Pharmacy Technician Programs in Las Vegas, NV

In some states the requirements to become a pharmacy technician are not that rigid. That is not the case in Nevada. The State of Nevada's Pharmacy Board - who oversee the Las Vegas area - require that anyone working as a pharmacy tech in the state be properly registered with them.

To obtain this registration persons must be over the age of 18, be able to pass drug and criminal background tests, be a high school graduate and either have completed a training course offered by a school in Nevada that is accredited by the American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASPH) OR have graduated from a pharmacy technician school in that is not accredited by ASHP and have passed the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board’s (PTCB) PTCE exam. Nevada does not accept alternative pharmacy technician certification, the ExCPT, as valid for registration at this time.

This all means that choosing the right pharmacy technician program is crucial to your chances of obtaining registration to work in Las Vegas. There are several great schools that meet the state's requirements, but they all offer something different and may be better suited to certain students than others.

To help you make the right decision to advance your pharmacy technician career these issues -and others- are what we will address here. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2019 there were 3,750 registered pharmacy technicians living and working in the State of Nevada.

Of those people 2,880 were based in the Las Vegas area, and for 2020 that figure is expected to grow. 

In terms of salary being a pharmacy technician in Las Vegas can be a stable, well-paid job. In 2019, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the average hourly salary was $18.41. Entry level techs could expect to earn, on average, $12.41 per hour but that figure rose as high as $26.11 for experienced techs in the 90th percentile of the salary range. 

Where you can expect to find work upon graduation: 

• Hospitals
• Nursing Homes
• Retail Pharmacies (Drugstore Chains, Grocery Stores)
• Insurance Companies
• Mail-Order and Web-Based Pharmacies
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Wholesalers
• Government Agencies

Pharmaceutical careers you will be able to pursue:

• Pharmacy Technician
• Pharmacy Assistant
• Central Fill Technician
• Insurance Representative
• IV-certified pharmacy technician
• Pharmacy Clerk
• Medication Technician

As we covered earlier, not only does the State of Nevada mandate formal education for its registered pharmacy technicians, but they are clear about the accreditations they want both schools and students to have.

This means that you need to ensure that any school you are considering meets state requirements and that you yourself can as well.

To help you get started on what might seem at first like a daunting task here's a closer look at the pharmacy technician schools in Las Vegas you can consider choosing between. 

Milan Institute

Northwest Career College

Northwest Career College is located on the City of Las Vegas outskirts on a large, picturesque campus that is easily accessible from the highway or public transportation. They serve both new high school graduates and older adults and offer a wide range of vocational training courses, including a Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program.

The program is a PTCB approved training course, so graduation from it, along with official certification via passing the PTCE, will allow you to register with the Nevada Board of Pharmacy and begin working as a pharmacy tech.

The total cost of the program is $14,499.00. This includes a $500 fee for a laptop though, so if you will not need that your costs will be lower by that amount. This total includes lab fees, application fees and all supplies, as well as the cost of taking to PTCE after graduation. It does not include fees for drug testing or background checks, so those will add an additional $150-$200.

Financial aid is available to those students eligible to receive it, and some Clark County residents may be eligible for a workforce training grant to help them meet their costs as well. In addition, students can consider obtaining a private student loan from a lender like Sallie Mae.

Typical classwork involved:

• Body Systems and Pharmaceuticals I & II
• Mathematics for Pharm Techs
• Introduction to Compounding
• Introduction to Pharmacy Practice
• Introduction to Sterile Products
• Retail and Institutional Pharmacy Externship

The program itself is a 38-week, 800 hour offering. 150 of those hours are spent completing an externship with a local pharmacy employer, as arranged by the school. The coursework covers all that is needed to pass the PTCE and as the school officially partners with Pioneer RX, one of the largest pharmacy software providers in the country, students gain additional insight into the growing field of online pharmacies.  

PIMA Medical Institute

? 3333 E. Flamingo Road Las Vegas, NV 89121 | ☎ (800) 477-7462

PIMA Medical Institute is a national private college that maintains campuses across the country, including one in Las Vegas. Centrally located not too far from The Strip it is easy to get to via public transportation or from the highway.

As a private school specializing in vocational education, PIMA appeals to students of all ages but especially to adults who may already be working and looking to make a career change.

