Pharmacy Technician Schools Currently Accepting Applicants in Pennsylvania
Pharmacy Technician Schools and Programs in Pennsylvania
With proliferation of prescription drugs across the country, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has predicted that the employment of pharmacy technicians in Pennsylvania will increase by 7.86% from 2020 to 2030. The Keystone state has a population of 12.9 million and currently employs about 21,900 pharmacy technicians. The average annual salary of a pharmacy technician in Pennsylvania is $34,760, which is 8.4% lower than the national average. There are around 18 schools offering pharmacy technician programs in Pennsylvania. To start with, it is a good idea for you to know the best schools out of the 18. We have closely evaluated these schools and only 6 pharmacy technician schools in PA have made it to our list.
6 Best ASHP Pharmacy Technician Schools in Pennsylvania for 2024
(Following is a list of schools offering the best pharmacy technician programs in Pennsylvania)
#1. Community College of Allegheny County - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
![](/img/Community-College-of-Allegheny-County.jpg)
Accreditation: ASHP
Program Length: 5 semesters
#2. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College - Blair, Central Park, Ebensburg, Huntingdon, Richland & Somerset
![](/img/Pennsylvania-Highlands-Community-College.jpg)
#3. Bidwell Training Center - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
![](/img/Bidwell-Training-Center.jpg)
Accreditation: ASHP
Program Length: 10 months
#4. Pennco Tech - Bristol
![](/img/Pennco-Tech-2.jpg)
#5. Penn Commercial Business/Technical School - Washington
![](/img/Penn-Commercial-Business-Technical-School.jpg)
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School offers education for students in the "most in demand careers" at its state of the art campus in Washington, PA. The college offers personalized instruction and is well networked with the local employers.Penn Commercial Business/Technical School is currently offering a diploma course to train students in Pharmacy Technology in less than 15 months. The course is designed to ensure you get a thorough understanding of the basic fundamentals of Pharmacy Technology through a combination of classroom and hands on experience. At the end of this program you will also be ready to take the PTCB examination required to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician. You can take up jobs such as hospital pharmacy technician, retail pharmacy technician. medical administrator, pharmacy clerk and pharmacy order technician.
Program Length: 15 months
#6. Laurel Business Institute - Morgantown, Uniontown, Meadville & Sharon
![](/img/Laurel-Business-Institute.jpg)
Program Length: 12 months
Programs Currently on Hold or Discontinued
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology - Media & Philadelphia
![](/img/Pennsylvania-Institute-of-Technology.jpg)
Program Length: 11 months
Brightwood Career Institute - Philadelphia Mills & Broomall
![](/img/Brightwood-Career-Institute.jpg)
Program Length: 9 months
What are the Requirements to Work as a Pharmacy Technician in Pennsylvania?
Pharmacy technicians are not regulated in Pennsylvania. You also don’t need certification to work as a pharma tech. On the other hand, keep in mind that obtaining national certification certainly gives you an edge and increases your marketability appreciably.
The State Board of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania does not mandate a specific training program either. The pharmacist you work with takes responsibility in supervising on-the-job training. It is recommended that you attend a recognized program and get yourself PTCB certified and apply for license to make certain you have a successful career as a pharmacy tech. Experts also advise that you join the Pennsylvania Pharmacists Association, the State Professional Association for Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians.
Registration/Licensure | No |
Training | No |
Certification | No |
Pharmacy Technician to Pharmacist Ratio | 1/2 to 1 |
Continuing Education | No |
Certification Maintenance | No |
(source: ptcb.org) |
Education
Step 1: Obtain a high school diploma or a GED.
Step 2: Given that Pennsylvania does not regulate the pharmacy technician career field, you can consider to complete a training program accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) to better your job prospects.
Certification: Certification is not necessary in the state of Pennsylvania; however, national certification ensures recognition of your knowledge and skills and makes you more marketable. You appear for the PTCB exam either by attending a Diploma or Associate degree program or by studying by yourself.
Licensure: Pharmacy Technicians do not need a license to practice in Pennsylvania.
Choosing the Right Pharmacy Technician School in Pennsylvania
With several schools in the state providing Pharmacy Technician training programs, it is for you to prioritize what you are looking for in a program. These specifications will bring in lucidity and help you winnow down your selections:
Accreditation: Make sure you opt for a school that is recognized by ASHP. Accreditation guarantees you that the school adheres to the legal and professional standards, thereby helping you work successfully as a pharmacy tech.
Type of Program: Depending on the duration of the course along with the expenses that you will incur, you can decide on the school well-matched to your job aspirations. Out of the 18 pharmacy technician schools in the state, 3 schools offer an associate degree program of two years and 17 schools offer a certificate/diploma program of 9 months.
Financial Aid
By and large, most schools help students with financial aid. To apply for a grant, complete the FAFSA (Free Application and Federal Student Aid) and then the school will make a decision whether you are eligible for monetary assistance.
Admission Requirements For Pharmacy Technician Schools in Pennsylvania
Before you zero-in on which college to enroll into, you must know their admission requirements. To cite an example, let’s look into the admission pre-requisites of Laurel Technical Institute:
• Application for Admission
• Attend the admission interview
• Wonderlic SLE Examination Minimum score of 14
• Fill in the Enrolment Agreement
• Statement of Understanding specific to program of enrolment
• Submit a student Disclosure Form
• Proof of high school diploma or GED
• Interview with Financial Aid and completion of FAFSA Federal Student Aid Application
• Submit $50.00 application fee
Employment Opportunities
CareerStaffRx, Department of Veteran Affairs, St. Claire Hospital, Abington Hospital, Enclara Pharmacia, CVC, HealthSouth, NHS, and Walgreens are the most prominent recruiters in Pennsylvania.
Average Salary of a Pharmacy Technician in Pennsylvania
On an average the annual salary of a pharmacy tech in Pennsylvania is $34,760.As of now, there are about 21,900 pharmacy technicians; BLS has projected the number to balloon to 20,990 by 2030. This represents a growth rate of 7.86% over the 10-year period.
Pharmacy Technicians Currently Working in PA | 10 Year Job Growth | Annual Vacancies | Average Starting Salary | Average Annual Salary | ||
2020 | 2030 | % Growth | ||||
21,900 | 19,460 | 20,990 | 7.86% | 1,570 | $23,170 | $34,760 |
More Pharmacy Technician Programs
School Name | Location | Type | Visit Website |
Brightwood Career Institute-Broomall | Broomall | Private for-profit | |
Brightwood Career Institute-Philadelphia Mills | Philadelphia | Private for-profit | |
Community College of Beaver County | Monaca | Public | Visit |
Fortis Institute-Forty Fort | Forty Fort | Private for-profit | Visit |
Lansdale School of Business | North Wales | Private for-profit | Visit |
Laurel Business Institute | Uniontown | Private for-profit | Visit |
Lincoln Technical Institute-Allentown | Allentown | Private for-profit | Visit |
Lincoln Technical Institute-Center City Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Private for-profit | Visit |
Lincoln Technical Institute-Northeast Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Private for-profit | Visit |
Penn Commercial Business/Technical School | Washington | Private for-profit | Visit |
Pennco Tech-Bristol | Bristol | Private for-profit | Visit |
Pennsylvania Institute of Technology | Media | Private not-for-profit | |
Pittsburgh Career Institute | Pittsburgh | Private for-profit | Visit |
YTI Career Institute-York | York | Private for-profit | Visit |
Nearby States
Related Articles