Pharmacy technicians
Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
Pharmacy technicians prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders. The role reports a median annual salary of $43,460 in the US and is projected to grow 6% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.66 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include medicines for self-medication, follow procedures to control substances hazardous to health, check information on prescriptions, respond to changing situations in health care, operate cash register.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £23,783 a year for Pharmacy and optical dispensing assistants (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 7114). ONS rates this estimate precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Technicians and associate professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Pharmacy technicians, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 3. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Law and Government
- Administrative
- Production and Processing
A day in the life
You start your shift at the pharmacy counter, taking in new prescriptions and refill requests and checking that each one has the patient's details, the medicine, the dose and the prescriber's signature. You enter the information into the pharmacy system and update the patient's medication profile, noting any allergies. By mid-morning you are counting tablets, measuring liquids and labelling containers for the pharmacist to check before they go out. A delivery arrives, so you unpack it, compare the quantities with the invoice and store the medicines correctly, putting refrigerated items away first. You also check the shelves for anything near its expiry date. The phone rings throughout the day with questions about refills, and you help customers find everyday items, passing anything clinical to the pharmacist. The work demands constant accuracy, and the queue can be long, but knowing each patient leaves with the right medicine is rewarding.
Illustrative: one typical day, written from the O*NET task statements for this occupation. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
- Enter prescription information into computer databases.
- Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
- Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
- Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.
- Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Pharmacy technicians do?
Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
What does a typical day look like in Pharmacy technicians?
You start your shift at the pharmacy counter, taking in new prescriptions and refill requests and checking that each one has the patient's details, the medicine, the dose and the prescriber's signature. You enter the information into the pharmacy system and update the patient's medication profile, noting any allergies. By mid-morning you are counting tablets, measuring liquids and labelling containers for the pharmacist to check before they go out.
How much does Pharmacy technicians earn?
The median annual salary for Pharmacy technicians in the US is $43,460.
What is the job outlook for Pharmacy technicians?
The role is projected to grow 6% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 490,400 workers.
How do I become pharmacy technicians?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Pharmacy technicians need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include medicines for self-medication, follow procedures to control substances hazardous to health, check information on prescriptions, respond to changing situations in health care, operate cash register, handle the logistics of medicinal products. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Pharmacy technicians?
Our AI-durability model gives Pharmacy technicians a score of 0.66 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Pharmacy technicians has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.