Pharmacy Technicians Salary
The median pay for a pharmacy technicians in Tennessee is $41,920/year ($20.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $46,692 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,215/month, about 40.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $42K get you in Tennessee?
About pharmacy technicians
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Pharmacy technicians pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $46K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,215/month, which is 40.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level pharmacy technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $20K spread from bottom to top.
Pharmacy Technicians salary by metro in Tennessee
10 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $46K | +10% | 3,340 |
| Memphis | $45K | +8% | 2,090 |
| Clarksville | $42K | +1% | 370 |
| Chattanooga | $41K | -3% | 1,020 |
| Jackson | $39K | -7% | 310 |
| Johnson City | $38K | -8% | 460 |
| Knoxville | $38K | -9% | 1,500 |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $38K | -10% | 510 |
| Cleveland | $37K | -13% | 200 |
| Morristown | $37K | -13% | 240 |
Compare to other states
Track pharmacy technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 40.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for pharmacy technicians in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacy technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,133/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $46K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for pharmacy technicians?
Tennessee pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $47K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in Tennessee?
The median is $41,920 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,550, and experienced pharmacy technicians can clear $55,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,977/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 40.8% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $46,692 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.