As you delve into the occupation of pharmacy technician while living in Arizona, consider where to train for this career.
Pharmacy technicians must train at a reputable school or in an online program that is accredited to be eligible for some certifications.
Learn about the best schools to study to become a pharmacist technician.
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Licensing Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Arizona
To become a pharmacy technician in Arizona, hopefuls must provide proof they are a certified pharmacy technician or CPhT.
This is available through the completion of a training program that includes classroom instruction and clinical practice in the healthcare setting.
Students who graduate from a program and successfully pass a nationally recognized board exam for pharmacy technician will then be eligible to be licensed in the state of Arizona.
The most common board exam for pharmacy techs in Arizona is the Pharmacist Technician Certification Examination (PTCE) exam.
The application for a pharmacy technician trainee license by the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy costs $50.
Applicants must submit several documents to be eligible to apply.
Once a pharmacist technician has received licensing, they will need to complete 20 hours of continuing education hours and renew every two years.
5 Pharmacy Technician Schools in Arizona
Arizona College
At the Arizona College of Nursing at Arizona College, you have the opportunity to train as a pharmacist technician in two locations.
There are Glendale and Mesa, AZ campuses for students in this program.
This program leads to graduates becoming certified pharmacy technicians.
The time frame for completing the Arizona College program is eight months, which is three-quarters of school or 34 weeks.
Tuition information is not provided online.
Maricopa Community Colleges
The Maricopa Community Colleges (MCC) offers a pharmacy technician program Certificate of Competency (CCT).
This requires students to complete 200 hours of an externship along with in-class coursework applying entry-level pharmacy procedures.
A total of 618 clock hours are required for students to graduate with this certificate from MCC.
The cost for tuition starts at $85 a credit hour for students who reside in Maricopa County, up to $472 per credit hour for out-of-county residents.
Arizona’s Virtual Pharmacy Tech School
At Arizona’s Virtual Pharmacy Tech School, students earn a pharmacy technician diploma in 21 weeks.
This is achieved in 682 hours of coursework, and the program is WIOA-approved.
The cost is $3,835 for in-state and out-of-state residents who apply to the school.
This includes $3,000 in tuition and $400 for books, as well as additional expenses.
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science
The Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science provides pharmacist technician training in four states, including Arizona.
The training is a 20-week-long program hosted in Phoenix and Scottsdale, AZ.
Following this three-month program, students complete two months of clinical rotations.
Applicants must apply in the fall or spring, and program sessions begin every January and July.
There is no cost for tuition, but fees for books, supplies, and exams are almost $400.
Students in Arizona also have to pay an additional $60 for the Arizona State Board of Pharmacy licensure.
Carrington Community College
At Carrington Community College, students can apply to the pharmacy technician certification program.
This program is available to students 18 and older with a GED or high school diploma.
The school has four campuses in Arizona–Tucson, Glendale, Phoenix, and Mesa.
The training program for pharmacy technicians leads to a certificate of completion.
The cost is not disclosed for the program, but the time frame is just nine months.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in Arizona
Top 5 Schools in Arizona
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Arizona College | 2510 W Dunlap Ave, Suite 290 Phoenix, AZ 85021 |
| Maricopa Community Colleges | 2411 W 14th St, Tempe, AZ 85281 |
| Arizona’s Virtual Pharmacy Tech School | 14001 N 7th St Phoenix, AZ 85022 |
| Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science | 13400 E. Shea Blvd. Scottsdale 85259 |
| Carrington Community College | 2149 W Dunlap Ave #103, Phoenix, AZ 85021 |
Pharmacy Technician Salary in Arizona
The salary for a pharmacy technician in the city of Sun City, Arizona is $36,700 as the median.
The range is stretched from $29,822 to $44,724 a year.
Compare this to Phoenix, AZ where the median pay is almost the same at $36,800 a year for a pharmacist technician.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Pharmacy Technicians in Arizona
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Phoenix | $36,800 |
| Tucson | $35,000 |
| Mesa | $36,800 |
| Glendale | $36,800 |
| Scottsdale | $36,800 |
| Chandler | $36,800 |
| Tempe | $36,800 |
| Gilbert | $36,800 |
| Peoria | $36,700 |
| Yuma | $38,200 |
Regional Salary in Arizona
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flagstaff, AZ | 130 | $46,390 | $22.3 | $57,490 | $36,750 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | 200 | $42,380 | $20.38 | $48,240 | $35,370 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ | 8,240 | $45,580 | $21.92 | $57,260 | $35,630 |
| Prescott, AZ | 220 | $45,100 | $21.68 | $58,350 | $35,380 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | 130 | $43,290 | $20.81 | $51,650 | $35,880 |
| Tucson, AZ | 1,350 | $45,430 | $21.84 | $57,670 | $36,970 |
| Yuma, AZ | 170 | $43,390 | $20.86 | $50,270 | $35,360 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do pharmacy technicians in Arizona have to go to train at a college or school?
Technically, you do not have to get formal training to be a pharmacy tech in Arizona.
However, you will be expected to have formal training if only to be able to pass the state board exam, i.e., PTCB or ExCPT for pharmacy technicians.
These boards require applicants to have proof of training, and to prove they have completed clinical rotations, in order to take the national exam.
Therefore, you do have to have training at a college or school in Arizona if you want to work as a pharmacy technician.
What is the cost to apply for a pharmacy technician license in Arizona?
The cost to apply for a pharmacy technician license in Arizona is $82.
How long does it take most people to become a pharmacy tech in AZ?
The time frame for becoming a pharmacy technician in AZ is anywhere from two months to two years.
This varies based on the type of training and the certificate, diploma, or degree resulting from the program.
However, students in training must have 100 to 750 contact hours to be eligible for the Arizona Board of Pharmacy to get a license.
This will best determine how long it will take a pharmacy technician to be fully certified and licensed to work in the healthcare industry in AZ.
