The real Pharmacy tech Pay wage!!

www.westernu.edu/pharmacy/
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I think I'm an odd exception but when I first started I was being paid $8/hr as a clerk. After about 3 months, I got bumped up to $12.50/hr. I was pretty much a clerknician, I wasn't really considered a tech but I was doing way more work than a normal clerk. After getting certified I got jumped up to $14.65/hr. This is with Giant Pharmacy in Maryland so it might be due to me being part of a union.

Edit- I forgot to mention that I had no experience when I first started.
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I had to do this career exploration thing for my speech class (even though I knew what I wanted to do). Anyway, they gave us a link for average salaries. Here's the link for pharm techs. Just change the state to whatever... Maryland's wages seem to be higher than what I thought though...
 
I got a job with zero experience and training (aside from science classes at school) at rite-aid here in utah. they started me at 8.50 as a clerk. basically i was a cashier for 3 months while i picked up they workflow and did CBT's. just took the PTCB last month and turned in my license app to the state last week. supposedly when i'm licensed i'll start getting 13.50. for me, as I'm getting my B.S. this december, its been more about the exposure and experience than the money. obviously.
 
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Longs Drugs: would only hire as a clerk to start, at $10 for me cuz i was already a licensed and certified tech, they said after 6 months as a clerk, i'd be moved up to tech for like $12/hr.

Walgreens and Target: i hear from people that it's about $11/hr to start as a tech?

Costco: $14/hr or so.

Kaiser: this is where I ended up working, and ironically, the only place that offered me a real tech job. they paid me $21/hr to start, with a raise within the first 6 months. It's union, that's why.

Hospitals such as Alta Bates and Kaiser are all part of the same union so they pay the same, pretty much. Inpatient techs get paid $1 more or something, depends on seniority.
 
laketica said:
Longs Drugs: would only hire as a clerk to start, at $10 for me cuz i was already a licensed and certified tech, they said after 6 months as a clerk, i'd be moved up to tech for like $12/hr.

Walgreens and Target: i hear from people that it's about $11/hr to start as a tech?

Costco: $14/hr or so.

Kaiser: this is where I ended up working, and ironically, the only place that offered me a real tech job. they paid me $21/hr to start, with a raise within the first 6 months. It's union, that's why.

Hospitals such as Alta Bates and Kaiser are all part of the same union so they pay the same, pretty much. Inpatient techs get paid $1 more or something, depends on seniority.
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what state are you? california?
 
SaveThisLabRat said:
I was interested in becoming a pharmacy technician as well, but as a university student, taking a 9-month course at another school is sort of out of the question.

Would an online course be more fessible (and legit)? Because obviously I'm an internet geek :oops: I read someone else self-studied? Without any pharmacy tech experience, could someone teach themselves the mathematics and pill categories, or even sit in for the test?
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I did not pay a ridiculous amount of money for training, it's a RIP OFF!!!

I took the PTCB with only 4 hours of studying the night before. I actually fell asleep a little while taking the test because I thought I had no chance and gave up while taking the test.

Just buy one of those Pharmacy Tech prep book and memorize unit conversions and some law stuff like HIPAA. You'll be just fine, don't stress it.

I passed the test despite the cramming and dozing off during the test.
 
Phoenix, AZ.

Started at walgreens at $10/hr. Got a 1$ raise for getting certified. I'm now a sr. tech with 2 years experience. With the sr tech bonus I average about $15/hr.
 
I started working at Walgreens in April 2007 for I believe $8.75/hr. I was uncertified when I got hired. Walgreens paid for me to take the certification exam, I'm not sure if they still do this, but it's beside the point. Now I get $13/hr. I recommend getting certified always! You get at least $2 more per hour if you are.

I also recommend working at a chain pharmacy. I deal with doctors, patients, insurance companies..etc. I've gotten tons of experience. Also, if you work for a chain and are planning to be a pharmacist you can stay with the company throughout school and once you are a pharmacist you pretty much have an automatic job! There's a general shortage of pharmacists, so they have no reason not to hire you as a pharmacist.

Besides that, you can do a 401K with Walgreens... If you stick with them throughout school and work as a pharmacist for them you've banked some big money. They match at least 2 to 1. Forget the nasty economy, you won't ever lose any of your money, the only thing in danger is the match.

ALSO, Walgreens offers scholarships for both pre-pharm schooling and pharm school. You can apply for reimbursement of pre-pharm stuff and they have scholarships for pharm school as long as you agree to work for them for a year wherever they choose.

There's some reasons I like Walgreens, the Pharmacy America Trusts =)
 
Retail pharmacy techs should be paid more...don't know why they don't. If you think about it many of them get paid similar to the cashiers of the store. I'm planning to get certified and work at a hospital during the summer. I'm expecting at least 12$ hour starting. I hear it's more chill at a hospital pharmacy than retail too.
 
bmdill said:
ALSO, Walgreens offers scholarships for both pre-pharm schooling and pharm school. You can apply for reimbursement of pre-pharm stuff and they have scholarships for pharm school as long as you agree to work for them for a year wherever they choose.
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Wherever they choose? I'm guessing it's in the state you designated as your state of licensure? I think that's an offer worth looking into.
 
