Which Pharmacies Pay the Most for Pharmacy Technicians?
By Holly Beal, RCPhT
Hey, you! So glad you are back for more. As entry-level pharmacy technicians, we always wonder which pharmacies pay the most for pharmacy technicians? Well, for all the newbies, you will have to find a pharmacy to work for to gain a little pharmacy knowledge and get some experience under your belt.
Starting at a large retail pharmacy such as Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, etc., are all great places to gain the knowledge and experience you will need even though the compensation isn’t the best. At this level of employment, you will learn the things you need to land a job that pays you much more in no time. Then the sky is the limit as you dive into your career as a pharmacy technician. You will find out how many pharmacy jobs there are outside of retail during your career, which is usually where most people start.
The independent pharmacies are the gold mines for pharmacy technicians. An Independent Pharmacy is a privately owned business that varies in practice settings and is not directly affiliated with any pharmacy chains or owned by a traded company. There are many different types of independent pharmacies you can choose from if you’re looking to increase your pay, such as compounding (sterile or non-sterile), long-term care, treatment /behavioral facilities, specialty care, and dispensaries. Independent pharmacy owners have the flexibility to pay their employees what they want and tend to invest more into long-term employees. They strive to build stronger personalized relationships with their employees and patients. The pay grade that independent pharmacies use is usually based on your experience.
The more experience you have in that particular pharmacy setting, the more they are willing to pay you, which is why it is important to gain some experience prior to getting a job at an independent pharmacy. But it can also be beneficial to start at an independent pharmacy and work your way up because then you will be gaining pharmacy knowledge and experience in a particular setting.
You can use that experience to build a skill set in one area (i.e.……what?), which makes more money. Overall, the pharmacy world is huge, and there is a lot of money to be made as a pharmacy technician. Now that you are part of this world do not sell yourself short because so many pharmacies out there are more than willing to pay you more than what you have been getting paid. And those pharmacies that are going to pay you what you are worth during your pharmacy career will be independent pharmacies.
Also, feel free to check out websites for pharmacy technicians, such as National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA).
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