Pharmacy Aides: Career Overview
Record drugs delivered to the pharmacy, store incoming merchandise, and inform the supervisor of stock needs. May operate cash register and accept prescriptions for filling.
Featured schools near , edit
What Do Pharmacy Aides Take On?
Typical responsibilities of pharmacy aides span:
- Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
- Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
- Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
- Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
- Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
- Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
What Pharmacy Aides Need to Know
Successful pharmacy aides combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Types of Pharmacy Aides Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Certified Pharmacist Assistant
- Dispensary Attendant
- Drug Clerk
- Drug Purchaser
- Front Counter Clerk
- Pharmaceutical Assistant
- Pharmacist Aide
- Pharmacist Assistant
Employment and Demand
There are about 49,707 pharmacy aides working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +13.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Pharmacy Aides Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,369 |
| Hourly median | $22.77 |
| 10th percentile | $30,519 |
| 25th percentile | $38,944 |
| 75th percentile | $55,795 |
| 90th percentile | $64,220 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Pharmacy Aides Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $55,590 |
| California | $44,060 |
| Washington | $43,320 |
| Hawaii | $41,930 |
| Utah | $38,970 |
| Arizona | $38,800 |
| Oregon | $38,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,280 |
| Idaho | $37,940 |
| Nevada | $37,760 |
| Minnesota | $37,630 |
| Maine | $37,450 |
| Texas | $37,410 |
| Massachusetts | $37,240 |
| New York | $37,150 |
| Missouri | $37,120 |
| Illinois | $37,090 |
| Wisconsin | $37,030 |
| Ohio | $37,000 |
| Rhode Island | $36,960 |
| New Mexico | $36,700 |
| South Dakota | $36,560 |
| Delaware | $36,470 |
| Connecticut | $35,940 |
| Vermont | $35,920 |
| Tennessee | $35,920 |
| Virginia | $35,840 |
| South Carolina | $35,820 |
| Florida | $35,810 |
| Colorado | $35,690 |
| Maryland | $35,590 |
| Indiana | $35,450 |
| Montana | $35,440 |
| Kentucky | $35,140 |
| New Jersey | $34,900 |
| Michigan | $34,750 |
| North Carolina | $34,660 |
| Alabama | $34,240 |
| Wyoming | $33,710 |
| Arkansas | $33,680 |
| Georgia | $33,440 |
| Iowa | $33,330 |
| West Virginia | $32,990 |
| New Hampshire | $32,070 |
| Louisiana | $30,940 |
| Oklahoma | $30,920 |
| Nebraska | $30,900 |
| Kansas | $28,800 |
| Mississippi | $28,270 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,760 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for pharmacy aides shift depending on where you work. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $43,517 | 27.6% | 1.81 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,151 | 14.5% | 1.00 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,667 | 2.2% | 0.74 |
| New England | $36,360 | 3.0% | 0.85 |
| Great Lakes | $36,350 | 10.8% | 0.78 |
| Southwest | $36,066 | 11.3% | 1.15 |
| Southeast | $34,140 | 20.1% | 1.02 |
| Plains States | $33,681 | 7.8% | 1.47 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $73,870 | 960 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $67,860 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $67,050 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $63,900 | 450 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $52,120 | 120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $50,940 | 700 |
| Salisbury, MD | MD | $49,480 | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $49,200 | 140 |
Top Industries Employing Pharmacy Aides
The largest employers of pharmacy aides work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 33,290 | $36,330 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,750 | $55,090 |
| Wholesale Trade | 750 | $41,030 |
| Finance and Insurance | 600 | $42,790 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 350 | $47,090 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 130 | $32,640 |
| Educational Services | 40 | $41,340 |
| Manufacturing | 30 | $32,180 |
Below are examples of industries where pharmacy aides work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for pharmacy aides is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Pharmacy Aides
Most pharmacy aides positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Pharmacists (Supplemental)
- Pharmacy Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (Supplemental)
- Medical Records Specialists (Supplemental)
- Opticians, Dispensing (Primary-Long)
- Nursing Assistants (Supplemental)
- Medical Assistants (Primary-Short)
Sources
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides).
HealthcareDegreeSearch.com provides higher-education, college and university, degree, program, career, salary, and other helpful information to students, faculty, institutions, and other internet audiences. Presented information and data are subject to change. Inclusion on this website does not imply or represent a direct relationship with the company, school, or brand. Information, though believed correct at time of publication, may not be correct, and no warranty is provided. Contact the schools to verify any information before relying on it. Financial aid may be available for those who qualify. The displayed options may include sponsored or recommended results, not necessarily based on your preferences.
© HealthcareDegreeSearch.com – All Rights Reserved.