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

Overview

Mississippi is home to more than 3,000 salaried pharmacy technicians. This means, around one percent of the nation’s 334,400 salaried technicians live in The Magnolia State. Aspiring pharmacy technicians still choose Mississippi for:

• The opportunity to work at renowned facilities such as Singing River Hospital, St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital, and the University of Mississippi Health Care (all high performing in multiple specialties)
• Access to more than 70 other outstanding hospitals
• Access to hundreds of competitive 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 Mississippi Pharmacy Technicians

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov), Mississippi is home to 3,480 salaried pharmacy technicians, earning an average salary of $25,300 per year. In 2006, Mississippi-based pharmacy technicians averaged $22,670, meaning, salaries have increased by $438 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 Mississippi pharmacy technicians can expect a fair amount of employment growth in the coming years. In 2006, the state was home to 2,340 pharmacy technicians. This means, the industry here added 1,140 new jobs since 2006, while other industries lost thousands of jobs. Overall, the pharmacy technician industry will experience a significant amount of growth between now and 2020. Employment is expected to grow by 32 percent, meaning the industry expects to add an impressive 108,300 new jobs.

Pharmacy Technician Career Opportunities in Mississippi

When it comes to employment opportunities for pharmacy technicians, the usual suspects are chain pharmacies and hospitals. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, other opportunities are available if you decide to take the road less traveled. Other options include computer systems design firms, scientific and technical consulting services, electronic shopping and mail-order houses, government departments (federal executive branch), hospitals, outpatient care centers, department stores, supermarkets, and academic institutions.

While pharmacy technicians are needed in many different environments, many entry-level pharmacy technicians still choose to work at large chain pharmacies or hospitals. Fortunately, Mississippi is home to hundreds of pharmacies (big and small) and dozens of hospitals. Some of the biggest chain (or most recognized) pharmacies in Mississippi are:

• Fred’s Pharmacy
• CVS
• Kroger Pharmacy
• Kmart Pharmacy
• Super D Drug Store
• Sam’s Club Pharmacy
• Rite Aid
• Target Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• Walmart Pharmacy
• Winn Dixie Pharmacy

Some of Mississippi’s largest hospitals/systems include:

• Singing River Hospital
• St. Dominic-Jackson Memorial Hospital
• University of Mississippi Health Care
• Memorial Hospital at Gulfport
• Baptist Memorial Hospital-Desoto
• Forrest General Hospital
• Jeff Anderson Regional Medical Center

Schools Offering Pharmacy Technician Training Programs Include: