Pharmacy Technicians Salary
The median pay for a pharmacy technicians in Trenton-Princeton, NJ is $38,100/year ($18.32/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $57K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 103.18), that's roughly $36,926 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,950/month, about 74.1% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Trenton-Princeton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Trenton-Princeton’s Regional Price Parity (103.18). 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 Trenton-Princeton
Pay for pharmacy technicians in Trenton-Princeton runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $46K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,950/month, which is 73.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 103.18) 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 Trenton-Princeton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $45K | $45K |
| Vineland | $37K | $39K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $45K | $40K |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $45K | $44K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Trenton-Princeton, NJ
Entry-level pharmacy technicians (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $57K or more, a $21K 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 Trenton-Princeton numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a pharmacy technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Trenton-Princeton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 73.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,950/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 Trenton-Princeton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new pharmacy technicians typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,135/month. At HUD’s $1,950/month FMR, rent would take 91% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $38K here vs. $46K nationally.
How does Trenton-Princeton compare to the national average for pharmacy technicians?
Trenton-Princeton pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $46K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 103.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — below the national median.
How much do pharmacy technicians make in Trenton-Princeton, NJ?
The median is $38,100 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,590, and experienced pharmacy technicians can clear $56,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Trenton-Princeton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,667/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,950/month, which eats 73.1% 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 Trenton-Princeton?
Trenton-Princeton has a Regional Price Parity of 103.18 (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 $36,926 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.