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

Overview

Alabama is home to more than 6,000 salaried pharmacy technicians. This means, nearly 2  percent of the nation’s 334,400 salaried technicians live in The Yellowhammer State. Aspiring pharmacy technicians choose Alabama for:

• The opportunity to work at renowned facilities such as Baptist Medical Center East, Children’s Hospital of Alabama, and Brookwood Medical Center (all nationally ranked and/or high performing in multiple specialties)
• Access to more than 100 other outstanding hospitals and one of the largest collections of health care facilities in the country
• 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 Alabama Pharmacy Technicians

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov), Alabama is home to 6,420 salaried pharmacy technicians, earning an average salary of $25,220 per year. In 2006, Alabama-based pharmacy technicians averaged $22,670, meaning, salaries have increased by $400+ 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 Alabama pharmacy technicians can expect a fair amount of employment growth in the coming years. In 2006, the state was home to 5,810 pharmacy technicians. This means, the industry here added 610 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 Alabama

Most Alabama pharmacy technicians work at chain pharmacies and hospitals. However, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities in other environments do exist. Computer systems design firms, scientific and technical consulting services, electronic shopping and mail-order houses, government departments (federal executive branch), hospitals, outpatient care centers, small independent drug stores, department stores, supermarkets, and academic institutions are other options.

While pharmacy technician skills are needed in a wide variety of environments, many entry-level pharmacy technicians still choose to work at chain pharmacies or hospitals. Fortunately, Alabama is home to hundreds of chain pharmacies and dozens of renowned medical facilities. Some of the biggest chain (or most recognized) pharmacies in Alabama are:

• Bruno’s Pharmacy
• CVS
• Harbin Pharmacy
• Kmart Pharmacy
• Payless Pharmacy
• Publix Pharmacy
• Rite Aid
• Target Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• Walmart Pharmacy
• Winn Dixie Pharmacy

Some of Alabama’s largest hospitals/systems include:

• Baptist Medical Center East
• Brookwood Medical Center
• Children’s Hospital of Alabama
• DCH Regional Medical Center
• HealthSouth Lakeshore Rehabilitation Hospital
• High Point Regional Hospital
• Huntsville Hospital
• Medical Center Enterprise
• Northport Medical Center
• Princeton Baptist Medical Center
• Riverview Regional Medical Center
• Southeast Alabama Medical Center
• University of South Alabama Medical Center
• Walker Baptist Medical Center

Schools Offering Pharmacy Technician Training Programs Include: