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Pharmacy Aides in California

Considering working as a Pharmacy Aides in California? Here’s what the data says. 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.

What do Pharmacy Aides Make in California?

For a pharmacy aides working in California, the median annual wage is $44,060 per year (or roughly $21.18/hour).Earnings range from $35,890 at the 10th percentile to $74,740 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$35,890	$17.25
25th percentile	$36,590	$17.59
Median (50th)	$44,060	$21.18
75th percentile	$65,490	$31.49
90th percentile	$74,740	$35.94

The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California relative to the national average — is 1.96, suggesting that pharmacy aides are more concentrated here than the national average.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, pharmacy aides earn a median of $47,369 per year ($22.77/hour), below the California median.

Employment Outlook

There are roughly 49,707 pharmacy aides across the United States. In California alone, approximately 9,430 people work in this role. That’s higher than the typical state, which employs around 530 pharmacy aides.

Top California Metros for Pharmacy Aides

The metro areas below employ the most pharmacy aides in California.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	4,660	$38,550
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	960	$73,870
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	700	$50,940
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	590	$39,000
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	450	$63,900
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	360	$47,010
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	220	$42,870
Fresno, CA	200	$36,580
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	150	$39,820
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	130	$67,050
Stockton-Lodi, CA	120	$52,120
Modesto, CA	90	$36,670
Vallejo, CA	80	$67,860
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	70	$36,910
Salinas, CA	60	$37,910
Chico, CA	40	$36,410
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	40	$38,700
Visalia, CA	40	$36,250
Redding, CA	30	$39,520
Yuba City, CA	30	$44,190

Top States for Pharmacy Aides Employment

These states have the highest employment of pharmacy aides work.

State	Number Employed
California	9,430
Texas	3,300
New York	2,800
Florida	1,570
North Carolina	1,530
Pennsylvania	1,500
Illinois	1,260
Washington	1,250
Ohio	1,220
Puerto Rico	1,160
Oklahoma	1,030
Louisiana	990
Michigan	950
Tennessee	880
Iowa	880
Georgia	850
New Jersey	840
Maryland	730
Minnesota	670
Kentucky	630

Highest-Paying States for Pharmacy Aides

The highest-paying states for pharmacy aides.

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

Skills

Key pharmacy aides skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

The abilities that matter most for pharmacy aides, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Pharmacy Aides typically:

• 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.
• Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.
• Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.
• Process medical insurance claims, posting bill amounts and calculating copayments.
• Perform clerical tasks, such as filing, compiling and maintaining prescription records, or composing letters.

Work Activities

• Working with Computers
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Getting Information
• Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Assisting and Caring for Others
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information
• Training and Teaching Others

Tools & Technology

Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel

Related Careers

Related occupations to pharmacy aides include:

• Pharmacists
• Pharmacy Technicians
• Veterinary Technologists and Technicians
• Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
• Medical Records Specialists
• Opticians, Dispensing

Also Known As

Certified Pharmacist Assistant, Dispensary Attendant, Drug Clerk, Drug Purchaser, Front Counter Clerk, Pharmaceutical Assistant, Pharmacist Aide, Pharmacist Assistant, Pharmacist Helper, Pharmacist's Aide, Pharmacy Administrator (Pharmacy Admin), Pharmacy Aide, Pharmacy Ancillary, Pharmacy Assistant, Pharmacy Cashier.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 31-9095.00