Pharmacy technician salaries in California
One of the top reasons to become a pharmacy technician in California is the competitive salary combined with a high demand for healthcare professionals. California typically offers some of the highest wages for pharmacy technicians in the U.S., with a median salary well above the national median, in part due to the state's cost of living and strong demand in both urban and rural areas. Additionally, California's diverse healthcare sector includes major hospitals, specialized clinics and retail pharmacies that provide job opportunities and career advancement potential, making it an attractive state for those interested in the field.
In this Article
Overview of pharm techs in California
There are 41,420 people employed as pharmacy technicians in California which means nearly 2.4 people are pharm techs for every 1,000 people living in the state, said the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The median wage per hour is $24 and the forecasted job growth for the coming decade is 7.2%, faster than the job growth rate for all other career fields combined, said the BLS.
California is a great state for pharmacy technicians and ranks number one in the U.S. for highest employment of pharm techs, said the BLS, with the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim metro area ranking third nationally for employment. It also takes the number one spot for top paying state, according to the BLS. With this positive news in mind, here are just five primary employers of pharmacy technicians in California:
- Kaiser Permanente, Multiple locations across the state: Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest healthcare providers in California, employs pharmacy technicians in hospitals and outpatient facilities to support pharmacists in patient care. Technicians here are involved in preparing and dispensing medications, handling prescription refills, managing inventory and assisting with medication reconciliation. Kaiser's integrated care model means technicians play a critical role in ensuring continuity of care across inpatient and outpatient services.
- CVS Health, Multiple locations across the state: As one of the largest retail pharmacy chains, CVS Health employs pharmacy technicians in retail pharmacies and also in mail-order facilities. Technicians help process prescriptions, conduct insurance verifications, provide customer service and assist with medication packaging for home deliveries. Technicians in California also work in CVS's specialty pharmacy division, where they handle complex prescriptions for chronic conditions and coordinate with pharmacists to ensure accurate patient care.
- University of California Health Systems, UCLA, UCSF, UC Davis and other UC campus locations: Pharmacy technicians in these academic medical centers assist in research-based pharmacy operations, specialized medication compounding and advanced patient support. Working in these institutions often involves preparing intravenous (IV) medications, performing drug inventory checks, handling controlled substances and ensuring compliance with rigorous safety protocols in clinical trials and experimental treatments.
- Sutter Health, Multiple locations across the state: A nonprofit health network with hospitals and clinics across California, Sutter Health employs pharmacy technicians primarily in its hospitals and outpatient care centers. Technicians support pharmacy operations by assisting with prescription preparation, managing pharmacy databases, restocking automated dispensing machines and assisting with medication delivery across hospital units. In outpatient facilities, they often manage high patient volumes, providing support to ensure efficient and accurate dispensing.
- Walgreens, Multiple locations across the state: Walgreens provides both retail pharmacy and specialty care, making it a significant employer of pharmacy technicians across California. Technicians help manage prescriptions, handle patient consultations, assist with immunization documentation and perform inventory control. Walgreens also employs technicians in its specialty pharmacy centers, where they assist patients with complex medication regimens, coordinate with insurance providers and help ensure patients have timely access to specialty drugs.
Salary quick stats
While the median national salary for pharmacy technicians is just over $43,460 a year, pay may vary depending upon several factors, including where you work and live, how much experience you have, what professional certifications you have earned and your level of education.
ANNUAL MEDIAN SALARY OF
$49,640
Pharmacy technicians in California
It's important to understand that salaries may also vary based on location within the state. The salary widget below provides the median national wage for pharmacy technicians along with data for different metro areas in California, listed by highest paying first.