ALSO, Walgreens offers scholarships for both pre-pharm schooling and pharm school. You can apply for reimbursement of pre-pharm stuff and they have scholarships for pharm school as long as you agree to work for them for a year wherever they choose.

There's some reasons I like Walgreens, the Pharmacy America Trusts =)
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Well, I have to say that this is more deceiving than it looks. Although, the perks are nice, sometimes it's not worth it. Why do you think they throw in perks to make you sign a contract? It's basically a trap due to the high turnover rate in retail pharmacies. This way you can't escape. Not that all retail pharmacies are stressful, sometimes you might get lucky and find a pretty chill one.
 
Kaxa2000 said:
Well, I have to say that this is more deceiving than it looks. Although, the perks are nice, sometimes it's not worth it. Why do you think they throw in perks to make you sign a contract? It's basically a trap due to the high turnover rate in retail pharmacies. This way you can't escape. Not that all retail pharmacies are stressful, sometimes you might get lucky and find a pretty chill one.
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Hm, maybe I'm just naive, but unless it was a completely horrible situation, I can't see a problem in toughing it out for a few years to make that nasty debt go away that much quicker. And perhaps not from a knowledge perspective, but I tell myself that if I can learn to deal with the stress/fast pace/surly customers/etc., then I can do anything. :D

Started at $8.75/hr in central Arkansas btw.
 
I was trying to remember, but I'm pretty sure I started at $8.50/hr at CVS with no experience and no cert. This is in rural Texas. After about 8 months, I had my cert. and took a job at the hospital for $11/hr.

Now after a little over a year of experience, I have a job in the hospital at $12.55 base pay (get shift diff of $0.50/hr evenings/nights and $1/hr weekends).
 
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I worked as a Tech at CVS in SoCal for a year...started at $9.75/hr and left making $11.31/hour after a 1 year time frame...moved to Oregon and applied for a job here at Fred Meyer and I am getting $13.45/hr...

I found it hard to believe that Oregon pays better than SoCal, but I'm not complaining!
 
9.75 retail and certified... Kinda pissed seeing the other posts :)
15.50 hospital
part time at both
 
sorry I don't know if I'm just not seeing it or if it's actually not in here lol, but anyone know what the pay rate is for Target techs in Florida? thanks :)
 
Gauden44 said:
:thumbdown:thumbdown:thumbdown:I'm a street pharmacist, pull in around $5k a week--depending on how many of my clients are in jail.
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Please do us all a favor and go straight to hell, do not pass go, do not collect your drug money. All that you really are is a street pollutant! Go to college and get a REAL job PLEASE! I'm so sorry but you do not have the right, nor the education to even call yourself a pharmacist of ANY kind!:mad:
 
Landed a job at a CVS last month. Starting out at $9.50, not yet certified. I work in Westchester County, NY.
 
this is sick...almost everyone here is making more then me....i been working at CVS pharmacy for more then a year and half and still making only 8.16/hr :(
 
I started at Kroger pharmacy 4 years ago, my first job, and I was only paid $6.25/hour. Now finally after four years and becoming certified I've made it to the $10.00/hour mark...sad lol.
 
Eight and a half years experience (5 years certified), advanced training in diabetes care, mobility aids, orthopedics, compression stockings and insulin managment and have worked in 15 pharmacies (between 3 companies). Been moving into the business side of things and have completely redesigned a pharmacy. Currently listed as the go-to tech for all problems in the company.

And I make $11/hr. When I was working in my previous state I was getting paid $18/hr for about the same job. I miss those days.
 
I had my first pharmacy job at an inpatient state hospital at $10.48 but had amazing benefits and such. I now am working at an inpatient hospital in a little bigger city (NOT MAJOR CITY!) starting is $14/hr but I am doing overnites and they pay $17/hr. I do a lot more now than before, I am not certified yet but have one year from hire to do so. I learned hands on training for IV's and love the work. It has been a great experience and has made me realize a lot of the main responsibilities that are in pharmacy. I know a Walgreen's in South Dakota, with no experience, paid $7/hr. So it really is all over the board I think.
 
Yeah I was kind of wondering about Florida myself... Target specifically... and Publix.

I've found that places I like to shop/eat at are usually nicer places to work at. If the store is always clean and the staff is friendly, that's usually a good indicator in my book. I really like Target and Publix stores. I applied to a Target in Miami because they were looking for a tech, but the pharmacist said that they needed a certified tech because of the high volume. She took my resume anyway, but my chances were pretty much at zero considering the competition in a city like that. There were probably hundreds of applicants who were more certified, more experienced, older, etc.

