About the Profession

Out of the 100 Fastest-Growing Jobs, pharmacy technician ranked...
# 60 Overall
# 10 for Workers Age 16-24
# 22 for Women

Out of the 500 Best Jobs*, pharmacy technicians ranked...
# 224 Overall
# 12 for Workers Age 16-24
# 43 for Women
# 35 for People Interested in Health Science
# 19 for People with a Conventional Personality Type
*based on a combination of pay, growth and openings

Current Job Growth: 28.8%

Annual Job Openings: 39,000+

Median Annual Earnings: $23,650

Average Range Annual Earnings: $18,720 - $32,240

Basic Job Duties: (can include)
Prepare medications under the direction of a licensed pharmacist. Measure, mix, count, label and record amounts of dosages of medications. Receive written prescriptions or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate. Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs. Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests when appropriate. Fill bottles with prescribed medications and type and affix labels. Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information. Price and file prescriptions that have been filled. Clean and help maintain equipment and work areas. Establish and maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients. Order, label and count stock of medication, chemicals and supplies. Enter and maintain inventory into the computer system. Sterile product preparation, including TPNs (total parenetera nutrition) and chemotherapy treatments. Prepare and process medical insurance claim forms and records. Mix pharmaceutical preparations according to written prescriptions (compounding). Operate cash registers to accept payment from customers. Compute charges for medication and equipment dispensed to health-system patients. Deliver medications and pharmaceutical supplies to patients, nursing stations or satellite locations. Price stock and mark items for sale. Maintain and merchandise over-the-counter medications, products and supplies.

Information and statistics are derived directly from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics
and subsequent, third-party research/analysis.