Median annual salaries in California
10%$38,850
25%$45,610
50%$49,640Median
75%$64,400
90%$79,630
Median Hourly Wage$24
Job growth7.2%
Total Employment45,210
| Metro area | Median Salary | Bottom 10% | Top 10% |
|---|---|---|---|
| Napa, CA | $81,310 | $46,190 | $85,990 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $70,740 | $45,280 | $94,160 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $61,990 | $46,850 | $91,860 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $61,290 | $39,310 | $84,210 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $55,810 | $39,090 | $80,770 |
| Vallejo, CA | $54,530 | $39,400 | $83,280 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $49,540 | $39,520 | $78,580 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $49,420 | $39,170 | $81,470 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $49,130 | $38,410 | $71,210 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $48,920 | $38,030 | $77,700 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $48,880 | $38,440 | $78,410 |
| Salinas, CA | $48,870 | $38,540 | $67,730 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $48,790 | $38,940 | $75,370 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $48,680 | $37,690 | $74,830 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $48,600 | $38,570 | $77,710 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2024 median salary; projected job growth through 2033. Actual salaries may vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.
Salary range for pharmacy technicians in California
The salary range for pharmacy technicians in California typically spans from $38,850 to $79,630 per year. Even the lowest 10% of pharm techs (usually entry-level roles) in California pay close to the national median, which shows how promising salaries in the state may be. This salary range accounts for entry-level positions to senior-level roles and takes into consideration other factors such as experience, education and time in the position.
Pay by metro area within California
Your earning level may depend upon where you live within a state. For example, cities tend to pay better than rural or less populated areas. If your city is an industry hub, say for example you work as a pharmacy technician in San Jose or San Francisco, which have several high profile hospitals, pharmacy chains, university health facilities and big box stores, pay may be more competitive. That said, here's what the BLS reports as highest paying cities in the U.S. As you can see, California metro areas dominate the top 10 list.
Salary growth and job outlook
The pharmaceutical industry in general is experiencing growth, with the BLS projecting 7.2% job growth over the next decade for technicians. California's positive job growth for pharmacy technicians can be attributed to several unique factors:
- Growing population and aging demographic: California has a large and continuously growing population, including a significant aging population, which drives demand for healthcare services and prescription medications. As more residents require chronic care and medication management, the need for pharmacy technicians rises, especially in settings that serve older adults, like hospitals, clinics and specialized pharmacies.
- Expansion of healthcare access: California has been proactive in expanding healthcare access through initiatives like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and Medi-Cal (California's Medicaid program), which increases the number of insured residents. With more Californians accessing healthcare, pharmacies are seeing a higher volume of prescriptions, requiring more technicians to assist with preparation and patient support.
- Role expansion for pharmacy technicians: California is at the forefront of expanding the role of pharmacy technicians to allow them to perform more clinical and administrative tasks traditionally handled by pharmacists, such as immunizations, prescription renewals and medication management services. This shift in responsibilities is driven by the need to ease pharmacists' workloads, especially in high-demand environments, thereby creating more job opportunities for technicians with specialized training.
- Demand in non-traditional settings: California is seeing growth in non-traditional pharmacy settings, including telepharmacies, specialty pharmacies and mail-order pharmacies, particularly as residents in rural or underserved areas need accessible pharmacy services. These settings require pharmacy technicians to fill remote, customer service and operational based roles, expanding employment beyond traditional pharmacy settings.
- Innovations in pharmaceutical and biotech sectors: California's strong presence in the biotech and pharmaceutical sectors, especially in areas like San Francisco and San Diego, drives demand for pharmacy technicians trained in specialized fields, such as compounding or handling high-cost specialty medications. Technicians who support clinical trials or biotech companies add to the demand, as their skills become essential for California's evolving healthcare and biotech landscape.
Factors affecting pharm tech salaries in California
Several specific factors can influence the salary of a pharmacy technician in California. These factors include:
Experience: How long have you worked in the field and what specialized skills do you bring?
Education and certification: What degree and professional certifications have you earned?
Employer type: Pharmacy, big box retailer or wholesaler, mail-order, supermarket, hospital or clinic?
Unionization: Is your employer (such as Kaiser Permanente) part of a union? There may be may higher base salaries, regular pay raises and enhanced job security.
Geographic location: Do you work in a city such as San Diego or San Francisco, a small town or largely rural area?
How can I know if I am being paid correctly as a pharm tech in California?
