Best Pharmacy Technician Schools in North Carolina

If your goal is to become a qualified pharmacy technician in North Carolina, the minimum educational credential for pharmacy technician is a Certificate of Achievement. This usually takes the least amount to complete. From there you also have diploma programs which take between 9 months to 1 year to complete or the associates degree program which typically takes almost 2 years to complete and is the most thorough. If you have children or are currently working you can also complete your certification online.

Online pharmacy tech programs with grant aid may be available in the larger cities such as Charlotte, Raleigh or Durham - just ask about financial aid with the admissions office of your chosen school.

Upon completion of a training program students would be able to operate as a pharmacy technician in community pharmacies, hospitals, in-home health care setting, long term care facilities, mail service pharmacies and manage health care organizations as well as registration with the North Carolina Board of Pharmacy for licensing.

Furthermore technicians can further specialize in other areas (oncology or nuclear) to increase their chances of employment and higher earnings. Also read our related article: Walmart pharmacy technician job requirements for those that wish to remain in retail.

North Carolina Pharmacy Technician Certification Requirements

Certification is not required in NC for pharmacy techs although a national pharmacy technician certification such as the Pharmacy Technician Board Certificate (PTCB) or ExCPT will help increase your wages and further your career.

The completion of a formal or North Carolina Board of Pharmacy (NCBOP) approved pharmacy technician program will also equip you the knowledge to be able to sit and successfully pass the certification exam. As of 2018 the number of actively registered certified pharmacy technicians that resided in NC was 13,680. That is a high number considering there are 14,280 employed technicians working in the whole state (The Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2016).

North Carolina Pharmacy Technician Licence/Registration

In order to work as a pharmacy tech in NC, registration and licensing is required. The applicant needs to provide evidence of a completed high school diploma or equivalent and must also undergo a pharmacy technology training program either through an employer or by attending a college-based training program.

For information on the registration process you can contact: North Carolina Board of Pharmacy.

How Much Does a Pharmacy Technician Make in North Carolina?

The *average North Carolina pharmacy technician salary stands at *$14.48 per hour or $30,890 a year (The Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2018). If you are an entry level pharmacy technician in NC expect an average salary of between $28,921 - $35,572 whilst an experienced and/or certified pharmacy tech can earn upwards of $41,431 depending on the years of service and work setting. If you are looking to change or start a new career with a decent salary and opportunities for job-growth the pharmacy technician career is very appealing especially since you could be up and running in as little as nine-months.

*Figures courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Employment & Wages database.

Other recommended sources:
http://www.nabp.net/programs/cpe-monitor/cpe-monitor-service/technicians
http://www.ptcb.org/
http://www.bls.gov/careeroutlook/

Other school guides and locations in NC:

Pharmacy Technician Schools in Charlotte, NC