Salary and entry-level requirements for pharmacy technicians compared with other health technologist and technician occupations in Maryland

Abstract

ObjectivesPharmacy technician programs are experiencing important transitions to new educational standards, an enhanced accreditation framework, and changing requirements by state boards of pharmacy. The requirements are highly variable from state to state and have practical consequences for the pharmacy workforce in terms of technician recruitment, retention, and satisfaction. Using the state of Maryland as a case report, the purpose of this analysis was to compare the requirements necessary to become either a pharmacy technician or another type of health technologist, including board licensure or registration; training, education or certification or both; and 2016 median salary as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Data sourcesThis analysis of salaries and job requirements for health technologists and technicians in the state of Maryland was conducted using the Standard Occupational Classification system and the Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data. SummaryNuclear medicine technologists have the highest median salary at $38.50 per hour. No relationship between increasing entry-level qualifications and salary was identified, but pharmacy technicians were found to have the lowest median salary at $15.10 per hour. Although 5 occupations have median salaries greater than $30, 9 have median hourly salaries less than $20, of which 5 have minimum qualifications mandated by statute and regulation. ConclusionPharmacy technicians have the lowest median salary compared with other health technologists and technicians in Maryland. With pharmacy technicians reporting low satisfaction with salary as a reason for intending to leave an employer, implementing mandatory minimum entry-level requirements without a corresponding increase in salary could lead to a reduction in applicants for positions.