Pharmacy Technician Employment & Salary Trends, and Career Opportunities in Colorado

Overview

Colorado is home to more than 4,000 salaried pharmacy technicians. This means, roughly 1.2 percent of the nation’s 334,400 salaried technicians live in The Centennial State. Aspiring pharmacy technicians choose Colorado for:

• The opportunity to work at renowned facilities such as Children’s Hospital, Craig Hospital of Colorado, Exempla St. Joseph Hospital, and Medical Center of Aurora (all nationally ranked and/or high performing in multiple specialty areas)
• Access to more than 50 other outstanding hospitals
• Access to hundreds of quality health care and pharmacy technician training programs
• Employment and salary growth: Employment and salary growth have been on the rise since 2006

Employment and Salary Trends for Colorado Pharmacy Technicians

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov), Colorado is home to 4,310 salaried pharmacy technicians. They average $31,580 per year. In 2006, Colorado-based pharmacy technicians averaged $29,780. This means salaries here have increased by $300 each year, since 2006. Across the nation, pharmacy technicians average around $28,400 per year, with the top ten percent averaging $41,880 and the bottom ten percent earning $20,310 per year.

In addition to salary growth, aspiring Colorado pharmacy technicians can expect a fair amount of employment growth in the coming years. In 2006, the state was home to 3,440 pharmacy technicians. This means, the industry here added 870 new jobs between 2006 and today. Overall, the pharmacy technician industry will experience a significant amount of employment growth between now and 2020. The industry expects to add 108,300 new jobs, so employment is expected to grow by an impressive 32 percent.

Pharmacy Technician Career Opportunities in Colorado

Many pharmacy technicians choose to start out at a large chain pharmacy. But did you know that there are many other options outside of retail environments? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities also exist in education, technology (computer systems design firms), management, scientific and technical consulting services, government departments, clinics, and retirement and rehabilitation facilities. Hospitals and outpatient care centers also offer plenty of opportunities.

The state of Colorado is home to a wide variety of establishments in these areas, so check with your career center for details. Otherwise, some of the largest chains in the state include:

• CVS
• Kmart Pharmacy
• King Soopers Pharmacy
• Rite-Aid
• Sam’s Club Pharmacy
• Safeway Pharmacy
• Target Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• Walmart

Some of Colorado’s largest hospitals/hospital systems include:

• Children’s Hospital of Colorado
• Craig Hospital
• Denver Health Medical Center
• Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
• Exempla St. Joseph Hospital
• HealthOne Rose Medical Center
• Littleton Adventist Hospital
• Medical Center of Aurora
• Medical Center of the Rockies
• North Colorado Medical Center
• Porter Adventist Hospital
• Poudre Valley Hospital
• Presbyterian-St. Luke’s Medical Center
• St. Mary’s Hospital and Medical Center

Schools Offering Pharmacy Technician Training Programs Include: