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.
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The Daily Work of Pharmacy Aides Do?
The day-to-day responsibilities of pharmacy aides cover:
- 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- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.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.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Effective pharmacy aides combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The competencies most central to 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
Job Outlook
There are about 49,707 pharmacy aides working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +13.0% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Pharmacy Aides
| 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 |
Pay can vary substantially 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 vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| 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 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| 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 bulk of pharmacy aides work in these industries:
| 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 |
Below are examples of industries where pharmacy aides work:
Software Pharmacy Aides Use
- 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)
Work Environment
The on-the-job environment of pharmacy aides tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
- Spend Time Standing
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
How to Become Pharmacy Aides
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), signaling 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)
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from 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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