Salary · CA · SOC 29-2052

Pharmacy Technician (Pharmacy Tech) salary in California, per year and per hour

BLS data for May 2025. Median, mean, and percentile pay for pharmacy technicians in California, with every metro area BLS publishes.

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, released May 15, 2026. Publisher page

Quick answer

The median pay for pharmacy technicians in California was $55,110 a year, or $26.50 an hour, in May 2025 (BLS). The middle 80% earned $42,850 to $81,190. About 39,860 were employed.

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Pharmacy Technician pay in California vs the US

Pharmacy Technician wages in California and the US, May 2025
Measure	CA annual	CA hourly	US annual
Median (50th percentile)	$55,110	$26.50	$45,750
Mean (average)	$58,330	$28.04	$46,620
10th percentile	$42,850	$20.60	$36,020
25th percentile	$46,430	$22.32	$37,850
75th percentile	$65,590	$31.53	$49,990
90th percentile	$81,190	$39.03	$61,040

Employment in California: 39,860. Location quotient: 0.72 (1.0 = the national share of jobs).

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

Pharmacy Technician salary by metro area in California

Pharmacy Technician median wage by metro area, California
Metro area	Median annual	Median hourly	Employed
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	$50,760	$24.40	13,130
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA	$50,270	$24.17	4,630
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$60,550	$29.11	4,040
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$54,500	$26.20	3,600
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA	$58,470	$28.11	2,820
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$75,490	$36.29	1,780
Fresno, CA	$52,210	$25.10	1,320
Bakersfield-Delano, CA	$48,110	$23.13	870
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA	$50,720	$24.38	720
Stockton-Lodi, CA	$52,160	$25.08	680
Modesto, CA	$50,540	$24.30	480
Vallejo, CA	$58,670	$28.21	440
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$56,580	$27.20	420
Visalia, CA	$48,870	$23.50	420
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$61,800	$29.71	370
Salinas, CA	$57,180	$27.49	360
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA	$56,530	$27.18	320
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$50,100	$24.09	260
Chico, CA	$56,320	$27.08	220
Redding, CA	$52,860	$25.41	220
Hanford-Corcoran, CA	$50,060	$24.07	200
Napa, CA	$77,360	$37.19	200
Yuba City, CA	$56,160	$27.00	190
Merced, CA	$48,680	$23.40	170
El Centro, CA	$51,130	$24.58	160

Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Publisher page

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Pharmacy Technician salary in California

Median pay: $55,110 a year ($26.50 an hour)

Middle 80% earn $42,850 to $81,190 a year

Employed: 39,860

BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: Rivvi

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<div style="font:14px/1.45 system-ui,sans-serif;color:#222;border:1px solid #E6E6EE;border-radius:12px;padding:14px 16px;max-width:360px;background:#fff"><div style="font-weight:600;font-size:15px;margin-bottom:6px">Pharmacy Technician salary in California</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Median pay: <strong>$55,110</strong> a year ($26.50 an hour)</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Middle 80% earn $42,850 to $81,190 a year</div><div style="margin:2px 0">Employed: 39,860</div><div style="margin-top:8px;font-size:12px;color:#555">BLS OEWS, May 2025. Source: <a href="https://rivvi.ai/salary/pharmacy-technician/ca" style="color:#3C38C9">Rivvi</a></div></div>

Questions

How much does a Pharmacy Tech make per hour in California?

The median hourly wage was $26.50 in May 2025, per BLS. The 10th percentile was $20.60 and the 90th was $39.03.

What is the average Pharmacy Tech salary in California?

BLS reports a mean (average) of $58,330 a year and a median of $55,110 for May 2025. The median is the middle wage; the mean is pulled up by the highest earners.

Do pharmacy technicians in California earn more than the US median?

The California median of $55,110 is 20% higher than the US median of $45,750 (BLS, May 2025).

How does California rank for pharmacy technician pay?

California ranks 2 of 51 states (plus DC) by median annual wage for pharmacy technicians (BLS, May 2025).

Where do these numbers come from?

The BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey, May 2025 estimates, SOC 29-2052. Figures BLS did not publish are left out.