Home » Salary » California
Before you embark your journey as a Pharmacy technician in California, you would want to know how much you will make in one of the most expensive states to live in the country. Oakland, San Francisco, Hayward and Santa Rosa are the metropolitan areas that offer the highest pharmacy technician compensation. On an average, a pharmacy technician's salary in California is $49,990 per annum. While there has been an employment growth of approximately 9.61%, salaries of pharmacy technicians' in the state has increased by 25.73% from 2017 to 2021. Out of the 38,220 pharmacy technicians working in the state, 19,846 are certified by the PTCB board. There is a rising demand for pharmacy technicians in the state of California as there is an increased need to cater to a large aging population. Furthermore, new advances in pharmaceutical technology will create a demand for pharmacy technicians in administering these medications. According to the Projections of Employment by Occupation, jobs for pharmacy technicians in California are going to rise by 14.75% percent from 2020 and 2030.
Pharmacy Technician Average Salary in California
On an average a pharmacy technician earns $49,990 per year, which is substantially higher than the national average. Part-timers on an average earn an hourly wage of $24.03.
| Type | Average Salary |
| Hourly Wage | $24.03 |
| Monthly Salary | $4,170 |
| Annual Salary | $49,990 |
Pharmacy Technician Salary by Experience in CA
If you are contemplating starting work as a pharmacy technician in California you can be rest assured of bringing back home the highest pay package in the country, starting with $36,340 in the first year. If you stick on to your job, your salary can rise to $37,390 in the first 1-4 years, increase to $46,760 in 5-9 years, eventually rising to $74,910 after 20 years of work experience. Furthermore, completing your pharmacy technician training form the top schools in the state may give your salary an added boost.
| Level of Experience | Hourly | Annual |
| Less than 1 year (Starting) | $17.47 | $36,340 |
| 1-4 years | $17.98 | $37,390 |
| 5-9 years | $22.48 | $46,760 |
| 10-19 years | $28.54 | $59,360 |
| 20 years or more | $36.01 | $74,910 |
Total Number of PTCB Certified Pharmacy Techs in California: 19,846
In California certification is not a requirement to work as a pharmacy technician. Nonetheless getting yourself certified will certainly better your job prospects. More over employers prefer certified pharmacy technicians. PTCB certification is widely preferred in the state and currently there are 19,846 PTCB certified pharmacy technicians in CA.
Salary Growth (2017-2021)
The average annual salary in the state for pharmacy technicians in 2021 was $49,990. In 2017, a pharmacy technician earned an annual salary of $40,890, thus showing increase of 25.73% from 2017to 2021. One of the reasons responsible for this measly growth is that pharmacy technicians need very basic education requirements compared to other allied healthcare careers. In this state you can become a pharmacy technician with just a high school diploma.
| Year | Annual Salary | Growth |
| 2017 | $40,890 | 2.84% |
| 2018 | $42,610 | 4.21% |
| 2019 | $45,200 | 6.08% |
| 2020 | $47,620 | 5.35% |
| 2021 | $49,990 | 4.98% |
| Total | $10,230 | 25.73% |
Employment Growth (2017-2021)
Being one of the highest paying states for pharmacy technicians in the US, California has also seen a healthy growth rate of 9.61% in the last 5 years. From 2018-2019, employment growth rate was 2.84% in negative. With an expansion of health and personal care stores across the state as well as an increase in the aging population, the requirements for qualified pharmacy technicians remains rising across the state.
| Year | Employment | Growth |
| 2017 | 36,920 | 5.88% |
| 2018 | 37,630 | 1.92% |
| 2019 | 36,560 | -2.84% |
| 2020 | 36,100 | -1.26% |
| 2021 | 38,220 | 5.87% |
| Total | 3,350 | 9.61% |
Industry Wise Salary and Employment (2021)
In the state of California, retail pharmacies hire the highest number of pharmacy technicians, currently around 19,070 pharmacy technicians are employed by these stores. Hospitals are the second largest employers with 5,880 currently employed. Pharmacy technicians employed in hospitals earn the highest in CA with an average annual salary of $56,990 followed by General Merchandise Stores that pay around $51,770.
