Pharmacy Technician Programs in South Jersey

Where is South Jersey? Officially, nowhere. It is a colloquial term rather than an administrative one, and the area represents at least three states; Pennsylvania via Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware. 

However, locals choose to define it though one thing is for sure, there are a lot of pharmacies in the area, and they all need pharmacy technicians to serve their customers and patients.

While pharmacies are managed by a pharmacist an increasing amount of the day-to-day work is performed by pharmacy technicians. Given that those living in South Jersey may work in one of the three states mentioned, as well as New York, some are not sure what they need to do to become a pharmacy technician and whether they need to attend one of the pharmacy technician schools in South Jersey to do so.

That issue, and the schools themselves, are issues we are going to take a closer look at here. 

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Pharmacy Technician Wages and Employment Trends in South Jersey

A panoramic view of the skyline of South Jersy including Trenton Water Section and Delaware River and Capital

Waterfront Section Trenton New Jersey Delaware River and Capital

As we mentioned, South Jersey, depending on who is using the term, can apply to a number of areas in the Northeastern corridor of the United States.

Before they undertake a new career - and the training required for it, it is only sensible that would be pharmacy technicians in South Jersey are interested in what their future salary might be and what the potential for employment and career growth.

As South Jersey is an ill-defined area, they may need to check a broad range of figures to conduct this research.

The chart below offers, however, a look at the 2021 average salaries paid to pharmacy technicians in the largest areas thought of as part of South Jersey:

Location

Annual Low (10%)

Annual Median (50%)

Annual High (90%)

United States

$28, 740

$36,740

$47,580

New Jersey

$29,100

$36,810

$46,920

Ocean City, NJ

$24,960

$29,390

$45,910

Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ

$27,830

$35,500

$46,140

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD

$27,990

$37,080

$46,850

Vineland-Bridgeton, NJ

$24,960

$36,230

$39,260

Trenton, NJ

$28,910

$30,820

$47,460

We should note that these are rough averages and that in the future the growing role pharmacies are playing in healthcare, local efforts in NY, NJ, and PA to raise salaries via legislation and more may increase future earning power.

The same is true of job growth outlooks.

Prior to the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic across the whole 'South Jersey' area experts predicted job growth of between 12 and 15% by 2028.

As more pharmacies take on active patient care roles in the mitigation efforts, and in offering Minute Clinics to alleviate the burden on hospitals, both that projection - and the role of pharmacy techs - is changing.

Pharmacy Technician Requirements in South Jersey

As new pharmacy techs in South Jersey may eventually work in their own state, Pennsylvania, Delaware, or New York, they will be concerned over the regulatory requirements to do so in each state.

These currently break down as follows:

New Jersey Requirements

Pharmacy technicians must register with the New Jersey Board of Pharmacy. To do so they must be over the age of 18, hold a high school diploma or GED, be of 'good moral character' and have graduated from a Board approved pharmacy technician education program and/or hold a PTCB or NAH certification.

Pennsylvania Requirements

Pennsylvania does not regulate pharmacy technician employment, but the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association recommends that employers hire candidates with PTCB certifications.

Delaware Requirements

Pharmacy technicians must register with the Delaware Board of Pharmacy and have passed a national certification exam and/or completed a PTCB approved training program.

New York Requirements

Pharmacy technicians must be licensed by the Board of Pharmacy. To do this candidates must be over 18, hold a high school diploma or GED, hold a certification from the PTCB or NHA and have a criminal record free of felony convictions.

9 Pharmacy Technician Schools in South Jersey

An ongoing theme across all four states is that pharmacy technician certification is either required or highly recommended. And this is where pharmacy technician schools in South Jersey come in.

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Here is a look at the PTCB approved pharmacy technician programs in the area that South Jersey residents can consider when making an educational choice:

1. Pennco Tech [Blackwood NJ] 

99 Erial Rd. Blackwood, NJ 08012 | Phone: 856-232-0310

Located in Blackwood, NJ Pennco Tech is a private vocational college offering a range of career diplomas to students of all ages, including a Pharmacy Technician Diploma.

This campus-based program is designed to offer a broad introduction to the career and its responsibilities and places a particular emphasis on lab work and ethics education. The program can be completed in just under a year and both day and evening classes are available.

To be admitted to the program students must be over the age of 18 and hold a high school diploma or GED. Before they complete their required internship with a local employer, they will also be required to pass criminal background and drug tests.

The cost of the program varies according to a student's age and personal circumstances, as well as their eligibility for state grants. However, on average those costs are around $21,000 inclusive of books and lab supplies. Most students make use of traditional federal financial aid to fund their studies.

2. Rowan College [Burlington County] 

900 College Circle, Mount Laurel, New Jersey 08054 |Phone:  (856) 222-9311, ext. 2547

Rowan College, located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey and self-designated as Rowan College at Burlington County, is a private college that offers a range of certificate, associate degree, and career education programs. Their Pharmacy Technician program is specifically designed to prepare students of all ages to take the PTCE.

Sponsored by the Workforce Development Council this program is geared to matching employers with qualified candidates. As such it is a program that specifically focuses on the operation of - and a pharmacy technician's role - in a retail pharmacy. Classes are campus based on a full time, daytime basis and the course can be completed in 6 months.

The cost of the program may be met in its entirety if a student qualifies for a grant from the WDC, or charged on an individualized, sliding scale basis if they do not. To enroll students must be over 18 and hold a high school diploma or GED.

3. Ocean County College [Ocean County]

College Drive, Toms River, NJ 08754 | Phone: 732.255.0400

Ocean County College is a for profit vocational education school offering a range of career focused programs. Their Pharmacy Technician & PTCB Prep program is open to adults aged 18 or over and who hold a high school diploma or GED.

