Pharmacist Aides Training and Jobs
Schools and Degrees
A high school diploma is the basic education requirement to become a pharmacist aide. A person aspiring to become a pharmacist aide can even acquire certificate, diploma and associates degrees from different schools and institutes that offer education in the subject.
Training and Education
Successful employees find it useful to have short-term on-the-job training. According to recent surveys, 10% of pharmacist aides had received a degree. Workers with some schooling beyond high school, but not a college degree, total about 59%. A high school degree was all that was needed for 31% of employees.
Job Overview
Pharmacist aides look after administrative duties in pharmacies. They answer queries about prescriptions and provide correct information regarding drugs and health matters. They are responsible for storing shelves, answering calls and performing other clerical responsibilities.
Job Requirements
Training is an essential requirement to become a pharmacist aide. Most pharmacist aides receive unofficial training on the job. Pharmacist aides usually start by observing an experienced pharmacist aide at work. Once they become familiar with the guidelines, procedure and equipment of the store, they start taking responsibilities. Further training is given only when a new policy or equipment is introduced.
Experience and certification relevant to the area of work are beneficial, as they can help a pharmacist aide become a pharmacy technician.
A pharmacist aide needs to have good skills of communication and customer management for. One also needs to be strong in mathematics. It is important to be organized and responsible and they should also be able to take down directions. It is important for them to have no previous history of substance abuse.
Nature of Work
Pharmacist aides look after and maintain patient profiles. They also prepare insurance claims forms. They take inventory of the medicines that are sold over the counter and inform the supervisor about stocks that are needed. It is important for pharmacist aides to maintain accurate records in order to avoid confusion. Many patients have medical insurance to pay for their treatment and their medications. Pharmacist aides need to coordinate and work well with these third parties in order to receive payment. Some pharmacist aides work in close coordination with pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacist aides work in clean, well lighted and arranged areas. They need to be on their feet most of the day. They may be required to lift heavy boxes and ladders to take down supplies from shelves. Pharmacist aides may need to work during the day, in the evenings or even at night, as pharmacies in many medical facilities like hospitals are open 24-7.
Area Job Conditions
Looking at pharmacist aides per capita, Madera (California), Bay City (Michigan), and Morristown (Tennessee) rise to the top of the list. Milwaukee (Wisconsin), Phoenix (Arizona), and Fort Worth (Texas) have the fewest per capita.
The highest salaries for workers are in and around Denver (Colorado), San Jose (California), and Danbury (Connecticut). The lowest-paying areas are Anniston (Alabama), Tuscaloosa (Alabama), and Birmingham (Alabama).
Part-Time and Self Employment
Pharmacist aides working less than full time, whether by design or chance, were 23% of the total. If you have this occupation and work on your own rather than for another company, you are part of the 4% of workers who do so.
Career Videos
Pharmacist Aides by Metropolitan Area (city and its surroundings)
In the table below, a Job Density near 0% means the area has an average number of people in this occupation, for its population. A higher or lower Job Density (e.g., +22% or -45%) tells you there are that many more or fewer workers of that type there than in the average US metro area. So, the higher the number, the more common the occupation.
Alabama
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anniston | $17,000 | 40 | +279% |
| Birmingham | $20,000 | 240 | +84% |
| Tuscaloosa | $19,000 | 60 | +171% |
Arizona
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phoenix | $24,000 | 80 | -83% |
Arkansas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | $19,000 | 80 | +52% |
| Fort Smith | $19,000 | 60 | +95% |
California
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chico | $24,000 | 40 | +139% |
| Fresno | $21,000 | 90 | +7% |
| Los Angeles | $26,000 | 2,720 | +151% |
| Madera | $22,000 | 70 | +885% |
| Merced | $25,000 | 70 | +423% |
| Oakland | $24,000 | 230 | -14% |
| Redding | $21,000 | 60 | +323% |
| Riverside | $24,000 | 750 | +133% |
| Sacramento | $22,000 | 380 | +64% |
| Salinas | $27,000 | 120 | +194% |
| San Diego | $27,000 | 670 | +92% |
| San Jose | $28,000 | 620 | +159% |
| San Luis Obispo | $26,000 | 120 | +426% |
| Santa Ana | $23,000 | 730 | +88% |
| Santa Barbara | $22,000 | 150 | +250% |
| Santa Cruz | $23,000 | 110 | +417% |
| Santa Rosa | $26,000 | 40 | -10% |
| Stockton | $25,000 | 140 | +159% |
| Vallejo | $27,000 | 80 | +166% |
| Yuba City | $24,000 | 80 | +824% |
Colorado
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $32,000 | 170 | -49% |
Delaware
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $20,000 | 60 | -30% |
District of Columbia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $25,000 | 590 | -9% |
Florida
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Lauderdale | $22,000 | 820 | +342% |