There are specific steps you can take to assess whether or not your salary measures up to industry standards. With the state of California being as large and varied as it is, and the type of employers available, gauging your salary may be difficult. These steps may help you take a more informed course of action:
- Gather data: Gather the salary data and other relevant information that supports your case. Look for state-specific data from sources like the California Employment Development Department or industry reports from salary aggregates such as Salary.com or Payscale.com that provide insights into regional salaries. Compare your years of experience with the industry averages.
- Prepare your case: Be ready to present your credentials earned and contributions made to your employer. If you hold certifications like the CPhT or CPhT-Adv or specialize in a particular area (such as sterile compounding or nuclear pharmacy), you may expect to earn more than a pharm tech without credentials.
- Negotiate: Schedule a meeting with your HR department to discuss your pay. Be prepared to provide evidence for why you deserve a raise. Consider the total compensation package you've been offered, including benefits like health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, continuing education allowances or other perks. These can contribute to your bottom line compensation package.
- File a complaint: If you feel the pay disparity is based on a protected characteristic—which in the state of California means race, ancestry, religion, age, mental or physical disability, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, a medical condition, genetic information, marital status or military or veteran status—you may file a complaint with the Civil Rights Department of the State of California.
Education and training in CA
California-Specific Requirements
Registration with the California State Board of Pharmacy: Pharmacy technicians must register with the California Board of Pharmacy before practicing. Applicants must pass a background check and submit fingerprints.
Formal education or training: California requires a high school diploma or GED and mandates that pharmacy technicians complete one of the following:
- An ASHP-accredited pharmacy technician program.
- A California Board-approved pharmacy technician program.
- An associate degree in pharmacy technology.
- Completion of a pharmacy technician training program provided by a branch of the federal armed services.
Completion of 240 hours of training in the role of a pharmacy clerk before licensure.
Examination: Although California does not require the national Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) or Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT), many pharmacy technician programs include exam preparation, and certification is often valued by employers.
Cost of living considerations
The cost of living in California is high, especially in major urban areas, which is one reason the state pays so well. Housing, transportation, food, healthcare, utilities and state income and sales taxes all contribute to overall expenses. Salaries for pharmacy technicians in California reflect these higher living costs, but it's still critical to weigh all options when you decide to work in the state.
RentCafe says the cost of living in California is 38% higher than the national average, with housing at 97% higher than the national average. Here are average costs of living for the California cities the BLS lists as paying pharmacy techs the highest salaries:
| California city | Cost of living % |
|---|---|
| San Jose | 76% higher than the national average |
| San Francisco | 71% higher than the national average |
| San Diego | 43% higher than the national average |
| Los Angeles | 50% higher than the national average |
| Sacramento | 20% higher than the national average |
California professional associations for pharm techs
Pharmacy technicians in California have several professional associations and groups they can join for networking, continuing education, advocacy and professional development. These associations offer pharmacy technicians in California valuable opportunities to enhance their knowledge, gain certification and stay updated on state laws and best practices, while connecting with professionals in the field:
California Society of Health-System Pharmacists (CSHP)
CSHP is one of the largest pharmacy organizations in California, primarily serving pharmacists and pharmacy technicians who work in hospitals and health systems. It offers resources, events and educational opportunities tailored to California's healthcare landscape. Benefits for pharmacy technicians include access to annual seminars, regional conferences and continuing education courses.
National Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA)
Although a national association, NPTA offers resources and programs that benefit pharmacy technicians in California, including training for specialty certifications in sterile compounding, medication therapy management and more. Some of these benefits include access to specialized certification programs and continuing education and discounts on training and educational materials.
American Association of Pharmacy Technicians (AAPT)
As one of the oldest pharmacy technician associations, AAPT offers resources, professional development and advocacy at the national level, with relevance for California technicians as well.
California Pharmacists Association (CPhA)
CPhA is a professional organization representing all areas of pharmacy practice in California. Pharmacy technicians can join as members to access resources and support within the pharmacy profession.
This pharmacy technician salary guide for California strives to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the salary landscape and key information regarding becoming a pharmacy tech and the profession within the state. Use this guide as a starting point to make informed decisions about your career path, negotiating salaries and for setting realistic expectations for your educational and professional future.
Written and reported by:
PharmTechs.org Staff
Published: December 1, 2024