Pharmacy Aides
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.
Also called: Certified Pharmacist Assistant · Drug Purchaser · Front Counter Clerk · Pharmacist Assistant · Pharmacy Aide · Pharmacy Ancillary
Median pay (national)
$37,000
$29,360–$58,660 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
41,100
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
-0.1%
~6,100 openings/yr
Typical entry
High school diploma or equivalent
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for pharmacy aides shows a broad range: the top 10% earn $58,660 versus $29,360 at the bottom 10% — 2.0x. The median of $37,000 leaves roughly 59% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change -0.1% from 2024 to 2034 — a projected decline, against +3% across all occupations. Even so, BLS projects about 6,100 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 50 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $55,590, +50% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $26,760 — a 108% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Speaking, Reading Comprehension as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Mathematics
- Learning Strategies
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- 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- Receive, store, and inventory pharmaceutical supplies or medications, check for out-of-date medications, and notify pharmacist when inventory levels are low.
- Maintain and clean equipment, work areas, or shelves.
- Unpack, sort, count, and label incoming merchandise, including items requiring special handling or refrigeration.
- Restock storage areas, replenishing items on shelves.
- Prepare prescription labels by typing or operating a computer and printer.
- Compound, package, and label pharmaceutical products, under direction of pharmacist.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Windows
- Database software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Sales and Marketing
- Law and Government
- Administration and Management
- Mathematics
- Medicine and Dentistry