| Gainesville | $20,000 | 80 | +163% |
| Jacksonville | $21,000 | 210 | +32% |
| Lakeland | $21,000 | 130 | +168% |
| Naples | $24,000 | 90 | +223% |
| Orlando | $23,000 | 440 | +62% |
| Panama City | $21,000 | 50 | +203% |
| Port St Lucie | $19,000 | 210 | +604% |
| Tampa | $20,000 | 830 | +172% |
Georgia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens | $18,000 | 50 | +193% |
| Atlanta | $22,000 | 880 | +42% |
| Augusta | $18,000 | 40 | -24% |
| Gainesville | $17,000 | 40 | +139% |
| Macon | $18,000 | 40 | +80% |
| Warner Robins | $19,000 | 50 | +298% |
Hawaii
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honolulu | $23,000 | 120 | +3% |
Idaho
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boise | $23,000 | 30 | -56% |
Illinois
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $29,000 | 1,630 | +62% |
| Peoria | $21,000 | 100 | +129% |
Indiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville | $20,000 | 30 | -32% |
| Indianapolis | $20,000 | 380 | +59% |
| South Bend | $19,000 | 40 | +23% |
Kentucky
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville | $21,000 | 70 | -57% |
Louisiana
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge | $20,000 | 80 | -18% |
| Lafayette | $20,000 | 30 | -17% |
| Lake Charles | $21,000 | 50 | +131% |
| New Orleans | $21,000 | 340 | +142% |
| Shreveport | $23,000 | 130 | +182% |
Maryland
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltimore | $26,000 | 240 | -32% |
Massachusetts
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | $25,000 | 320 | -31% |
| Framingham | $23,000 | 50 | +20% |
| Haverhill | $20,000 | 30 | +50% |
| Lawrence | $26,000 | 40 | +183% |
| Springfield | $22,000 | 80 | +3% |
Michigan
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ann Arbor | $23,000 | 90 | +110% |
| Bay City | $20,000 | 50 | +590% |
Minnesota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | $20,000 | 300 | -37% |
| Rochester | $26,000 | 50 | +96% |
Missouri
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| St Louis | $27,000 | 390 | +9% |
Nebraska
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | $19,000 | 40 | -2% |
| Omaha | $25,000 | 50 | -60% |
New Jersey
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camden | $21,000 | 470 | +237% |
| Edison | $20,000 | 540 | +97% |
New Mexico
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque | $24,000 | 160 | +57% |
| Las Cruces | $40,000 | 30 | +96% |
New York
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albany | $21,000 | 80 | -33% |
| Buffalo | $21,000 | 200 | +36% |
| Elmira | $22,000 | 40 | +363% |
| Nassau | $26,000 | 380 | +12% |
| New York | $24,000 | 2,220 | +59% |
| Poughkeepsie | $22,000 | 70 | +9% |
| Rochester | $24,000 | 200 | +49% |
| Syracuse | $26,000 | 140 | +70% |
North Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville | $25,000 | 220 | +384% |
| Raleigh | $28,000 | 140 | +2% |
North Dakota
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fargo | $21,000 | 100 | +226% |
Ohio
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $22,000 | 750 | +177% |
| Cleveland | $18,000 | 280 | +2% |
| Columbus | $25,000 | 70 | -72% |
| Dayton | $23,000 | 150 | +49% |
| Toledo | $22,000 | 150 | +94% |
Oklahoma
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $18,000 | 100 | -35% |
Pennsylvania
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allentown | $24,000 | 230 | +152% |
| Harrisburg | $26,000 | 80 | -5% |
| Philadelphia | $24,000 | 590 | +15% |
| Pittsburgh | $27,000 | 660 | +115% |
| Reading | $22,000 | 30 | -30% |
| Scranton | $21,000 | 100 | +47% |
Rhode Island
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Providence | $21,000 | 290 | +96% |
South Carolina
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spartanburg | $22,000 | 30 | +4% |
Tennessee
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville | $21,000 | 70 | +267% |
| Johnson City | $22,000 | 100 | +475% |
| Kingsport | $21,000 | 100 | +228% |
| Knoxville | $21,000 | 130 | +48% |
| Memphis | $27,000 | 110 | -33% |
Texas
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | $23,000 | 240 | +14% |
| Corpus Christi | $23,000 | 50 | +9% |
| Dallas | $24,000 | 370 | -34% |
| Fort Worth | $21,000 | 80 | -65% |
| Houston | $23,000 | 540 | -23% |
| Killeen | $20,000 | 40 | +23% |
| Longview | $19,000 | 40 | +69% |
| San Antonio | $24,000 | 500 | +115% |
| Victoria | $22,000 | 30 | +170% |
Utah
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ogden | $24,000 | 50 | -3% |
| Salt Lake City | $22,000 | 70 | -57% |
Vermont
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington | $21,000 | 60 | +115% |
Virginia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg | $21,000 | 50 | +245% |
| Richmond | $23,000 | 120 | -27% |
| Roanoke | $23,000 | 110 | +177% |
| Virginia Beach | $20,000 | 270 | +34% |
Washington
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bellingham | $28,000 | 50 | +180% |
| Mount Vernon | $22,000 | 30 | +194% |
| Seattle | $26,000 | 230 | -39% |
| Tacoma | $28,000 | 40 | -42% |
| Yakima | $24,000 | 40 | +96% |
West Virginia
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston | $21,000 | 130 | +251% |
| Huntington | $19,000 | 70 | +146% |
| Morgantown | $21,000 | 30 | +140% |
| Parkersburg | $19,000 | 50 | +205% |
| Wheeling | $20,000 | 40 | +157% |
Wisconsin
| City and Area | Median Salary | Employees | Job Density |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green Bay | $18,000 | 50 | +16% |