Pharmacy Technicians Salary
The median pay for a pharmacy technicians in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA is $57,090/year ($27.45/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $73K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.67), that's roughly $55,069 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,960/month, about 49.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater’s Regional Price Parity (103.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About pharmacy technicians
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What this looks like in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater sits well above the national pay line for pharmacy technicians, local pay runs about 25% higher than the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,960/month, which is 49.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.67) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pharmacy technicians in metros near Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $61K | $55K |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley | $58K | $58K |
| Kennewick-Richland | $54K | $54K |
| Yakima | $51K | $54K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA
Entry-level pharmacy technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $73K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacy Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Pharmacy Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | $59K | +29% | 8,150 |
| California | $55K | +20% | 39,860 |
| Oregon | $55K | +20% | 4,320 |
| Alaska | $53K | +15% | 800 |
| Colorado | $50K | +9% | 6,010 |
| Montana | $49K | +8% | 1,340 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +6% | 7,340 |
| Wyoming | $48K | +5% | 600 |
| Utah | $48K | +5% | 5,030 |
| Nevada | $48K | +5% | 4,070 |
| Vermont | $48K | +5% | 760 |
| Arizona | $48K | +4% | 12,970 |
| North Dakota | $48K | +4% | 890 |
| District of Columbia | $47K | +4% | 1,130 |
| New Hampshire | $47K | +4% | 1,970 |
| Connecticut | $47K | +3% | 5,200 |
| Hawaii | $47K | +2% | 1,540 |
| Illinois | $47K | +2% | 21,340 |
| New Mexico | $47K | +2% | 2,550 |
| Nebraska | $47K | +2% | 2,660 |
| Massachusetts | $46K | +2% | 10,150 |
| Delaware | $46K | +1% | 1,480 |
| Idaho | $46K | +1% | 2,950 |
| South Dakota | $46K | +1% | 1,230 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +0% | 9,540 |
| Texas | $46K | +0% | 41,740 |
| Maine | $45K | -1% | 2,070 |
| Maryland | $45K | -1% | 7,990 |
| Iowa | $45K | -2% | 4,630 |
| Virginia | $45K | -2% | 10,720 |
| Indiana | $45K | -3% | 10,790 |
| North Carolina | $45K | -3% | 17,260 |
| Louisiana | $44K | -3% | 6,700 |
| Rhode Island | $44K | -3% | 1,540 |
| Michigan | $44K | -3% | 14,240 |
| New York | $44K | -4% | 24,400 |
| Florida | $44K | -5% | 38,460 |
| Kansas | $43K | -5% | 4,270 |
| South Carolina | $42K | -8% | 8,070 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -8% | 11,870 |
| Georgia | $42K | -8% | 14,680 |
| Ohio | $41K | -11% | 17,820 |
| Oklahoma | $41K | -11% | 5,500 |
| Missouri | $40K | -12% | 12,610 |
| Pennsylvania | $40K | -12% | 18,880 |
| New Jersey | $40K | -13% | 14,020 |
| Kentucky | $39K | -14% | 8,870 |
| Mississippi | $39K | -15% | 4,040 |
| Alabama | $39K | -15% | 8,510 |
| Arkansas | $39K | -15% | 4,560 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -16% | 3,560 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track pharmacy technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 49.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,960/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacy technicians in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacy technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,777/month. At HUD’s $1,960/month FMR, rent would take 71% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is pharmacy technician a high-paying job in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Local pay is 25% above the national median — $57K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater compare to the national average for pharmacy technicians?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s +25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA?
The median is $57,090 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,280, and experienced pharmacy technicians can clear $72,760. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,993/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,960/month, which eats 49.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a pharmacy technicians salary go in Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater?
Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater has a Regional Price Parity of 103.67 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median pharmacy technicians salary is worth about $55,069 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do pharmacy technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.