The health care field is solid, especially for those without a full doctoral degree. Pharmacy degrees represent the best that the health care industry has to offer: advanced technology and social conscience combined in a single dynamic career.

Career Overview
Pharmacy technicians perform the day-today functions that keep a pharmacy active and profitable. Filling prescriptions, education patients on side effects and contraindications, and communicating with insurance carriers,...

The health care field is solid, especially for those without a full doctoral degree. Pharmacy degrees represent the best that the health care industry has to offer: advanced technology and social conscience combined in a single dynamic career.

Career Overview
Pharmacy technicians perform the day-today functions that keep a pharmacy active and profitable. Filling prescriptions, education patients on side effects and contraindications, and communicating with insurance carriers, to name a few. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that pharmacy technicians held around 285,000 positions in 2006. But explosive growth is in the forecast. Employment is projected to grow a robust 32% over the coming decade; that's much faster than the national average and one of the biggest expectations in the health care industry.

Employment Options
We all know the traditional hospital-based pharmacies hire technicians. But more off-site facilities and commercial establishments are adding pharmacies to their list of services, giving techs additional opportunities for employment. Day clinics and shopping centers are embracing the concept of a pharmacy department as an added benefit to their customers. O*Net OnLine lists some common professional titles for graduates of pharmacy schools include Pharmaceutical Care Associate and Certified Pharmacy Technician.

Earnings Potential
As it is with most health care service professions, hourly salary for technologists with pharmacy degrees vary by experience. According to Payscale, professionals just starting out in the profession earn almost $10 per hour. Those with twenty or more years behind the counter can earn over $15 per hour. Annual bonuses for quality work and reliability can range from over $100 to over $500 per year on average.

Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
O*Net OnLine
Payscale