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

Community College of Allegheny County is a community college located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The campus features a perfect blend of modern and historic architecture set on 10 acres, giving you a learning environment which you may cherish for a lifetime. The college offers a 5 semesters Associate degree which teaches students to identify drugs by their generic names, techniques related to aseptic compounding, understand pharmacy law, and calculate dosage and solution strength. The accredited pharmacy technician program here is one of the most sought after for pharmacy technician aspirants in Pennsylvania

Accreditation: ASHP
Program Length: 5 semesters

#2. Pennsylvania Highlands Community College - Blair, Central Park, Ebensburg, Huntingdon, Richland & Somerset

Pennsylvania Highlands Community College provides affordable education opportunities for students in the state of Pennsylvania. To cater to the growing requirement for pharmacy technicians in the region, Pennsylvania Highlands offers a certificate program. You will gain knowledge by covering course topics such as academic and career planning, microcomputer applications, medical terminology, basic anatomy and physiology, pharmacology, pharmacy law, pharmacology calculations and pharmacy technician practice. The curriculum which includes two clinical internships will ensure you are ready to serve the community as a pharmacy technician by providing assistance to a registered pharmacist and perform tasks like preparing, labeling, packaging and dispensing of medications.

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#3. Bidwell Training Center - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Bidwell Training Center is an affiliate of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation and is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The college offers a Pharmacy Technician Diploma program and prepares students to take on responsibilities of a pharmacy technician with course topics including, Medical Terminology, Communications and Professional Skills, Community Pharmacy Software, Pharmacy Automation and Technology, Pharmacy Techniques and Pharmacy Mathematics. This program, which starts in October, is available Monday to Friday, 8.30 a.m. through 2.55 p.m. It has an impressive graduation rate of 79% and a placement rate of 85%.

Accreditation: ASHP
Program Length: 10 months

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#4. Pennco Tech - Bristol

Pennco Tech established in 1973 offers vocation training programs in the fields of automotive technology, medical assisting, air conditioning and heating and pharmacy technician. Pennco is a militaryfriendly college that offers educational assistance to members and spouses of US military personnel.Pennco Tech offers a short certificate program in Pharmacy Technology at its campus in Bristol, PA. The program is designed to help you gain the required knowledge and skills to successfully apply for an entry level pharmacy technician position in a hospital, drug store or a pharmacy as well as pass the national pharmacy technician certification examination.

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#5. Penn Commercial Business/Technical School - Washington

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

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#6. Laurel Business Institute - Morgantown, Uniontown, Meadville & Sharon

Laurel Business Institute and Laurel Technical Institute provide career-centric education to meet the local employer demands. By Pursuing the 12-month diploma course at Laurel you can find employment as a pharmacy technician or a pharmacy care associate in UPMC, Uniontown hospital, ICP Pharmacy, Rite Aid, Millennium Pharmacy, West Virginia University Hospital and Omnicare. The curriculum is a perfect blend of classroom lectures, lab hours and 150 hours real world internship experience. On graduating from this program students will successfully learn how to use medication distribution systems, interpret prescriptions, gain knowledge on Pharmacology I, Pharmacy Law and Ethics and Medical Terminology.

Program Length: 12 months

Programs Currently on Hold or Discontinued

Pennsylvania Institute of Technology - Media & Philadelphia

Pennsylvania Institute of Technology (PIT) is a two-year not for profit school with a history of offering high quality education to students for over 60 years. PIT offers a 11-month clinical medical assistant course at its campuses in Media & Philadelphia. The faculty with years of real world experience behind them train students to pass the certification exam and take up jobs as an entry level pharmacy technician. You will have to attend college only once a week and the rest of the time you can directly interact with the instructor via internet. Coursework includes dosage & calculations, records and billing, pharmaceutical terminology and procedures. Internship is an integral part of this program where you will gain hands on experience. Upon graduation the college also gives you interview coaching and helps you with job placement.

Program Length: 11 months

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Brightwood Career Institute - Philadelphia Mills & Broomall

Brightwood Career Institute offers accelerated educational programs to students to help gain the skills and knowledge to succeed in the careers of their choice. The goal of the 9-month Pharmacy Technician Diploma program at Brightwood Career Institute’s campuses in Philadelphia Mills & Broomall is to ensure you make a difference in the lives of people. The program includes classroom learning, lab training and an externship. The externship will help you gain real world experience and makes sure you are ready to take up the job as an entry level pharmacy tech. Coursework includes pharmacology, pharmacy laws & regulations, sterile preparation and prescription processing. Upon graduation you will be able to find employment in hospital pharmacies, retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies and pharmacies in other settings.

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.

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.

More Pharmacy Technician Programs

Nearby States

Kentucky Maryland New Jersey

New York Ohio West Virginia

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