Pharmacy Technician Schools in Pennsylvania

Anyone who wants to become a pharmacy technician must understand the scope of the job. Of course, they must also understand the educational and certification requirements so that they can start their careers as smoothly as possible while being in a strong enough position to take advantage of career opportunities that will inevitably come their way.

Thankfully, the main purpose of this guide is to explain all of these requirements and considerations. Readers will understand what to expect regarding their educational options, certification organizations, and annual average salary possibilities.

They will also find out the best training programs to attend and what to expect from each institution.

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Pennsylvania

All of the requirements below are needed to start a successful pharmacy technician career in Pennsylvania.

Proper Education

Proper education is key to developing the technical and transferable expertise needed to become a pharmacist technician in Pennsylvania. The most common approach to receiving such an education is to attend a technical institution and spend a couple of years pursuing an associate degree.

Some institutions offer faster programs, including one-year certificate programs and online options.

Practical Experience

Even though training programs usually incorporate a few laboratory sessions for practical experience, candidates need actual real-world experience to become full-fledged pharmacy technicians. Thankfully, an internship can help you gain this experience as early as possible.

In fact, some of the best training programs already have functioning partnerships with institutions and establishments across the area, wherein candidates can secure internship positions.

Certification & Specialization

Certification and specialization are often intertwined steps that prospective pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania can take to boost their careers significantly. Both offer credibility in a chosen area and signal commitment to potential employers.

Candidates may specialize as central operation technicians, laboratory pharmacy technicians, or community pharmacy technicians. In an upcoming section, we analyze possible certification options to consider.

Explore trades with similar paths:

• How to become a medical biller and coder in Pennsylvania

Licensure & Certification Requirements

The National Healthcareer Association offers a well-respected credential for pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania. Becoming certified by the organization usually leads to employment opportunities and better-paying positions.

To qualify for certifications from the NHA, applicants need to have completed a recognized training program. Those who did not attend an academic program may also qualify through comparable work experience.

For an equally respected credential from a different organization, pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania may also consider becoming certified by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. The board expects professionals to pass a 90-question examination before they can become officially certified.

Pharmacy technicians in the state must also register with the Pennsylvania State Board of Pharmacy before they can start working professionally.

Top Pharmacy Technician Schools in Pennsylvania

The entries below are among the top training programs for future pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania to consider.

Explore pharmacy technician schools in Pennsylvania by city:

• Pharmacy technician schools in Philadelphia

Salary & Career Outlook

A survey of pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania carried out by the employment platform Indeed.com showed the following places to be the most favorable when it comes to annual average salary:

• Philadelphia, with an annual average salary of $43,175;
• Trevose, with an annual average salary of $41,241;
• Allentown, with an annual average salary of $40,548; and
• Abington, with an annual average salary of $36,768.

Of course, location is not the only factor that candidates can work on to improve their yearly returns. Conditions like experience level, specific employer, and professional credentials are equally important.

Without analyzing through the lens of any singular criterion, pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania are more commonly paid an annual average salary of $36,786, which is in line with the state average. However, candidates can also fall among the bottom or top earning categories.

Those who fall among the bottom 10% earners make an annual average salary of $27,605, while professionals who fall among the top 10% earners make an annual average salary of $49,022.