Best Pharmacy Technician Schools in South Carolina
South Carolina is home to 6,470 salaried pharmacy technicians which means out of the nation's 398,390 pharmacy technicians, 1.6% live in "The Palmetto State". To plot a path to career success as a Pharmacy Technician, you can either graduate from a pharmacy technology program or obtain on the job training as a Pharmacy Technician in many of the retail pharmacies operating in South Carolina.
If you've done any online research for South Carolina pharmacy technician schools you will probably find an overwhelming amount of results. There are a range of training options to choose from such as: Associate, Diploma and Certificate pharmacy technician programs. The latter is the most common and takes the shortest time to complete which means you can can start applying for jobs upon graduation. You can now also sit the PTCB certification exam. The Associate Degree is the most comprehensive training program and with this you can apply for higher spec jobs such supervisory and/or management roles in a pharmacy.
Under the Spotlight: Pharmacy Technician Programs in South Carolina
Below is a list of pharmacy technician programs in South Carolina. During the course of your research it is advisable to make contact with more than one college and inquire about their available training programs, accreditation, start dates, duration of course, financial aid and career placement as each institution varies from one to another.
The Aiken Technical College in South Carolina offers a pharmacy technician certificate program which consists of classwork, labwork and clinical training. Courses commence in the Summer and Fall and is American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited. As part of the course, registration with the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy is required prior to starting clinical rotations and students will also be required to complete a CPR Course. Upon graduation, students are prepared for entry-level positions and to sit the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) exam. For more information, contact the program director at (803) 508 7489.
The Horry-Georgetown Technical College in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina offers a one-year pharmacy technician diploma program consisting of academic and clinical training in a community pharmacy and/or hospital pharmacy. Classes start in the Fall and can be taken during the day or evening. In addition to preparing graduates for entry level employment the program assists with state registration and preparation for the PTCB exams. For more information, contact the program director at (843) 477-2117.
Update: Horry-Georgetown Technical College no longer offers a pharmacy technician program.
Remington College in Columbia, SC offers an ASHP approved pharmacy technology diploma program. The program features hands-on class, lab and clinical training, financial aid, job placement, assistance with state registration, preparation for certification exams and entry-level technician positions in the field of pharmacy. For further information, contact the program director at (803) 214-9000.
List of All Pharmacy Technician Schools in South Carolina
Central Carolina Technical College
Program: Certificate in Pharmacy Technology
506 N. Guignard Drive Sumter, SC 29150
Tel: (803) 778-6621 ext. 221
https://www.cctech.edu/
Midlands Technical College
Program: Pharmacy Technician Certificate Program
Accreditation: ASHP
1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia SC 29170
(803) 738-8324
https://www.midlandstech.edu/
Southeastern College
Program: Certificate in Pharmacy Technology
2431 Aviation Ave North Charleston, SC 29406
(843) 747-1279
http://www.sec.edu/
Trident College
Program: Pharmacy Technician Certificate
P.O. Box 118067 Charleston, SC 29423-8067
843-574-6111
https://www.tridenttech.edu/
Patch Career Institute
Program: Pharmacy Technician
1818 Norwood St, North Charleston, SC 29405
(843) 744-1249
http://www.patchcareerinstitute.com/
Palmetto School of Career Development
Program: Certificate in Pharmacy Technology
Accreditation: ASHP and ACPE
2183 Ashley Phosphate Rd., Suite A Charleston, SC 29406
843-793-1289
https://palmettoschool.com/
How much does a pharmacy technician make in South Carolina?
The *average South Carolina pharmacy technician salary is $15.24 per hour or $31,700 per year.
An entry level pharmacy technician in SC earns an average of $10.96 per hour whilst an experienced and/or certified pharmacy technician can earn upwards of $21.15 per hour depending on years of experience and work setting.
License requirements for a pharmacy technician in South Carolina
Registration is required and must be applied for prior to beginning employment or clinical rotation if you are in a training program. Application forms can be found and submitted to South Carolina Board of Pharmacy.
South Carolina pharmacy technician certification requirements
Certification is not required by the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy. However being certified would put you in a favorable position with employers over other candidates. An example of an approved national certification is the PTCB certification. To be certified individuals have to complete 1000 hours of work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist and complete a board approved pharmacy technician. As of 2020, there were 4985 actively certified technicians through PTCB that currently reside in South Carolina.
*Figures courtesy of the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Employment & Wages 2019 wage date.