The PIMA Medical Institute Pharmacy Technician Certificate offers a comprehensive overview of all the knowledge and practical skills needed to become a pharmacy technician in a clinical or retail setting.

Importantly for those in Nevada it is the only pharmaceutical technician training school in the Las Vegas area that is fully accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists and an approved training program in the eyes of the PTCB as well. This means that completion of this program allows students to register as a pharmacy technician with the state immediately, even before they take the PTCE.

Typical classword involved:

• Pharmacology
• Pharmacy Math
• Pharmacy Laboratory Skills
• Fundamentals of Chemistry
• IV therapy

The program is charged at a fixed tuition rate of (in 2020) $14,106. This figure is an inclusive one however and covers all tuition, books and the entrance fee to sit the PTCB certification test. It does not however cover the cost of drug or criminal background checks which will add approximately an additional $200 to your final costs.

Traditional Federal and State student financial aid is available to students who qualify, as are a limited number of workforce retraining grants. If you do not qualify for standard aid the school itself offers a no credit check payment plan to help spread out the cost of the program.

To be admitted students must be over the age of 18 and hold a high school diploma or GED. They must present a record of a recent negative drug test and a completed criminal background check. They must also sit a basic skills test and be able to prove their legal status in the US.

Nevada Career Institute

? 3231 North Decatur Blvd. #201 Las Vegas, NV 89130 | ☎ (702) 209-0030

The Nevada Career Institute is vocational school that offers educational programs in a number of healthcare fields including pharmacy technician. Their Las Vegas campus is located within the city limits, making it a short commute for most residents.

The program is PTCB approved, meeting state registration guidelines if a graduate takes and passes the PTCE exam. It seeks to serve both new high school graduates and working adults and offers class flexibility so that those with other responsibilities can still attend school.

The Nevada Career Institute's Pharmacy Technician Program is a 43 week, 990 hours offering. Most of those hours are spent in the classroom or in the school's newly refurbished labs, but 206 hours are devoted to an external placement with a local pharmacy employer to gain hands on experience and experience a real-world pharmacy setting.

The course is charged on a per credit basis and comprises 31 credits. The cost per credit for each student is calculated individually according to their personal circumstances. The school does of a net price estimator here but advises that final costs can only be calculated at a meeting with one of the school's admissions staff.

Federal and financial aid is available to those who qualify, as are a limited number of workforce training grants if you are a Clark County resident. Student ineligible for traditional financial aid may be able to obtain a private student loan from a lender like Sallie Mae.

To be accepted into the program students must be over the age of 18, hold a high school diploma or GED and be able to prove their legal residency status in the US.

The school itself does not require drug testing or criminal background checks for admission to their Pharmacy Technician program, but they do require students to sign an acknowledgment that such things are a requirement for registration in Nevada. The cost of this is something that cannot be included in a financial aid package.

Asher College 

? 6029 W. Charleston Blvd Las Vegas, NV 89146 | ☎ (702) 323-0853

Asher College offers a Pharmacy Technician Certificate course to its students that is PTCB approved, meaning that provided a student graduates from it and then passes the PTCE they will be eligible for registration as a Pharmacy Technician with the State of Nevada.

The school's Las Vegas campus is located in the heart of the city, not too far from the downtown area, and offers an easy commute for most locals. The school is a more traditional one, so many students are younger, recent high school graduates but working adults are welcomed too.

The cost of schooling is accessed on a per credit basis, and that is determined by a student's personal circumstances and income and dependent status. The school provides a Net Price Estimator you can make use of here.

To pay for school Federal and State financial aid is available to those who qualify, or students can seek a private student loan from a lender like Sallie Mae. In addition, some Clark County residing adults may qualify for a workforce training grant to help meet the costs of their education.

To be admitted to the program students must be a minimum of 18 years old and hold a high school diploma or GED. They must pass criminal background and drug tests and be up to date on all state recommended immunizations. In addition, they must take a 5-hour CPR course, which is included at the beginning of the course curriculum.

Completing the Asher College Pharmacy Technician program takes approximately 9 months and covers classroom and lab training as well as an externship with a local employer.

If they choose to students can take the credits earned as a part of their program and apply them to the Associate's Degree in Applied Science offered by Asher College, which will usually take an additional 6-9 months to complete but may help them secure a higher paying, more senior position in clinical pharmacy setting from the outset, thanks to the additional knowledge and experience they will gain.