| Industry | Employment | Hourly Salary | Annual Salary |
| Retail Pharmacies | 19,070 | $22.31 | $46,380 |
| Hospitals | 5,880 | $27.41 | $56,990 |
| Grocery Stores | 3,660 | $21.72 | $45,160 |
| Other General Merchandise Stores | 3,400 | $24.90 | $51,770 |
| Department Stores | 1,350 | $24.67 | $51,280 |
California City Wise Salary and Employment (2021)
The highest numbers of Pharmacy technicians are employed in Los Angeles-Long beach - Anaheim, earning an average salary of $48,010. Around 3,870 pharmacy technician workers, employed in San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward are earning an average income of $59,340. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario has the 3rd highest number of pharmacy technicians in the state of California earning an average salary of $46,580. If you are looking for a job in Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, you need to know there are 2,630 pharmacy technicians currently working in this area and you can expect to earn an average salary of $51,520.
| Area Name | Employment | Hourly | Annual | Starting Salary | Experienced Salary |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 13,770 | $23.08 | $48,010 | $36,590 | $65,910 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 4,280 | $28.53 | $59,340 | $42,190 | $78,110 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,870 | $22.39 | $46,580 | $35,320 | $62,950 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 3,230 | $23.54 | $48,960 | $36,350 | $74,090 |
| Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA | 2,630 | $24.77 | $51,520 | $30,090 | $75,500 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 2,010 | $28.07 | $58,390 | $42,870 | $76,400 |
| Fresno, CA | 940 | $22.62 | $47,050 | $29,910 | $62,900 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 830 | $21.35 | $44,410 | $29,270 | $59,960 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 730 | $22.93 | $47,700 | $35,100 | $74,000 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 700 | $24.45 | $50,860 | $36,630 | $74,910 |
| Modesto, CA | 480 | $22.75 | $47,330 | $34,920 | $72,330 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 430 | $27.43 | $57,060 | $36,640 | $78,860 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 390 | $22.78 | $47,370 | $34,770 | $61,050 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | 360 | $27.21 | $56,590 | $37,340 | $76,810 |
| Visalia-Porterville, CA | 350 | $21.40 | $44,510 | $34,560 | $60,160 |
| Salinas, CA | 330 | $23.83 | $49,570 | $35,990 | $73,730 |
| Chico, CA | 280 | $21.09 | $43,870 | $34,370 | $58,180 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles-Arroyo Grande, CA | 270 | $23.11 | $48,070 | $34,280 | $64,700 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 240 | $23.08 | $48,000 | $31,300 | $76,810 |
| Redding, CA | 190 | $22.91 | $47,660 | $35,660 | $70,570 |
| Merced, CA | 160 | $19.85 | $41,290 | $29,120 | $58,180 |
| Napa, CA | 160 | $28.18 | $58,620 | $36,820 | $73,380 |
| Yuba City, CA | 160 | $22.17 | $46,120 | $36,360 | $60,320 |
| El Centro, CA | 130 | $20.46 | $42,550 | $29,960 | $52,630 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 130 | $23.14 | $48,130 | $36,360 | $69,700 |
| Madera, CA | 120 | $22.72 | $47,260 | $36,090 | $58,670 |
Pharmacy Tech Job Outlook in CA (2020-2030)
The employment growth in California looks quite promising for pharmacy technicians due to various factors such as a growing ageing population and expansion of pharmaceuticals across the state. Although not a very high paying field, due to very basic education requirements, the job outlook for pharmacy technicians is still encouraging. If you are someone who will enjoy working in a pharmacy store and are looking for a decent paying job with job stability then this is a right career for you in the state of California. Across the state around 37,300 pharmacy technicians are employed compared to 447,300 nationally. So, around 8.33% of the total pharmacy technicians in the U.S. work in California. Annually around 3,360 new pharmacy technician jobs are being created in California. According to BLS the employment for pharmacy technicians is expected to growth by 14.75% from 2020 to 2030 compared to 5.01% nationally so the employment outlook for pharmacy technicians is almost 9% better than the national projection.
