What You Need to Know About Pharmacy Aide
Career 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.
Daily Life Of a Pharmacy Aide
- Operate cash register to process cash or credit sales.
- Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.
- Provide customers with information about the uses, effects, or interactions of drugs.
- Answer telephone inquiries, referring callers to pharmacist when necessary.
- Process medical insurance claims, posting bill amounts and calculating copayments.
- Calculate anticipated drug usage for a prescribed period.
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Qualities of 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.
Related Job Titles
- Pharmacy Helper
- Pharmacy Clerk
- Pharmacy Ancillary
- Pharmacy Cashier
- Pharmacist Helper
Pharmacy Aide Job Outlook
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. There will be an estimated 4,700 positions for Pharmacy Aide per 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 salary for Pharmacy Aides ranges between about $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?
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?

The table below shows the approximate number of Pharmacy Aides employed by various industries.

Similar 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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