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

Overview

Louisiana is home to more than 5,000 salaried pharmacy technicians. This means, roughly 1.5 percent of the nation’s 334,400 salaried technicians live in The Pelican State. Aspiring pharmacy technicians choose Louisiana for:

• The opportunity to work at renowned facilities such as Ochsner Medical Center, Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, Rapides Regional Medical Center, and Willis-Knighton Medical Center (all nationally ranked and/or high performing in multiple specialties)
• Access to more than 110 other outstanding hospitals and one of the largest collections of health care facilities in the U.S.
• Access to hundreds of quality health care and pharmacy technician training programs
• Employment and salary growth: Employment and salary growth have increased at a steady pace since 2006

Employment and Salary Trends for Louisiana Pharmacy Technicians

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov), Louisiana is home to 5,220 salaried pharmacy technicians. They average $28,450 per year. In 2006, Louisiana-based pharmacy technicians averaged $23,800. This means salaries here have increased by an impressive $775 each year. 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 Louisiana pharmacy technicians can expect a fair amount of employment growth in the coming years. In 2006, the state was home to 3,840 pharmacy technicians. This means, the industry here added 1,380 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 Louisiana

Chain pharmacies and hospitals are the largest employers of pharmacy technicians. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are not the only places pharmacy technicians may find employment. Pharmacy technicians may teach or they may work in the technology sector (computer systems design firms), in management, or scientific and technical consulting services. Outpatient care centers, retirement homes, rehabilitation facilities, clinics, grocery stores, department stores, electronic shopping and mail-order houses, and even government departments are other options.

The state of Louisiana is home to a wide variety of establishments in these areas, but if you’re interested in starting at a chain pharmacy or a hospital, some of the largest chains in the state include:

• CVS
• Carr Drugs
• Kmart Pharmacy
• Rite-Aid
• Sam’s Club Pharmacy
• Target Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• Walmart
• Winn-Dixie Pharmacies

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

• Christus St. Frances Hospital
• Earl K. Long Medical Center
• East Jefferson General Hospital
• LSU Medical Center-University Hospital
• Medical Center of Louisiana
• Ochsner Medical Center
• Our Lady of Lake Regional Medical Center
• Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Center
• Rapides Regional Medical Center
• St. Francis Medical Center
• Touro Infirmary
• Tulane University Hospital and Clinic
• Willis-Knighton Medical Center

Schools Offering Pharmacy Technician Training Programs Include: