Pharmacy Technician Diploma: Requirements and Career Path

The role of a pharmacy technician is an integral part of the healthcare system, acting as a crucial link between pharmacists and patients. If you're drawn to the medical field but prefer a role that doesn't involve direct clinical care, a career as a pharmacy technician might be an ideal fit. This article will provide a comprehensive overview of the requirements for obtaining a pharmacy technician diploma and navigating the career path.

What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do?

Pharmacy technicians work under the supervision of licensed pharmacists in various settings, including hospitals, clinics, and retail pharmacies. They assist pharmacists in dispensing prescription medications and providing customer service to patients. Techs also maintain the inventory, compound medicines and even stock machines. Their duties are varied and essential to the smooth operation of a pharmacy.

Some of the day-to-day responsibilities of Pharmacy Technicians include the following:

Collecting information needed to fill a prescription
Measuring amounts of medication for prescriptions
Packaging and labeling prescriptions
Organizing inventory and alerting pharmacists to any shortages
Accepting payment for medicines and processing insurance claims
Entering customer or patient information into a computer system
Answering phone calls from customers
Arranging for customers to speak with pharmacists if customers have questions about medications

In a retail setting, pharmacy technicians are often the first point of contact for patients. Where a hospitalized patient might ask a drug-related question of her doctor, in this setting the pharmacy tech is likely to be asked about the administration of a particular medication, such as correct dosages and should the medication be taken with food or on an empty stomach. When questions extend the scope of knowledge for you as a tech, you will then relay the question to the pharmacist for the correct answer. In the retail world you will also need to maintain inventories.

Hospital-based pharmacy technicians, for instance, work with IV medications and do a lot of laboratory preparation to ensure that patients receive exactly what they need. The lab work might also include extensive cleaning to ensure sterility and the safest possible pharmaceutical environment.

Essential Skills for Pharmacy Technicians

To excel as a pharmacy technician, certain skills are essential. Most Pharmacy Technicians possess excellent customer service skills and detail-oriented natures because Pharmacy Technicians must balance several responsibilities. These include:

Organization: Pharmacy technicians must be organized to manage multiple tasks and ensure accuracy in dispensing medications.
Communication: Effective communication is essential for interacting with pharmacists, doctors, and patients.
Listening: Being a good listener is crucial for understanding patient needs and relaying information accurately.
Mathematical Skills: A solid foundation in math is necessary for accurately counting pills and compounding medications. Since you'll be required to work with computers, software and financial transactions in your dealings with the public, learning some accounting principles-specifically billing and reimbursement-will come in handy. Consider taking a mathematics course.
Computer Skills: Understanding patient maintenance software, pharmaceutical software and prescription processing software will also give you an advantage.

Educational Requirements

To become a pharmacy technician, you must meet specific requirements. These typically include being at least 18 years old, possessing a high school diploma or equivalent, and having a clean record without drug-related felonies or criminal convictions.

Completing the required education to become a Pharmacy Technician can be done relatively quickly. In fact, you may be able to obtain your Pharmacy Technician diploma in less than a year. Some states may require Pharmacy Technicians to complete a postsecondary program in pharmacy technology. For specific requirements, be sure to contact your state licensing agency.

There are many different programs available to pharmacy techs. The first big decision is whether to go for a full degree or a certificate. Certificate programs are a great choice for students who are changing careers and need to make a quick, smooth transition to a new field. A certificate program takes approximately a year and focused exclusively on the profession of pharmacy technician. A degree program is generally two years and results in a full academic degree, an associate degree (AA), that will distinguish your credentials and provide a foundation on which to build. That is, when you complete an AA, you will have a transcript of accredited courses that can apply to a full, four-year degree later on. Even if you never return to college again, having a full degree will be worthwhile.

Pharmacy Technician Diploma Programs

Many Pharmacy Technicians begin their career by earning a Pharmacy Technician diploma. The course work covers several subjects, such as arithmetic used in pharmacies, recordkeeping, ways of dispensing medications, and pharmacy law and ethics. Technicians also learn the names, uses, and doses of medications. When looking for Pharmacy Technician programs, ensure they are accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). This organization accredits Pharmacy Technician programs that include at least 600 hours of instruction over a minimum of 15 weeks.

Online Programs and Externships

Online pharmacy tech programs are proliferating to meet the growing demand for the profession. They offer students a great deal of flexibility that can facilitate their education to a great degree. For instance, you might even work as a pharmacy tech while pursuing your formal education in your off hours.

Even though your campus is virtual, the program can still help facilitate an externship with pharmacies in your local area. As part of your online pharmacy technician training, you’ll have the opportunity to apply what you learned in your courses to real-world situations in an externship. You’ll get to work alongside pharmacists and other pharmacy technicians to enhance your education at CVS, Walgreens, or Kroger. The externship is a minimum of 130 hours to be completed over 4 to 13 weeks at an approved community pharmacy near you. Successful completion of the externship is required to graduate.

The externship will consist of 130 hours of clinical training where you'll complete the actual tasks you're expected to do as a working pharmacy technician.

Cost of a Pharmacy Technician Diploma

Some schools charge around $10,000 or more per semester for tuition, but keep in mind that this amount doesn’t always include necessities like books, lab fees, room and board, etc. However, others may offer cheaper tuition costs or better financing options. When researching schools, remember to look for accredited institutions that volunteer their tuition rates and additional fees so you know what you are signing up for.

Certification

Once you've completed your classroom or online program you can take your career a step further by becoming professionally certified. Even if you don't wish to sit for the PTCB examination (learn more below), research how well alumni of the program fare on that test. You will want to have the same level of knowledge to best serve your patients and pharmacists.

Earning a certification can demonstrate your depth of knowledge in the field of pharmacy technology and help you stand out for more competitive positions.

You’ll have a better chance to enhance your job and career prospects by pursuing certification with organizations in your state. For specific requirements, consult your state Board of Pharmacy. Most states regulate Pharmacy Technicians. In addition, some employers may only hire Pharmacy Technicians who have earned certification from professional organizations. Although requirements vary by organization, they often include formal education, passing an exam, and practical components.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB)

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) offers the CPhT credential to pharm techs wishing to distinguish themselves in the field. The exam itself consists of 90 multiple choice questions, 80 of which are scored and 10 are unscored and interspersed randomly throughout the exam.

Applicants must submit proof of a high school diploma. Applicants must pass an exam.

PTCB offers two unique ways for CPhT candidates to prepare for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam® (PTCE®)-the PTCE Practice Bank® and the Pre-PTCE®.

National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Applicants must be at least 18 years old. Applicants must submit proof of a high school diploma. Applicants must have completed a training program or have one year of work experience. Pharmacy Technicians must also recertify every two years by completing 20 hours of continuing education courses

State-Specific Requirements

Licensing and/or certification requirements for jobs in certain fields are not the same in every state and may include educational, testing, and/or experiential requirements beyond those offered by your Penn Foster Program. You should contact the state professional licensing board or similar regulatory body in the state(s) where you plan to work to determine their requirements before enrolling in your program. See the State Licensing page for contact information for state licensing/regulatory boards and certain industry licensing information. This is particularly important for residents of the District of Columbia, Oklahoma, North Dakota, and Washington.

State boards may impose a variety of different requirements. These requirements vary from state to state. Before enrolling in the Penn Foster College Pharmacy Technician Professional Program, you should contact the State Board of Pharmacy to obtain the requirements applicable to pharmacy technicians in your state. Penn Foster has determined that the curriculum does not meet the educational requirements for licensure or certification in the following states: District of Columbia, Oklahoma and Washington. Contact information for State Boards of Pharmacy.

California Requirements

While some states offer more flexible entry points into the field, California has clearly defined standards for becoming a pharmacy technician, including education, certification, and licensing. School isn’t optional, it's required by law. In California, national certification isn’t just preferred, it's part of the licensure process. It’s also worth noting that licensed pharmacy technicians are tracked through the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB), a federal resource that monitors healthcare provider credentials.

To become a pharmacy tech in California, you must obtain a pharmacy technician license from the California State Board of Pharmacy. If you are a high school graduate, you will need to provide an official, embossed transcript or notarized copy of your high school transcript. If you meet a high school equivalency requirement, you can provide an official transcript of your GED, HiSET, or TASC test results (or equivalent). The application fee is $195 and is non-refundable. You can have your application review expedited if you are a member of the military (active-duty member, active-duty military spouse or partner, or veteran) or if you are a qualified refugee. Learn more about the criteria for a military or refugee expedite and what documentation you need to prove your eligibility.

As part of the pharmacy technician licensing process, you must submit a sealed, original Self-Query Report from the National Practitioner Data Bank (NPDB). All California residents must submit a Live Scan. If you reside in another state and you cannot visit a Live Scan location in California, you are required to send two rolled fingerprint cards. These cards must be supplied by the Board and processed at a pre-authorized location.

In California, you must renew your license every two years. Effective January 1, 2024, anyone renewing their pharmacy technician license must complete at least one hour of participation in a cultural competency course for each renewal period.

Career Advancement

A successful career involves a myriad of components that will vary from person to person. You might want to pick a specialty, such as laboratory work, in which to thrive. You might look to become a manager of a retail environment, so you might focus your energies towards learning about inventory management and maintenance. One of the chief elements of a successful career is the degree to which you feel happy and confident in your job. Your levels of responsibility are likely to continue to grow as your time in the pharmacy continues.

A pharmacy technician is more than just a single career as this can help you advance into other pathways. A pharmacy technician position can be used as a stepping stone into many other opportunities within pharmacy. Licensed pharmacy technicians can gain advanced training through professional organizations, like the National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA).

Job Outlook and Salary

Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) studies salaries for every profession, including pharmacy technicians. They state that the median annual salary for pharmacy technicians is $43,460. The BLS analysis also forecasts great growth in the field. The projected growth outlook is said to be around 6.4% through 2034. This increase is noted as being right at the national average for all occupations.

According to BLS data, the average annual salary* for Pharmacy Technicians is about $38,000, which equals about $18.00 in hourly pay. Technicians working in outpatient care centers tend to bring home the highest wages. The top 10% of earners in the field bring home an average of nearly $48,000 annually.

Highest-Paying Industries for Pharmacy Technicians

This chart shows the top-paying industries for Pharmacy Technicians:

Industry	Average Hourly Pay	Average Salary
Outpatient Care Centers	\$27.45	\$57,100
Scientific Research and Development	\$23.55	\$48,980
Federal Executive Branch	\$23.28	\$48,420
Software Publishers	\$23.06	\$47,960
Local Government	\$22.54	\$46,890

Highest-Paying States for Pharmacy Technicians

State	Average Hourly Pay	Average Salary
California	\$24.04	\$49,990
Washington	\$22.52	\$46,830
Alaska	\$22.19	\$46,160
Oregon	\$21.75	\$45,240
District of Columbia	\$21.65	\$45,030

Highest-Paying Cities for Pharmacy Technicians

City	Average Hourly Pay	Average Salary
San Francisco, California	\$28.53	\$ 59,340
Napa, California	\$28.18	\$ 58,620
San Jose, California	\$28.07	\$ 58,390
Vallejo, California	\$27.43	\$ 57,060
Santa Rosa, California	\$27.21	\$56,590
Sacramento, California	\$24.77	\$51,520
Stockton California	\$24.45	\$50,860
Salinas, California	\$23.83	\$49,570
San Diego, California	\$23.54	\$48,960
Seattle, Washington	\$23.49	\$48,850

The BLS projects a stable outlook as jobs in the Pharmacy Technician field are expected to keep pace with the national average. With the healthcare industry expected to keep growing, there will be a continuing demand for well-trained Pharmacy Technicians.

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