Pharmacy Technician Salary in San Diego, CA
Pharmacy Technicians in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area earn a median $54,500 a year — 19% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $43,943 take-home, or $3,662 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median pharmacy technician salary in San Diego, CA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$4,360
- Social Security (6.2%)$3,379
- Medicare (1.45%)$790
- California income tax$1,319
- CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$709
- Take-home pay$43,943
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 6.00% state
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Pharmacy Technician pay by experience in San Diego, CA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,310 | $21.30 | $36,445 | $3,037 |
| 25th percentile | $47,920 | $23.04 | $39,136 | $3,261 |
| Median (50th) | $54,500 | $26.20 | $43,943 | $3,662 |
| 75th percentile | $66,750 | $32.09 | $52,793 | $4,399 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $81,190 | $39.03 | $61,571 | $5,131 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, California resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $54,500 buys in San Diego, CA
Prices in San Diego, CA are 11.9% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.79× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median pharmacy technician's $43,943 take-home pay has the buying power of $39,274 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 less concentrated in San Diego, CA than nationally (location quotient 0.77), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for pharmacy technicians, adjusted for cost of living
San Diego, CA ranks #15 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 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $54,500 | $43,943 | $39,274 |
*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 California
- Sacramento, CA — $58,470
- San Francisco, CA — $60,550
- Riverside, CA — $50,270
- Los Angeles, CA — $50,760
Frequently asked questions
How much does a pharmacy technician make in San Diego, CA?
The median pharmacy technician salary in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro area is $54,500 a year, or about $26.20 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $47,920 and $66,750.
What is a pharmacy technician’s take-home pay in San Diego, CA?
On the median $54,500 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $43,943 a year ($3,662 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,028 in California taxes in 2026.
Is San Diego, CA a good place to work as a pharmacy technician?
Pay here is 19% above the national median of $45,750. Local prices are 11.9% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $39,274 would in a typical U.S. city. San Diego, CA ranks #15 of 41 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a pharmacy technician afford rent in San Diego, CA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in San Diego, CA is $2,459 a month ($3,001 for two bedrooms) — 67% of a median pharmacy technician’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in San Diego, CA
- Physicians, All Other — $239,200+
- Pharmacist — $165,130
- Registered Nurse — $139,520
- Physical Therapist — $113,850
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $79,720
- Clinical Laboratory Technologist and Technician — $63,770