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Pharmacy Aides: Career Profile
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.
The Daily Work of Pharmacy Aides Take On?
Typical responsibilities of pharmacy aides span:
- Greet customers and help them locate merchandise.
- Accept prescriptions for filling, gathering and processing necessary information.
- Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
- Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
- Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
- Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
What Pharmacy Aides Need to Know
Successful pharmacy aides combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Types of Pharmacy Aides Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Certified Pharmacist Assistant
- Dispensary Attendant
- Drug Clerk
- Drug Purchaser
- Front Counter Clerk
- Pharmaceutical Assistant
- Pharmacist Aide
- Pharmacist Assistant
How Many Pharmacy Aides Are There?
There are roughly 49,707 pharmacy aides working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +13.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Pharmacy Aides Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $47,369 |
| Hourly median | $22.77 |
| 10th percentile | $30,519 |
| 25th percentile | $38,944 |
| 75th percentile | $55,795 |
| 90th percentile | $64,220 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pharmacy Aides Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $55,590 |
| California | $44,060 |
| Washington | $43,320 |
| Hawaii | $41,930 |
| Utah | $38,970 |
| Arizona | $38,800 |
| Oregon | $38,640 |
| Pennsylvania | $38,280 |
| Idaho | $37,940 |
| Nevada | $37,760 |
| Minnesota | $37,630 |
| Maine | $37,450 |
| Texas | $37,410 |
| Massachusetts | $37,240 |
| New York | $37,150 |
| Missouri | $37,120 |
| Illinois | $37,090 |
| Wisconsin | $37,030 |
| Ohio | $37,000 |
| Rhode Island | $36,960 |
| New Mexico | $36,700 |
| South Dakota | $36,560 |
| Delaware | $36,470 |
| Connecticut | $35,940 |
| Vermont | $35,920 |
| Tennessee | $35,920 |
| Virginia | $35,840 |
| South Carolina | $35,820 |
| Florida | $35,810 |
| Colorado | $35,690 |
| Maryland | $35,590 |
| Indiana | $35,450 |
| Montana | $35,440 |
| Kentucky | $35,140 |
| New Jersey | $34,900 |
| Michigan | $34,750 |
| North Carolina | $34,660 |
| Alabama | $34,240 |
| Wyoming | $33,710 |
| Arkansas | $33,680 |
| Georgia | $33,440 |
| Iowa | $33,330 |
| West Virginia | $32,990 |
| New Hampshire | $32,070 |
| Louisiana | $30,940 |
| Oklahoma | $30,920 |
| Nebraska | $30,900 |
| Kansas | $28,800 |
| Mississippi | $28,270 |
| Puerto Rico | $26,760 |
Where Pharmacy Aides Earn the Most
Earnings for pharmacy aides differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $43,517 | 27.6% | 1.81 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,151 | 14.5% | 1.00 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,667 | 2.2% | 0.74 |
| New England | $36,360 | 3.0% | 0.85 |
| Great Lakes | $36,350 | 10.8% | 0.78 |
| Southwest | $36,066 | 11.3% | 1.15 |
| Southeast | $34,140 | 20.1% | 1.02 |
| Plains States | $33,681 | 7.8% | 1.47 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $73,870 | 960 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $67,860 | 80 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $67,050 | 130 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $63,900 | 450 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | CA | $52,120 | 120 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $50,940 | 700 |
| Salisbury, MD | MD | $49,480 | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $49,200 | 140 |
Which Industries Hire Pharmacy Aides
The largest employers of pharmacy aides are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Retail Trade | 33,290 | $36,330 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 5,750 | $55,090 |
| Wholesale Trade | 750 | $41,030 |
| Finance and Insurance | 600 | $42,790 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 350 | $47,090 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 130 | $32,640 |
| Educational Services | 40 | $41,340 |
| Manufacturing | 30 | $32,180 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for pharmacy aides is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
Getting Started in This Career
Most pharmacy aides positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Pharmacists (Supplemental)
- Pharmacy Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses (Supplemental)
- Medical Records Specialists (Supplemental)
- Opticians, Dispensing (Primary-Long)
- Nursing Assistants (Supplemental)
- Medical Assistants (Primary-Short)
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-9095.00 (Pharmacy Aides).
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