the United States with an average annual salary of $37,970. They earned the following percentiles:

  • 10th percentile: $28,740
  • 25th percentile: $29,460
  • 50th percentile (median): $36,740
  • 75th percentile: $45,850
  • 90th percentile: $47,580

Licensing & Certification for Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy technicians are licensed on a state-by-state basis so it is critical that anyone pursuing this career become familiar with the licensing requirements in their own state. Prospective applicants should also be advised that state regulations can and do change, so it is wise to seek confirmation on any given state's requirements before enrolling in a pharmacy technician training program. More information on state requirements is available from the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP).

Some states either accept or require certification from a nationally recognized body as part of their registration or licensing process. The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) offers the Pharmacy Technician Certification (CPhT), which is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies.

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) offers its own Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) certification exam, which includes a criminal background check followed by an exam. Both the PTCB and the NHA require that Certified Pharmacy Technicians maintain their certification with approved continuing education courses throughout the course of their career.

Kimmy Gustafson
Kimmy Gustafson Writer

Kimmy Gustafson is a freelance writer with a passion for sharing stories of bravery. Her love for world-traveling began when her family moved to Spain when she was six and since then, she has lived overseas extensively, visited six continents, and traveled to over 25 countries. She is fluent in Spanish and conversational in French. When not writing or parenting she can be found kiteboarding, hiking, or cooking.

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