How To Become a Pharmacy Technician: Training and Certification
You want a healthcare job you can train for in about a year, and pharmacy work appeals to you more than direct patient care. To become a pharmacy technician, you typically need a high school diploma, training through a program or on the job, and whatever registration or license your state requires; national certification through PTCB or NHA is required by some states and employers and may improve your job prospects elsewhere.
The order of those steps depends on your state, so start there. Facts below were checked on the official pages linked on November 10, 2026.
What Pharmacy Technicians Do
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook, pharmacy technicians help pharmacists fill prescriptions. They collect patient information, measure, package and label medications, manage inventory, process insurance claims and payments, and refer customers to the pharmacist. Under a pharmacist's supervision, they may compound some medications and, in many states, give vaccines.
The BLS figures:
| BLS measure | Pharmacy technicians |
|---|---|
| Typical entry education | High school diploma or equivalent |
| On-the-job training | Moderate-term (typically less than 1 year) |
| Median pay (May 2025) | $45,750 a year ($22.00 an hour) |
| Projected growth, 2025–35 | 6% (faster than average) |
| Openings per year | About 44,700 |
| Jobs in 2025 | About 471,200 |
| Main workplaces | Pharmacies and drug retailers (51%), hospitals (18%) |
Most work full time, part-time work is common, and the BLS notes that nights and weekends may be required. Pay varies by employer, state and experience.
Step 1: Look Up Your State's Rules First
The BLS says most states regulate pharmacy technicians, and requirements in those states may include a high school diploma, a formal education or training program, an exam, fees, continuing education, a criminal background check and a minimum age. Some states require certification; others ask only for registration with the board of pharmacy.
To find your state's rules, use the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) list of boards of pharmacy, which links each state board's website. PTCB also keeps a state regulations map and reminds technicians that it doesn't set state rules, so confirm with the board where you plan to work.
Write down four answers before choosing a program:
- Does the state require registration or a license before you can work, even as a trainee?
- Does it require national certification, and by when?
- Does it require a specific type of training program?
- Does it require a background check, a minimum age or continuing education?
Step 2: Choose a Training Path
There are two broad routes. The BLS says some technicians learn on the job, with training that typically lasts less than a year. Others complete a postsecondary program, usually at a vocational school or community college. Many programs award a certificate after 1 year or less, and some run longer and lead to an associate degree. Coursework covers pharmacy arithmetic, recordkeeping, dispensing and pharmacy law and ethics.
| Path | Typical length (BLS) | Good fit if |
|---|---|---|
| On-the-job training | Less than 1 year | Your state allows it and an employer will train you |
| Certificate or diploma | 1 year or less | You want structured training and a faster start |
| Associate degree | Longer than 1 year | You want general education credits that may transfer toward a bachelor's |
Check accreditation and PTCB recognition
Pharmacy technician programs can be accredited by the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission, a collaboration between ASHP and ACPE. The ACPE pharmacy technician education page explains the partnership and links to the ASHP directory of accredited programs.
Separately, PTCB keeps a directory of PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Programs. This list matters because completing a recognized program is one of the two ways to qualify for the PTCB exam (Step 4). Before you enroll, look up the specific program in both directories and ask the school directly.
Step 3: Complete the Externship or Clinical Hours
The BLS says most pharmacy technician programs include clinical experience, often called an externship, where you work in a retail or hospital pharmacy under supervision. Even in an online program, this part is in person. Ask each school:
- How many externship hours are required?
- Does the school arrange the site, or do you?
- Can you complete it near where you live, and in retail, hospital or both?
- Does your state require you to register as a trainee before the externship starts?
Step 4: Get Certified Through PTCB or NHA
Two national organizations certify pharmacy technicians. Both use the CPhT title.
| Requirement | PTCB CPhT | NHA ExCPT (CPhT) |
|---|---|---|
| Education path | Complete a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program (or one within 60 days of applying), or a pharmacy degree | Complete a pharmacy technician training or education program within the last 5 years |
| Work experience path | At least 500 hours as a pharmacy technician, completed when you apply | 1 year of work with at least 1,200 hours of supervised pharmacy-related work in the last 3 years |
| Diploma | Not listed on the CPhT page | High school diploma or equivalent, or earning one within 12 months |
| Exam | PTCE: 90 multiple-choice questions, 1 hour 50 minutes | ExCPT exam; fee paid when you schedule |
| Fee | $129 (application and exam) | See the NHA candidate handbook |
| Renewal | Every 2 years | See NHA renewal requirements |
Sources: the PTCB CPhT page and the NHA pharmacy technician certification page. PTCB also requires full disclosure of criminal and state board actions and residence in the U.S. or its territories, and says its CPhT is accepted by regulators and employers in all 50 states. The PTCB recertification fee listed on its renewal requirements page is $55.
If your state names one certification, or your target employer prefers one, choose that. The BLS adds that employers may pay for the certification exam.
Step 5: Register With the State and Keep Your Credentials Current
Once you've passed the exam (if your state requires it), apply for registration or licensure with the state board of pharmacy, then track two renewal dates: the state's and the certifier's. With more training and experience, the BLS says technicians may move into specialties such as sterile compounding, nuclear pharmacy or medication history, or into training and supervisory roles.
Steps at a Glance
| Step | What you do | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Check state rules | Find registration, certification and training requirements | Your state board of pharmacy (via NABP) |
| 2. Choose training | On the job, certificate or associate degree | ASHP directory, PTCB recognized programs |
| 3. Finish the externship | Supervised hours in a pharmacy | The school's program handbook |
| 4. Get certified | PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT | ptcb.org, nhanow.com |
| 5. Register and renew | State registration or license, then renewals | Your state board, your certifier |
Pharmacy Technician Programs in the CollegeHub Directory
The CollegeHub directory currently lists four pharmacy technician programs at four schools:
- Associate degree, online: Pharmacy Technician Associate at Ultimate Medical Academy, with monthly start dates.
- Associate degree, hybrid: Pharmacy Technology at San Joaquin Valley College.
- Certificate, campus: Pharmacy Technology at Carrington College.
- Certificate, campus: Pharmacy Technician at UEI College.
The two certificates fit the BLS description of shorter programs; the two associate degrees take longer but add general education credits. If you choose the online associate degree, ask how and where the externship is arranged in your state. The directory records each school's institutional accreditation, not ASHP/ACPE accreditation or PTCB recognition, so check the program in those directories yourself. The directory also lists a bachelor's degree in pharmacology and toxicology at another school; that is a science degree, not pharmacy technician training.
Paying for Training
Federal aid can apply to eligible certificate and associate programs at accredited schools. Our guide to Pell Grants for healthcare certificates and associate degrees explains how to check whether a program qualifies. If you're still deciding between pharmacy and another short healthcare path, compare the steps in how to become a medical assistant, or start with how to choose a healthcare career that fits your goals.
Comparing pharmacy technician programs? Explore accredited pharmacy technician certificates and associate degrees at HealthDegrees.info.
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