I'm thinking about applying at Publix though... where shopping is a pleasure. lol

I want to work in the Keys where my parents live because the minimum wage is so high. It's kind of like Hawaii. I got paid 20/hr for seating people and answering the phone at a Japanese Restaurant. Not to mention the amazing free food. lol
 
I guess I've got it pretty good where I am. I'm making $17.30 working in a retail chain in Oregon with just shy of 2.5 years of experience. Even our newly certified techs start at over $16.
 
Based on my own experience and what everyone said, it seems that CVS offers the lowest pay ever. I worked there once: they made me go through piles after piles of booklets and online training, most of which are "junk" stuff that you'll never use as a pharm tech, not to mention the hectic workloads.
 
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Good thread. I started at 11 an hour and after one and a half years I'm at 12. People who aren't certified are making a lot less though!

P.S. This is my first post! :D
 
I work at Walgreens and I get paid $16.80. Clerks/typists start at 11 dollars and technicians start at $14.75. You get an additional 25 cents after 3 months, then 6 months you get another 25 cents and then a year and a half you get another 25 cents.
 
don't know if i somehow skimmed over this, but any feedback from walmart? seems like there should be plenty of techs at walmart that would have chimed in by now.
 
justjack said:
don't know if i somehow skimmed over this, but any feedback from walmart? seems like there should be plenty of techs at walmart that would have chimed in by now.
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No previous experience, but certified: $9.50/hr

I hear they give small percent raises annually, based on performance review.

But there's no "big bump" for being certified.
 
duskandlight said:
I just got hired over at walmart for 9.40 a hour. Yeah it may be a lil low on the high pay scale but I have been looking for a job like this for 2 years. I've applied to 43 pharmacies, heard back from 2. after following up like 20 times. finaly I got an interview at cvs, Then i got one from walmart. They called me back three days later to schedual a second interview. Right off the bat I Got it. all companys have a pay schedual. Starts off with there regular pay. lets say 8.50 so they have levels. they have 6 diff levels. each level erns extra on there real wage. Its level 4 for me and 90 cents extra.

after 3 months you can get a 90 cent or 60 cent raise.

I love it.

now what are other people getting>??
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Walgreen's hires you as an intern if you're going to school for Pharmacy. Each year pay goes up. I'm in my first year of Pre-Pharm (although I'm technically a sophomore), and they pay me $11.50 an hour.
 
Started non-tech at CVS for $11/hr. A year later w/ tech. license and still at $11. I QUIT!! My tech friend at the same store too quit & transferred to another CVS, and another one is thinking of doing the same. Cheap manager.
 
lol I worked at CVS Pharmacy as a clerk for 2 years & started out with $8.50. Now that I am a tech for about a year I'm still getting only $13. It is sad.
 
I just started at Walmart as a tech I with no experience, and I make $8.55/per hour. My PTCB exam is on Tuesday, so we'll see if I get a raise.
 
WhoaTasneem said:
you know, you can make a lot more money working in an independant pharmacy. Not to metion the opportunity for various experiences is HUGE. I make 15.00 an hour as clerk, and I get to do so many tasks. I even get to deal with the whole salers, place the rx inventroy orders, otc orders, I've gotten to know many of the patients and their drug history. I highly reocmend working at the smaller stores......
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yup ... i do pretty much the same thing. got hired at $16.50. I'm in So.Cal
 
its Duke said:
yup ... i do pretty much the same thing. got hired at $16.50. I'm in So.Cal
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what's the odds of finding a job at an indy store nowadays? seems like with all the people going into pharm, that the independent stores have plenty of people (friends/relatives) that they can hire before hiring any random tech.
 
I work for an independent pharmacy and make $11/hr. I was planning on taking the certification exam for fun, but unfortunately I won't get a raise. lol
 
I believe an uncertified tech in a chain in Philly makes under $8/hr. This is the union wage. I know Rite Aid makes all their techs in Philly be unionized. Interns start out at 10.50.
 
docss26 said:
Wow that seriously blows. That's because you work for an independent right? They never give raises! lol
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I was paid 16/hr and 18/hr at the other two independents I work for.

I'm also our Director of Pharmacy Ops assistant in many ways. I write SOPs for all of the stores and setup contracts for our returns and such
 
phathead said:
I was paid 16/hr and 18/hr at the other two independents I work for.

I'm also our Director of Pharmacy Ops assistant in many ways. I write SOPs for all of the stores and setup contracts for our returns and such
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Is that pay above average for a independent pharmacy technician? What are SOPs?
 
ok- question...typists??? Don't the technicians input the new prescriptions? I didn't know that there could be clerks without a license in the pharmacy.
 
docss26 said:
Is that pay above average for a independent pharmacy technician? What are SOPs?
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The previous two pays might be slightly above average, but I have a ton of training in various areas related to pharmacy so it usually equates to a bump in pay.

SOPs are standard operating procedures. Basically for the last several months I have been developing and adopting procedures for uses in all of our pharmacy and then documenting, when needed, to various state and federal institutions.

For instances I wrote an entire new SOP on our C-II management this past fall.
 
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