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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Pharmacy Technicians

Part of Health Science, in the Therapeutic Services pathway.

Bright outlookJob zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 29-2052.00

What the work is

Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.

On a typical day

  • Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
  • Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
  • Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.
  • Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.
  • Price and file prescriptions that have been filled.
  • Clean and help maintain equipment or work areas and sterilize glassware, according to prescribed methods.

What it pays

$47,050
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $35,450
Experienced workers reach $58,670
  1. $35k10th
  2. $39k25th
  3. $47kMedian
  4. $50k75th
  5. $59k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $35,450, 25th $39,300, Median $47,050, 75th $49,680, 90th $58,670

About 3,600 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+18.4%

employment change in the Alamo region, 3,820 to 4,521 jobs · U.S. +6%

448

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 49,000

3,820

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 490,400

Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Active Listening3.9
  2. Reading Comprehension3.6
  3. Speaking3.3
  4. Critical Thinking3.6
  5. Active Learning3.1
  6. Monitoring3.1
  7. Social Perceptiveness3.1
  8. Service Orientation3.1

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. High school or less36%
  2. Certificate42%
  3. Some college15%
  4. Associate degree4%
  5. Bachelor's degree4%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • Northwest Vista
  • Alamo Institutes
  1. Pharmacy Technology

    Degree · Certificate · Health & Biosciences

  2. Pharmacy Technician

    Workforce course · Online option · Health & Biosciences

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