What is a Pharmacy Aide?
Position 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.
Life As a Pharmacy Aide: What Do They Do?
- Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
- Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.
- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-dated medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
- Calculate anticipated drug usage for a prescribed period.
- Operate capsule or tablet counting machine that automatically distributes a certain number of capsules or tablets into smaller containers.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Pharmacy Aide?
Pharmacy Aides state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
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.
Related Job Titles
- Ancillary
- Front Counter Clerk
- Pharmacist Helper
- Dispensary Attendant
- Certified Pharmacist Assistant
Job Outlook for Pharmacy Aides
In the United States, there were 36,900 jobs for Pharmacy Aide in 2016. There is little to no growth in job opportunities for Pharmacy Aide. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 4,700 job openings in this field each year.
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.
Salary for a Pharmacy Aide
The average yearly salary of a Pharmacy Aide ranges between $19,370 and $44,450.
Pharmacy Aides who work in Alaska, Colorado, or Arizona, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Pharmacy Aides 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 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Pharmacy Aides
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Pharmacy Aides:
- 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?
Learn what Pharmacy Aide education requirements there are.
How Long Does it Take to Become a Pharmacy Aide?
Where do Pharmacy Aides Work?
Pharmacy Aides work in the following industries:
Other Jobs You May be Interested In
Those who work as a Pharmacy Aide sometimes switch careers to one of these choices:
References:
More about our data sources and methodologies.
Featured Schools
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