| 2020 Employment | 2030 Employment | Percent Change | Projected Annual Job Openings | |
| California | 37,300 | 42,800 | 14.75% | 3,360 |
| United States | 447,300 | 469,700 | 5.01% | 43,500 |
Pharmacy Technician California VS Pharmacy Technician National
The salary a pharmacy technician earns in California is considerably higher than the national average by 30%. While the national average salary is $37,970, a pharmacy technician earns $49,990 in California.
| Type | California Salary | US Salary | Difference | % Difference |
| Hourly Wage | $24.03 | $18.25 | 5.78 | 31.66% |
| Monthly Salary | $4,170 | $3,160 | 1,010 | 31.96% |
| Annual Salary | $49,990 | $37,970 | 12,020 | 31.66% |
National Figures
Interesting Articles
FAQs
Pharmacy Technician Salary in California (Updated 2023)? ›
The estimated total pay for a Pharmacy Technician is $39,917 per year in the California area, with an average salary of $37,707 per year.
How much does a certified Pharmacy Technician make in California? ›The average salary for a certified pharmacy technician in California is $41,500 per year.
What is the highest paid Pharmacy Technician? ›- Pharmacist Specialist. Salary range: $42,000-$177,000 per year. ...
- Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. ...
- Pharmacy Informatics Specialist. ...
- Pharmacy Technician Program Director. ...
- Hospital Pharmacy Technician. ...
- Pharmacy Specialist. ...
- Pharmacy Associate. ...
- Pharmacist Assistant.
How much does a Certified Pharmacy Technician make at CVS Health in California? Average CVS Health Certified Pharmacy Technician hourly pay in California is approximately $18.60, which meets the national average.
How much does Kaiser pay pharmacist techs in California? ›Average Kaiser Permanente Certified Pharmacy Technician hourly pay in California is approximately $54.77, which is 209% above the national average.
How much does a pharmacy tech make at Costco in California? ›Average Costco Wholesale Certified Pharmacy Technician hourly pay in California is approximately $20.35, which is 15% above the national average.
What is the highest paid CVS pharmacy technician? ›| Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Earners | $81,765 | $6,813 |
| 75th Percentile | $41,127 | $3,427 |
| Average | $46,473 | $3,872 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,356 | $2,529 |
- Hospital Staff Pharmacist. ...
- Relief Pharmacist. ...
- Clinical Staff Pharmacist. ...
- Pharmacologist. ...
- Clinical Pharmacologist. ...
- Pharmacist Intern. Salary range: $36,000-$53,500 per year. ...
- Compounder. Salary range: $33,000-$42,500 per year. ...
- Pharmacy Technician Inpatient. Salary range: $36,000-$40,500 per year.
How much do pharmacy technicians make at Walgreens in California? ›
Average Walgreens Certified Pharmacy Technician hourly pay in California is approximately $18.11, which meets the national average.
How much does Walmart pay pharmacy technicians in California? ›Average Walmart Certified Pharmacy Technician hourly pay in California is approximately $21.58, which is 22% above the national average.
Can I work as a pharmacy technician with a certification in California? ›To work as a pharmacy technician in the state of California, you must have a current pharmacy technician license. Licensing is not required for persons working as pharmacy clerks or pharmacy assistants.
What state has the highest paid pharmacy technicians? ›Best-Paying States for Pharmacy Techs
The states and districts that pay Pharmacy Technicians the highest mean salary are California ($49,990), Washington ($46,830), Alaska ($46,160), Oregon ($45,240), and District of Columbia ($45,030). How Much Do Pharmacy Techs Make in Your City?