Pharmacy Technicians Salary
The median pay for a pharmacy technicians in State College, PA is $37,400/year ($17.98/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 96.76), that's roughly $38,652 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,406/month, about 54.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in State College?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by State College’s Regional Price Parity (96.76). 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 State College
Pay for pharmacy technicians in State College runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,406/month, which is 54.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 96.76) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for pharmacy technicianss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for pharmacy technicians in metros near State College, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $45K | $44K |
| Pittsburgh | $42K | $44K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $38K | $39K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $36K | $39K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, State College, PA
Entry-level pharmacy technicians (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $14K 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 State College numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in State College?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 54.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,406/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacy technicians in State College?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacy technicians typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,043/month. At HUD’s $1,406/month FMR, rent would take 69% 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 State College?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $37K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does State College compare to the national average for pharmacy technicians?
State College pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 96.76), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in State College, PA?
The median is $37,400 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,050, and experienced pharmacy technicians can clear $47,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in State College?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,578/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,406/month, which eats 54.5% 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 State College?
State College has a Regional Price Parity of 96.76 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median pharmacy technicians salary is worth about $38,652 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.