The short answer
How much does a pharmacy technician make?
Pharmacy technicians earn a national median of $45,750 per year (BLS OEWS, May 2025) — about $22.00 per hour on a standard 2,080-hour full-time year, roughly $3,813 per month before taxes. Where you work changes the real number: every state's median and cost-of-living-adjusted rank is in the table below.
North Dakota $52,035 · Montana $51,728 · Washington $51,621 · Wyoming $51,505 · Minnesota $51,057
Washington leads on the raw paycheck ($58,900) but ranks #3 once cost of living is applied. Hawaii, California, and Massachusetts lose the most purchasing power of any states.
The U.S. median pharmacy technician wage is $45,750 (BLS, May 2025). Lowest adjusted pay lands in Hawaii (~$25,276).
Pharmacy technician pay in all 50 states + DC
Ranked by cost-of-living-adjusted pay (highest real pay first). “Adjusted pay” = median wage ÷ (state cost-of-living index ÷ 100). Select a state for its full breakdown.
| # | State | Median wage (BLS 2025) | Cost-of-living index | Adjusted (real) pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $47,560 | 91.4 | $52,035 |
| 2 | Montana | $49,400 | 95.5 | $51,728 |
| 3 | Washington | $58,900 | 114.1 | $51,621 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $48,260 | 93.7 | $51,505 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $48,300 | 94.6 | $51,057 |
| 6 | Nebraska | $46,610 | 92.6 | $50,335 |
| 7 | South Dakota | $46,170 | 91.9 | $50,239 |
| 8 | Iowa | $44,860 | 89.7 | $50,011 |
| 9 | Texas | $45,900 | 92.1 | $49,837 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $46,630 | 93.7 | $49,765 |
| 11 | Illinois | $46,650 | 94.7 | $49,261 |
| 12 | Michigan | $44,340 | 90.1 | $49,212 |
| 13 | Oregon | $54,900 | 111.8 | $49,106 |
| 14 | Indiana | $44,560 | 91.0 | $48,967 |
| 15 | Kansas | $43,310 | 88.8 | $48,773 |
| 16 | Colorado | $49,970 | 102.7 | $48,656 |
| 17 | Louisiana | $44,410 | 92.3 | $48,115 |
| 18 | Nevada | $47,980 | 100.2 | $47,884 |
| 19 | Utah | $48,140 | 102.2 | $47,104 |
| 20 | Oklahoma | $40,500 | 86.0 | $47,093 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $45,970 | 97.7 | $47,052 |
| 22 | Idaho | $46,420 | 99.9 | $46,466 |
| 23 | Tennessee | $41,920 | 90.3 | $46,423 |
| 24 | Delaware | $46,430 | 101.9 | $45,564 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $44,530 | 97.8 | $45,532 |
| 26 | Georgia | $41,910 | 92.5 | $45,308 |
| 27 | Missouri | $40,100 | 89.0 | $45,056 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $39,040 | 87.3 | $44,719 |
| 29 | South Carolina | $42,120 | 94.7 | $44,477 |
| 30 | Virginia | $44,610 | 100.8 | $44,256 |
| 31 | Alabama | $39,030 | 88.6 | $44,052 |
| 32 | West Virginia | $38,210 | 88.3 | $43,273 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $38,680 | 89.6 | $43,170 |
| 34 | Ohio | $40,650 | 94.3 | $43,107 |
| 35 | Arizona | $47,640 | 110.7 | $43,035 |
| 36 | Florida | $43,590 | 102.2 | $42,652 |
| 37 | New Hampshire | $47,360 | 111.4 | $42,513 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $39,200 | 92.5 | $42,378 |
| 39 | Vermont | $47,940 | 113.6 | $42,201 |
| 40 | Alaska | $52,640 | 124.9 | $42,146 |
| 41 | Connecticut | $47,050 | 112.7 | $41,748 |
| 42 | Pennsylvania | $40,040 | 97.2 | $41,193 |
| 43 | Maine | $45,400 | 113.0 | $40,177 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $44,380 | 110.6 | $40,127 |
| 45 | Maryland | $45,120 | 115.4 | $39,099 |
| 46 | California | $55,110 | 142.3 | $38,728 |
| 47 | New York | $43,930 | 125.1 | $35,116 |
| 48 | New Jersey | $39,610 | 115.1 | $34,414 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $47,410 | 138.8 | $34,157 |
| 50 | Massachusetts | $46,470 | 141.2 | $32,911 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $46,760 | 185.0 | $25,276 |
How we calculated this
- Median wages are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, for Pharmacy Technicians (SOC 29-2052). We use the median (the typical technician) rather than the mean, which a few very high earners can pull upward.
- Cost-of-living index (U.S. average = 100) is from World Population Review's 2025-2026 Cost of Living Index by State — the same index family Becker's Hospital Review uses for its cost-of-living-adjusted pay analyses, which inspired this guide.
- Adjusted (real) pay = median wage ÷ (state cost-of-living index ÷ 100). A state with an index of 110 is 10% more expensive than the national average, so a $44,000 wage there has the buying power of about $40,000.
- Figures are rounded and meant for comparison, not as an offer or a guarantee. Individual pay depends on setting (hospital vs. retail vs. specialty), shift, certification, and experience.
What this means for your next move
Use adjusted pay, not the sticker wage, when you compare offers across states — and then make sure your resume actually earns the top of that range. Pharmacy technician hiring rewards the same things this data hints at: documented scope (script volume, sterile compounding, 340B, inventory accountability), certifications stacked in progression, and operational impact a hiring manager can scan in seconds.
That's exactly what a Pharm rewrite surfaces. See the early-career and mid-career tracks, or drop your resume for a free 60-second read.
More pharmacy technician career resources
Pay data is only part of the picture. These guides cover the credential and positioning moves that push pharmacy techs toward the top of the wage band.
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Reviewed by Keyerrá Buckley, CPhT, CLSSGB — Allied Healthcare Educator and founder of The Pharm.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025; cost-of-living index from World Population Review (2025-2026). Last verified June 2026.
See the full 2026 Allied Health Pay & Licensure Report — all four roles, national and cost-of-living-adjusted state pay, plus state licensure, in one place.
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