No matter what’s going on in the world, people will always need their medicine.
Unfortunately, getting a doctorate to become a pharmacist isn’t always an option for everyone.
That doesn’t mean there’s not a place for you behind the counter.
A pharmacy technician is a health care worker who works with a pharmacist to ensure all patients get what they need.
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Licensing Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Texas
In order to qualify as a pharmacy tech, you will need to be nationally certified through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or pass the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).
After getting certified, pharmacy techs are required to go through continuing education, as stipulated by the Texas State Board of Pharmacy.
5 Pharmacy Technician Schools in Texas
Before you head out to enroll, potential students need to have successfully completed high school or obtained a GED.
Additionally, no one can enter the program with felonies on their record.
1. University of Texas at Arlington
Located just outside of Dallas, UTA offers a four-month course twice a year.
Classes are in person on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 to 10 pm.
Upon graduation, students will know everything from dispensing medicine to assessing orders.
Also, a whole lot in between.
Passing leads to sitting for the certification exam.
To complete the course, students will also undergo an externship.
The cost of the program is $4,500 and includes textbooks, scrubs, and CPR certification.
The exam fee of $129 is separate from tuition.
2. University of Texas at San Antonio
UTSA has a pharmacy tech course that can be taken online.
At the end of the course, students will need to complete an externship in order to pass successfully.
The school sets up the externship with a national chain partner.
From the time a student signs up, they have up to a year to finish.
Instructors include a certified pharmacy tech of over two decades and a pharmacist.
It costs $2,495 to get a pharmacy technician certificate from UTSA.
3. South Texas College
There are six locations across southern Texas where STC offers classes.
Students graduate from the program with an Associate of Applied Science degree.
This is a two-year program that starts in the fall and continues through the spring and summer of the following year.
After that, another fall and spring semester before graduation.
Basically, five semesters in total.
Classes are in person and online.
This is a much deeper look at what it takes to be a pharmacy tech because another large component is pharmacy technology. Tuition is $14,258.
4. Vista College
This six-semester program in San Antonio gives students practical experience mixed with a lengthy education specific to everything pharmaceutical.
Not only will a graduate be comfortable in a local pharmacy, but also one in a hospital.
Students will graduate with an associate’s degree in pharmacy technology.
Vista College’s program is accredited by the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP).
From start to finish, this program costs around $10,300.
In Corsicana, Navarro College is looking to try something new for some of its certification programs.
They are trying to make it easier for prospective students in the community to get through the processes as quickly as possible.
That way, it’s quicker to get started in a career.
So they came up with Fast Track Career programs.
Pharmacy tech certifications are meant to make the student comfortable with packaging, math applications, dosages, inventory, and the retail environment.
The tuition for the program is $2,750.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in Texas
Top 5 Schools in Texas
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| University of Texas at Arlington | 701 S Nedderman Dr, Arlington, TX 76019 |
| University of Texas at San Antonio | 1 UTSA Circle, San Antonio, TX 78249 |
| South Texas College | 3201 Pecan Blvd, McAllen, TX 78501 |
| Vista College | 6101 Montana Ave, El Paso, TX 79925 |
| Navarro College | 3200 W 7th Ave, Corsicana, TX 75110 |
Pharmacy Technician Salary in Texas
In the state of Texas, the median salary for a pharmacy technician is $36,600.
Depending on where you live, the average pay may fluctuate.
Between location and experience, the pay range for pharmacy techs starts at $30,000 and goes up to $45,000.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Pharmacy Technicians in Texas
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Houston | $38,200 |
| Dallas | $37,000 |
| San Antonio | $36,200 |
| Austin | $36,700 |
| El Paso | $32,600 |
| Fort Worth | $36,300 |
| Arlington | $36,300 |
| Corpus Christi | $35,000 |
| Plano | $36,900 |
| Garland | $36,900 |
Regional Salary in Texas
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | 260 | $40,450 | $19.45 | $49,640 | $31,980 |
| Amarillo, TX | 470 | $40,130 | $19.29 | $48,990 | $31,580 |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | 2,810 | $45,280 | $21.77 | $56,490 | $37,330 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 540 | $40,620 | $19.53 | $50,320 | $33,830 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | 420 | $38,860 | $18.69 | $49,770 | $29,860 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 430 | $41,420 | $19.92 | $49,920 | $33,790 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 560 | $41,630 | $20.01 | $52,410 | $33,800 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 11,860 | $43,060 | $20.7 | $51,650 | $34,630 |
| El Paso, TX | 1,180 | $38,580 | $18.55 | $48,670 | $29,790 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 9,030 | $45,550 | $21.9 | $53,790 | $35,470 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | 500 | $44,270 | $21.28 | $55,310 | $33,680 |
| Laredo, TX | 210 | $39,180 | $18.84 | $49,310 | $29,880 |
| Longview, TX | 260 | $39,170 | $18.83 | $47,480 | $31,160 |
| Lubbock, TX | 570 | $39,420 | $18.95 | $48,300 | $30,780 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | 1,040 | $37,140 | $17.86 | $46,620 | $29,690 |
| Midland, TX | 170 | $44,890 | $21.58 | $57,040 | $35,920 |
| Odessa, TX | 180 | $42,810 | $20.58 | $56,110 | $35,180 |
| San Angelo, TX | 140 | $40,680 | $19.56 | $50,300 | $31,500 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | 3,170 | $44,430 | $21.36 | $54,970 | $36,330 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | 170 | $39,930 | $19.2 | $46,280 | $33,050 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | 180 | $38,860 | $18.69 | $47,970 | $30,750 |
| Tyler, TX | 460 | $39,890 | $19.18 | $49,210 | $31,460 |
| Victoria, TX | 140 | $40,830 | $19.63 | $47,580 | $31,870 |
| Waco, TX | 280 | $42,180 | $20.28 | $55,780 | $31,730 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | 220 | $40,270 | $19.36 | $52,690 | $30,540 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a pharmacy technician do?
Typically, a pharmacy tech is the pharmacist’s right-hand person.
The technician is the person that is at the front counter when patients arrive.
A pharmacy tech should be computer savvy, as they will be using the system a lot to do things such as looking up prescriptions and entering info about the patient.
They are often the ones who reach out to a doctor’s office and make sure the patient has access to the pharmacist if they need it.
Should I be a pharmacy technician before becoming a pharmacist?
It can be quite beneficial for a pharmacy student to get familiar with life behind the counter before graduating.
Being a technician first will provide an experience that education can’t teach.
This will also be a way to have a leg up in the industry, so getting a job will be easier.
How do you move up the career ladder as a pharmacy technician?
After years of working as a tech in a pharmacy, the next step up would come with a managerial component.
A pharmacy technician could go on to be a department supervisor or become a clinical technician, which would take them out of the pharmacy.
It’s also a great way to segue into other healthcare positions.
