Career comparison
Pharmacist vs. Pharmacy technician
Pharmacists earn more: a median of $140,910, $95,160 (208%) above pharmacy technicians at $45,750.
Both are projected to grow at a similar pace through 2035 (+5% and +6%).
Getting in is slower for pharmacists: about 5.8 years vs. 7 months for someone with a bachelor's in another field.
At a glance
| Pharmacist | Pharmacy technician | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $140,910 | $45,750 |
| Top 10% earn over | $174,230 | $61,040 |
| Growth to 2035 | +5% | +6% |
| Openings per year | 12,500 | 44,700 |
| Jobs today | 325,200 | 471,200 |
| Typical entry education | Doctoral or professional degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Time to qualify* | 5.8 years | 7 months |
| Training cost* | $126K–$277K | $630–$5.3K |
* Starting from a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field. Pay: BLS OEWS May 2025. Outlook: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35.
Pay
Pharmacist
Pharmacy technician
Switching from one to the other
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Getting in
Pharmacist
- Entry education
- Doctoral or professional degree
- On-the-job training
- None
- Prior experience
- None
Required: NAPLEX · MPJE law exam · State pharmacist license
Pharmacy technician
- Entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Prior experience
- None
Required: PTCB or ExCPT certification (most employers) · State registration
What the work is like
Dealing with the public
Unpleasant or angry people
Time pressure
Cost of a mistake
Freedom to make decisions
Repeating the same tasks
Time sitting
Time standing
Hazardous conditions
Exposure to disease
Pharmacist: 18% usually work over 40 hours a weekPharmacy technician: 17% usually work over 40 hours a week
Pharmacist: core tasks
- Review prescriptions to assure accuracy, to ascertain the needed ingredients, and to evaluate their suitability.
- Collaborate with other health care professionals to plan, monitor, review, or evaluate the quality or effectiveness of drugs or drug regimens, providing advice on drug applications or characteristics.
- Work in hospitals or clinics or for Health Management Organizations (HMOs), dispensing prescriptions, serving as a medical team consultant, or specializing in specific drug therapy areas, such as oncology or nuclear pharmacotherapy.
- Provide information and advice regarding drug interactions, side effects, dosage, and proper medication storage.
- Provide specialized services to help patients manage conditions, such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation, or high blood pressure.
Pharmacy technician: core tasks
- 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.
Skills: what carries over
Both rely on: Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Critical Thinking, Monitoring, Social Perceptiveness.
New for a pharmacist moving to pharmacy technician: Active Learning.
New for a pharmacy technician moving to pharmacist: Writing.
Interests (Holland codes): Pharmacist: Investigative, Social, Conventional. Pharmacy technician: Conventional, Realistic, Social.
Outlook to 2035, and AI
Pharmacist
+5%
about as fast as average · 12,500 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Pharmacy technician
+6%
faster than average · 44,700 openings a year
BLS lists no specific factors, including AI, changing demand for this job.
Quoted notes: BLS Employment Projections, factors affecting occupational utilization (Table 1.12). Average growth across all jobs: +3.5%.
Questions people ask
Who makes more, a pharmacist or a pharmacy technician?
Pharmacists earn more: a median of $140,910, $95,160 (208%) above pharmacy technicians at $45,750.
Which has the better job outlook?
Both are projected to grow at a similar pace through 2035 (+5% and +6%).
How long does it take to become a pharmacy technician?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 7 months, with tuition of roughly $630 to $5,300. Required: PTCB or ExCPT certification (most employers), State registration.
How long does it take to become a pharmacist?
For someone with a bachelor's degree in another field, about 5.8 years, with tuition of roughly $125,800 to $277,000. Required: NAPLEX, MPJE law exam, State pharmacist license.