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

Overview

Missouri is home to more than 9,000 salaried pharmacy technicians. This means, around 2.7 percent of the nation’s 334,400 salaried technicians live in The Show Me State. Aspiring pharmacy technicians choose Missouri for:

• The opportunity to work at renowned facilities such as Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University, Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, and St. Louis University Hospital (all nationally ranked in multiple specialties)
• Access to more than 90 other outstanding hospitals
• Access to hundreds of top rated health care and pharmacy technician training programs
• Employment: Missouri is number five on the list of top states with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients for pharmacy technicians

Employment and Salary Trends for Missouri Pharmacy Technicians

According the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS.gov), Missouri is home to 9,210 salaried pharmacy technicians. They average $26,980 per year and salaries are on the rise. In 2006, the average salary for Missouri pharmacy technicians was $23,140. This means, salaries increased by around $640 per year between 2006 and today. 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 Missouri pharmacy technicians can expect a fair amount of employment growth in the coming years. In 2006, the state was home to 7,910 pharmacy technicians. This means, the industry here added 1,300 new jobs between 2006 and today. Overall, the pharmacy technician industry will experience a significant amount of growth between now and 2020. The Bureau predicts a 32 percent increase in employment growth, meaning, pharmacy technicians can expect 108,300 new jobs between now and 2020.

In addition to being number five on the list of top states with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients for pharmacy technicians, the Columbia metropolitan area is number seven on the list of top ten metro areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients for pharmacy technicians.

Pharmacy Technician Career Opportunities in Missouri

When it comes to employment options for pharmacy technicians, the usual suspects are large chain pharmacies and health & personal care stores. But did you know that pharmacy technicians have many other options? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, pharmacy technicians work at hospitals, outpatient care centers, academic institutions, computer systems design firms, and management, scientific, and technical consulting services. Other options include electronic shopping and mail-order houses, government departments (federal executive branch), independent drug stores, grocery stores, and even department stores.

Aspiring pharmacy technicians will find a large number of businesses, companies, and organizations in these areas, so check with your career center or counselor to find out about alternative opportunities in these areas. Otherwise, some of the most popular chains in the state are:

• CVS
• Schnuck’s Pharmacy
• Shop’n Save Pharmacy
• Target Pharmacy
• The Medicine Shoppe Pharmacy
• Walgreens
• Walmart

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

• Barnes-Jewish Hospital/Washington University
• Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics
• St. Louis University Hospital
• Columbia Regional Hospital
• Missouri Baptist Medical Center
• St. Luke’s Hospital
• Freeman Hospital
• St. Louis Children’s Hospital
• SSM DePaul Health Center
• Christian Hospital

Schools Offering Pharmacy Technician Training Programs Include: