Pharmacy Technician Salary in Philadelphia, PA
Pharmacy Technicians in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area earn a median $44,880 a year — 2% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,863 take-home, or $3,072 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median pharmacy technician salary in Philadelphia, PA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,206
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,783
- Medicare (1.45%)$651
- Pennsylvania income tax$1,378
- Take-home pay$36,863
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.07% state
Living in Philadelphia? City residents also pay Philadelphia’s Resident Wage Tax — about $1,679 a year on this salary — which lowers take-home pay to $35,185 ($2,932 a month). Choose “Philadelphia” under City income tax in the calculator. Suburban residents usually don’t pay it.
The Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro spans Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Pharmacy Technician pay by experience in Philadelphia, PA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,360 | $17.00 | $29,506 | $2,459 |
| 25th percentile | $36,300 | $17.45 | $30,233 | $2,519 |
| Median (50th) | $44,880 | $21.58 | $36,863 | $3,072 |
| 75th percentile | $48,170 | $23.16 | $39,406 | $3,284 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $55,890 | $26.87 | $45,372 | $3,781 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Pennsylvania resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $44,880 buys in Philadelphia, PA
Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 2.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.13× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median pharmacy technician's $36,863 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,945 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Pharmacy Technician jobs are about as common in Philadelphia, PA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.03).
Best-paying cities for pharmacy technicians, adjusted for cost of living
Philadelphia, PA ranks #33 of 41 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $61,320 | $51,451 | $46,296 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $58,470 | $46,843 | $43,914 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $58,590 | $44,960 | $42,648 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $47,050 | $39,985 | $42,215 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $60,550 | $48,362 | $41,831 |
| 6 | Austin, TX | $47,010 | $39,953 | $40,740 |
| 7 | Nashville, TN | $45,950 | $39,101 | $40,587 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $45,360 | $37,432 | $40,448 |
| 33 | Philadelphia, PA | $44,880 | $36,863 | $35,945 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 41 metros →
About the job: pharmacy technicians
Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
- Typical education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +6.4% (faster than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Pharmacy Technician salaries elsewhere in Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh, PA — $41,780
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pharmacy technician make in Philadelphia, PA?
The median pharmacy technician salary in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area is $44,880 a year, or about $21.58 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $36,300 and $48,170.
What is a pharmacy technician’s take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA?
On the median $44,880 salary, a single filer living in Pennsylvania takes home about $36,863 a year ($3,072 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,378 in Pennsylvania taxes in 2026.
Is Philadelphia, PA a good place to work as a pharmacy technician?
Pay here is 2% below the national median of $45,750. Local prices are 2.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,945 would in a typical U.S. city. Philadelphia, PA ranks #33 of 41 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a pharmacy technician afford rent in Philadelphia, PA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Philadelphia, PA is $1,520 a month ($1,810 for two bedrooms) — 49% of a median pharmacy technician’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Philadelphia, PA
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Dentists, General — $163,390
- Pharmacist — $148,740
- Nurse Practitioner — $135,700
- Physician Assistant — $135,640
- Physical Therapist — $105,790
- Occupational Therapist — $103,140
- Registered Nurse — $101,180
- Dental Hygienist — $100,820
- Speech-Language Pathologist — $100,080
- Respiratory Therapist — $88,790
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician — $80,190