What is a Pharmacy Aide?
Pharmacy Aide Job Description 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 Do On a Daily Basis?
- Provide customers with information about the uses, effects, or interactions of drugs.
- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-dated medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
- Operate capsule or tablet counting machine that automatically distributes a certain number of capsules or tablets into smaller containers.
- Deliver medication to treatment areas, living units, residences, or clinics, using various means of transportation.
- Perform clerical tasks, such as filing, compiling and maintaining prescription records, or composing letters.
- Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Pharmacy Aide?
When polled, Pharmacy Aides say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Types of Pharmacy Aide
- Pharmacist Helper
- Pharmacy Aide
- Pharmacist Assistant
- Pharmacy Cashier
- Pharmacy Clerk
Job Opportunities for Pharmacy Aides
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 36,900 jobs in the United States for Pharmacy Aide. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Pharmacy Aide. The BLS estimates 4,700 yearly job openings in this field.

The states with the most job growth for Pharmacy Aide are Alaska, Arizona, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Vermont, Oklahoma, or Wisconsin. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Pharmacy Aide Average Salary
Pharmacy Aides make between $19,370 and $44,450 a year.

Pharmacy Aides who work in Alaska, Colorado, or Arizona, make the highest salaries.
How much do Pharmacy Aides make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $21,700 |
Alaska | $45,850 |
Arizona | $38,500 |
Arkansas | $25,330 |
California | $33,730 |
Colorado | $39,840 |
Connecticut | $31,460 |
Delaware | $29,990 |
Florida | $29,420 |
Georgia | $28,000 |
Hawaii | $34,180 |
Idaho | $29,780 |
Illinois | $29,760 |
Indiana | $24,470 |
Iowa | $26,260 |
Kansas | $23,630 |
Kentucky | $23,740 |
Louisiana | $24,400 |
Maine | $26,800 |
Maryland | $30,130 |
Massachusetts | $35,630 |
Michigan | $27,690 |
Minnesota | $28,190 |
Mississippi | $27,060 |
Missouri | $27,260 |
Montana | $29,580 |
Nebraska | $27,950 |
Nevada | $27,980 |
New Hampshire | $27,180 |
New Jersey | $25,490 |
New Mexico | $29,970 |
New York | $31,450 |
North Carolina | $24,760 |
North Dakota | $30,940 |
Ohio | $28,090 |
Oklahoma | $24,400 |
Oregon | $32,990 |
Pennsylvania | $24,660 |
Rhode Island | $31,150 |
South Carolina | $24,940 |
South Dakota | $24,390 |
Tennessee | $25,200 |
Texas | $25,910 |
Utah | $36,120 |
Vermont | $24,320 |
Virginia | $24,020 |
Washington | $32,990 |
West Virginia | $23,360 |
Wisconsin | $24,140 |
What Tools & Technology do Pharmacy Aides Use?
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Pharmacy Aides may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Word processing software
- Microsoft Windows
- Spreadsheet software
- Database software
How do I Become a Pharmacy Aide?
Individuals working as a Pharmacy Aide have obtained the following education levels:

How many years of work experience do I need?

Pharmacy Aides Sector

The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.

Related Careers
Are you already one of the many Pharmacy Aide in the United States? If you’re thinking about changing careers, these fields are worth exploring:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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