Pharmacy Technician Programs in Columbus, OH

The medical field in the US is one that keeps growing, and while working in it is challenging, but interesting and often lucrative, not everyone wants to spend years in school to do so. For those people the expanding field of pharmacy technology may be an excellent career choice.

While it is not the case for all states, the State of Ohio requires that pharmacy technicians be certified, becoming so by passing either the PTCE or the ExCPT pharmacy technician certification exam. 

There were 12,106 actively certified pharmacy technicians with the PTCB by end of 2019 in Ohio state.

To gain certification students must attend a suitable education program that will give them the knowledge and practical experience needed to do so. That's where pharmacy technician schools come in.

Featured Pharmacy Tech Schools in Columbus

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Statistics

Columbus vs Ohio Pharmacy Technicians Employment

Columbus is the state capital of Ohio and its most populous city. According to figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the 16,470 people who worked as pharmacy technicians in Ohio in 2019, 2,700 of them lived in Columbus.

Columbus

OHio

2,700
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16,470
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Pharmacy Techs employed in Columbus, OH represents 32% of all PT's employed in the state of Ohio (2019, BLS) 

Total Pharmacy Technicians employed in Ohio state (2019, BLS)

Salary for Pharmacy Technicians in Columbus, OH

Pharmacy technicians in Columbus can expect to command a mean hourly wage of $15.85. Starting salaries for brand-new techs may go as low as $10.89 in the 10th percentile, but that figure rises to $22.13 in the 90th percentile.

Pharmacy Technician Annual Wages in Columbus, Ohio
(BLS Data May 2019)

10th Percentile

$22,640

25th Percentile

$26,240

50th Percentile

$30,790

75th Percentile

$37,470

90th Percentile

$46,040

Pharmacy Technician Schools in Columbus, OH

2

Many of Columbus' pharmacy technicians are graduates of the 2 accredited pharmacy technician schools in the city.

As large as the city of Columbus is, there are only two schools in the city itself that offer approved pharmacy technician programs. Here we will take a look at them both to see how they compare.

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Address: 50 East Spring St., Columbus, OH 43215 | Phone: (614) 287-5353

Columbus State Community College prides itself on offering affordable education to the residents of Central Ohio. To accommodate those who wish to become a pharmacy technician it offers a well-respected Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program.

Columbus State Community College Pharmacy Technician Certificate

For a growing number of buckeyes, the road to a pharmacy technician career starts at Columbus State.

Program Costs and Admissions Requirements

There are no formal educational requirements other than a high school diploma or a GED required to enter the Pharmacy Technician certification program. There are however regulatory requirements that include taking and passing drug and criminal background checks and the completion of a BLS CPR certificate.

In terms of costs the Pharmacy Technician Certificate tuition rate is based on credit hours. In 2019 the cost per credit hour was $135.93, and so for the 16 credit program the basic approximate cost is $2,174. This does not however include the cost of books or supplies, or the cost of taking the certification test on graduation, all of which adds around $600 to the final cost.

Financial aid is available to those who qualify, both in the form of subsidized student loans and state grants that do not have to be paid back after graduation.

Program Content and Timeframes

The Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program at Columbus State Community College is a very flexible one. It can be completed in two semesters on a full time basis, or three semesters on a part-time basis. It can also be taken as a 'blended' course, with half of the instruction completed online at a student's own pace and half on campus. If students prefer they can complete the program entirely at school.

The technical and written portions of the instruction provide students with the knowledge and skills needed to pass the PTCE or ExCPT certification exams and a school arranged externship with a local employer offers students valuable hands on experience in a real world situation.

Accreditation

The Columbus State Community College Pharmacy Technician Certificate is accredited by the ASHP - The American Society of Health System Pharmacists - and approved by the PTCB, as well as the Ohio Board of Health.

Address: 1410 Industrial Drive, Chillicothe OH 45601 | Phone: (740) 642-1440

Pickaway Ross is a career-centered school that serves the residents of Pickaway and Ross counties and offers courses for both high school seniors, young adults and working adults who wish to undertake education with a vocational focus.

Pickaway-Ross CTC Adult Education Pharmacy Technician Certificate

The pharmacy technician certificate offered at the school is an offering of the Adult Education Career and Technology Division and is designed to offer students of all ages a chance to learn the basics needed to pass the ExCPT or PTCE certification exams.

Lecture size is only 15. Didactic course work is 210/ Hours (contact/credit), laboratory course work is 230/ Hours (contact/credit) and experiential training is 160/ Hours (contact/credit).

Program Costs and Admissions Requirements

To be admitted to the pharmacy technician certificate program students will need to be 18 years old at the time of graduation and hold a high school diploma or GED. Students will also need to be prepared to take a criminal background and drug test along with a basic skills assessment set by the school that includes English, Math and Computer Proficiency.

Other acceptance requirements include: 

  • Pre-Entrance Exam (Work Keys)
  • Director Consultation.

In addition there are other special requirements required during the course duration of which includes: two-Step Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test, Tetanus Vaccine, Varicella, Pertussis, Series of Hepatitis B, Rubella Titer with Rubella Vaccine, Flu Vaccine, 18-Panel Drug Screen, Physical, First Aide/CPRTwo-Step Mantoux Tuberculin Skin Test, Tetanus Vaccine, Varicella, Pertussis, Series of Hepatitis B, Rubella Titer with Rubella Vaccine, Flu Vaccine, 18-Panel Drug Screen, Physical, First Aide/CPR.

The cost of the program in 2019 was $ 6194.00 and that includes the cost of books and supplies, as well as testing fees. Financial aid is available to those who qualify, including several state grants that will not need to be repaid after graduation.

Timeframes and Program Content

The program is a 600-hour program that takes between 9 and 11 months to complete, according to whether a student chooses to take the course as a full time offering on campus or as a blended offering that allows for some study to be completed online at a student's leisure. The latter is often the slower path to completion but for those who already work or have other family obligations it may be the best choice.

However students choose to complete the program it offers them all the technical and practical knowledge needed to pass the pharmacy technician certification test of their choice.

Course content 

The coursework covers every aspect of the knowledge and skills required to become a certified and working pharmacy technician in both a retail and hospital setting and offers a special focus on the latter, a career path that is often more lucrative.

The program length is 1050 hours with a self-paced format conducive to individualized learning; 90 hours of health core, 360 hours of community pharmacy, and 600 hours of institutional pharmacy.

Accreditation

The Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program offered at Pickaway-Ross CTC is fully accredited by the AHSP and approved by both the PTCB and the Ohio Board of Health.

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