The nine-month, campus-based program is designed to specifically and comprehensively address all the knowledge needed to pass the PTCE exam. Students receive classroom and lab-based training and complete a 30-hour internship with a local employer.

The cost of the program is $2499. It is not eligible to be covered by traditional financial aid, but students may be eligible for state workforce grants and can spread the cost of their education via the school's interest free payment program.

4. Camden County College [Camden County]

200 N. Broadway, Camden, NJ 08102 | Phone: (856) 338-1817

Camden County College offers would be pharmacists specific training - and prep for their PTCE - via their Workforce Career and Technical Division. Their campus based, lab focused program is geared towards adult learners making a career change and flexible classes offered in the day and evening are scheduled to accommodate those who are already working in a different field.

The program is not only designed as a PTCE prep program but also as a broad overview to the responsibilities of retail pharmacy technician, the setting where most graduates find employment.

The program can be completed on a full-time basis in 9-12 months and includes a 30-hour internship with a local employer. The 72-credit course is charged at a per credit rate in 2021 of $115 for Camden residents and $119 for out of county New Jersey residents, for an approximate total of $8,280. This does not include the cost of books or lab fees.

Federal financial aid is available to those who qualify and is how most students pay for their schooling. To enroll students must be over the age of 18, hold a high school diploma or GED and meet minimum general education requirements as set by the school.

5. Brookdale Community College [Lincoln]

765 Newman Springs Rd, Lincroft, NJ 07738 | Phone: 732.224.2345

Brookdale Community College, located in Lincroft, NJ is a traditional community college that offers a wide range of campus-based certificate and associate degree programs to local residents at an affordable cost.

Their Pharmacy Technician Certification is a 96-hour program offered on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. Some classes are available online, but lab-based classes must be completed on campus.

The course offers all the knowledge needed to pass the PTCE as well as a comprehensive overview of the responsibilities of a pharmacy technician in 2021. To enroll students must be over the age of 18 and hold a high school diploma or GED.

The course costs $1449 and includes the cost of the PTCE examination. This figure however does not include the cost of book and supplies which, the school estimates, adds around $250 to a student's final total.

Financial aid is not available for this program, but students can spread out the cost via the school's interest free payment program, provided their balance is paid in full by graduation.

6. Mercer County Community College [Trenton]

137 N Broad St, Trenton, NJ 08608 | Phone:  (609) 570-3100

Located in West Windsor, just outside Trenton, NJ Mercer County Community College offers a hybrid online/campus-based program to prepare students to take their PTCE exam and begin working as a pharmacy technician in a retail setting.

Parts of the course are completed online, via recordings and live-streaming lessons, with the lab-based portion to be completed on campus. Students can also complete an optional 30-hour internship with a local employer to gain additional 'real world' experience.

The program can be completed in less than six months and is charged, to New Jersey residents, at a cost of $1,439 inclusive of the PTCE test fee but excluding books and supplies, the cost of which the school estimates at $200. Traditional financial aid cannot be used to pay for this program, but a flexible school administered payment plan is available to help spread out the cost over the duration of the program.

7. Starlight Medical [Pennsauken]

6650 Browning Rd Suite U-12, Pennsauken Township, NJ 08109 | Phone:  (856) 910-1900

Located in Pennsauken, NJ, Starlight Medical is a private, for profit medical career education school. For those interested in becoming a pharmacy technician and taking the PTCE certification exam the school offers an 'accelerated' 20-week campus-based program that prepares its students to pass their certification exam and to work as an entry level pharmacy technician in a retail setting.

To be admitted to the program students must be over the age of 18 and hold a high school diploma or GED. The cost of program is set at $7000.00, including all fees, books, supplies, and the cost of taking the PTCE. Traditional financial aid is not available, but students may be able to make use of a private student loan from a lender like Sallie Mae or spread the cost via the school's payment plan.

8. Salem Community College [Salem County – Carneys Point]

460 Hollywood Avenue Carneys Point, NJ 08069 | Phone: 856 299 2100

Salem Community College in Carney's Point, NJ offers a wide range of associate degree and certificate programs to local residents of all ages. Their two semester Certificate in Pharmacy Technology offers students a comprehensive insight into the life of a pharmacy technician and prepares them to take the PTCE certification exam.

Open to students over the age of 18 who hold a high school diploma or GED and can meet minimum general education requirements this more comprehensive course prepares students for a career in a range of pharmacy settings. The program is campus based and offered on a full-time basis only.

The cost of the Certificate in Pharmacy Technology offered by Salem Community College varies according to a student's residence and personal circumstances and is calculated as a part of the admissions process. Most students make use of traditional federal financial aid and state grants as available to pay for their schooling.

9. Rowan College South Jersey [Cumberland County]

3322 College Drive, Vineland, NJ 08360 | Phone:  856-691-8600

Rowan College South Jersey, located in Cumberland, NJ and is 40 miles from Philadelphia, offers students a wide range of programs, including an 80-hour Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program that offers students a comprehensive introduction to working as a pharmacy technician while also preparing them for success when taking the PTCE certification exam.

Classwork is campus based and offered on a full time, day schedule basis. It is a selective admission course, meaning students must not only hold a high school diploma or GED and meet minimum education standards they must also pass a personal interview.

Those who are admitted will, as New Jersey residents, be charged a flat fee of $2,499, a price which does include the cost of books and supplies. Federal financial aid is not available to cover this cost, but a school-based payment plan is available, and some students may qualify for workforce sponsor grants.

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