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Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist: pay, jobs and what each takes
Pharmacy technicians and pharmacists side by side: what each earns by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and by the jobs open today, how many jobs there are, and the education and credentials each takes.
Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist, side by side
| Pharmacy technician | Pharmacist | |
|---|---|---|
| Open jobs on this board today | 2,952 | 3,570 |
| Median posted hourly pay (open jobs) | $25.29 | $71.60 |
| Median hourly pay (BLS, May 2025) | $22 | $67.75 |
| Median yearly pay (BLS) | $45,750 | $140,910 |
| Projected employment change (BLS, 2025-2035) | +6.4% | +5.2% |
| Openings a year (BLS) | 44,700 | 12,500 |
| Typical education to enter (BLS) | High school diploma or equivalent | Doctoral or professional degree |
| Credentials | Certified pharmacy technician (CPhT) | Pharmacist license (NAPLEX) |
Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist: common questions
Who makes more, a pharmacy technician or a pharmacist?
Pharmacists, by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025): a median of $67.75 an hour ($140,910 a year), against $22 ($45,750 a year) for pharmacy technicians, $45.75 an hour more. The open jobs on this board today post medians of $25.29 an hour for pharmacy technicians and $71.60 for pharmacists.
Are there more pharmacy technician or pharmacist jobs?
On this board today: 2,952 open pharmacy technician jobs and 3,570 pharmacist jobs, read from each employer's own job board. BLS expects about 44,700 openings a year for pharmacy technicians and 12,500 for pharmacists, with employment changing +6.4% and +5.2% over 2025-2035.
What is the difference between a pharmacy technician and a pharmacist?
Pharmacy technicians fill and label prescriptions, compound IV and sterile medications, manage inventory and handle insurance, under a pharmacist, in retail and hospital pharmacies. Pharmacists check and dispense prescriptions, catch dangerous interactions and counsel patients, in retail, hospital, mail-order and specialty pharmacies.
How do you become a pharmacy technician or a pharmacist?
A high school diploma and a training program or on-the-job training. (BLS: High school diploma or equivalent.) A Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) degree, then the NAPLEX and a state law exam. (BLS: Doctoral or professional degree.) Each occupation's page lists its credentials and who grants them: Pharmacy technicians, Pharmacists.
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Sources and method
Pay and outlook are BLS's figures for each occupation's main SOC code; open jobs and their posted median are this board's, counted as each occupation's own page counts them.
- US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025) and Employment Projections (2025-2035)
- CareJobs.Now job board: open jobs read every night from each employer's own careers site
Cite this page
CareJobs.Now. (2026). Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist: Pay, Jobs and Requirements Compared. Data as of 9 Nov 2026. https://carejobs.now/compare-careers/pharmacy-technician-vs-pharmacist