Pharmaceutical Assistants

Median Salary: $20,800

Many pharmaceutical assistants across the U.S. share a handful of important professional characteristics. For example, self control, concern for others, and attention to detail can be critical for success in the industry, especially when blended with career training. Around 52,230 folks were working as pharmaceutical assistants nationwide in 2009. With that much workplace competition, it's crucial to build on these attributes and receive excellent training, particularly if you're ready to advance in the field.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual income for pharmaceutical assistants in the U.S. was $20,800 in 2009, which works out to a median hourly wage of $10.00. Of course, income can vary with training and by location. Below, you'll find more data about pharmaceutical assistants, including wages and job density for areas all over the U.S..

Pharmaceutical assistants should be skilled in:

  • Oral Comprehension
  • Speech Recognition
  • Near Vision
  • Mathematical Reasoning
  • Written Expression

Different folks go into different careers; pharmaceutical assistants are typically:

  • Conventional
  • Social
  • Enterprising

Working as a pharmaceutical assistant requires knowledge in subjects like:

  • Customer and Personal Service
  • Mathematics
  • English Language
  • Medicine and Dentistry
  • Computers and Electronics

Related Occupations

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Below, you'll see links to more information on the top cities for this occupation (based on the number of folks working as pharmaceutical assistants). Note: "Job density" refers to the proportion of pharmaceutical assistants in each city as compared to the national average.

Alabama
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Anniston 50 $16,200 $7.80 $18,800 $9.00 165%
Birmingham 250 $19,800 $9.50 $22,200 $10.70 28%
Decatur NA $16,400 $7.90 $18,100 $8.70 NA
Huntsville NA $15,600 $7.50 $16,500 $7.90 NA
Mobile 40 $20,200 $9.70 $23,400 $11.30 -44%
Montgomery 40 $16,800 $8.10 $22,600 $10.90 -36%
Tuscaloosa NA $15,700 $7.60 $16,700 $8.00 NA
Arizona
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Phoenix 120 $20,300 $9.80 $23,600 $11.40 -82.5%
Tucson NA $20,300 $9.80 $22,200 $10.70 NA
Arkansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fayetteville NA $21,500 $10.30 $22,900 $11.00 NA
Fort Smith 40 $18,200 $8.80 $19,800 $9.50 -11.3%
Little Rock 170 $18,400 $8.90 $21,700 $10.40 31%
California
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bakersfield 340 $21,400 $10.30 $23,600 $11.30 219.5%
Chico 50 $19,400 $9.30 $27,800 $13.40 93.8%
Fresno 120 $19,700 $9.50 $21,100 $10.20 -6.8%
Los Angeles (Area) 3,670 $20,600 $9.90 $25,500 $12.30 56.3%
Madera 90 $20,000 $9.60 $23,400 $11.20 514.8%
Merced NA $25,900 $12.50 $28,300 $13.60 NA
Modesto NA $26,500 $12.70 $30,100 $14.50 NA
Napa 50 $18,500 $8.90 $19,300 $9.30 89.2%
Oakland 320 $23,900 $11.50 $27,900 $13.40 -18.8%
Oxnard 150 $23,000 $11.10 $27,300 $13.10 26%
Redding 60 $22,500 $10.80 $25,400 $12.20 147.8%
Riverside 740 $21,000 $10.10 $25,500 $12.30 54.7%
Sacramento 440 $22,400 $10.80 $35,100 $16.90 27.7%
Salinas 90 $27,200 $13.10 $35,600 $17.10 38.5%
San Diego 700 $23,100 $11.10 $27,700 $13.30 37.3%
San Francisco (Area) 790 $23,500 $11.30 $27,600 $13.30 0.8%
San Francisco (City) 470 $23,100 $11.10 $27,300 $13.10 20.5%
San Jose 570 $30,800 $14.80 $35,800 $17.20 60%
San Luis Obispo NA $23,100 $11.10 $34,000 $16.30 NA
Santa Barbara 180 $21,800 $10.50 $24,800 $11.90 160.2%
Santa Cruz 110 $23,500 $11.30 $26,000 $12.50 225%
Santa Rosa 30 $26,700 $12.90 $29,300 $14.10 -55.3%
Stockton 200 $22,900 $11.00 $26,600 $12.80 139.2%
Vallejo NA $20,200 $9.70 $36,200 $17.40 NA
Visalia NA $19,400 $9.30 $21,500 $10.30 NA
Yuba City 70 $22,800 $11.00 $25,200 $12.10 358.2%
Colorado
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Denver 180 $34,000 $16.40 $37,800 $18.20 -63%
Connecticut
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bridgeport 130 $24,300 $11.70 $30,900 $14.80 -5.2%
Hartford NA $25,100 $12.10 $29,000 $13.90 NA
New Haven NA $21,100 $10.10 $24,200 $11.60 NA
Norwich 50 $26,000 $12.50 $31,400 $15.10 -0.2%
District of Columbia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Washington (Area) 740 $22,500 $10.80 $25,000 $12.00 -36.3%
Florida
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bradenton 270 $17,600 $8.50 $18,800 $9.00 177.8%
Cape Coral NA $22,400 $10.80 $27,200 $13.10 NA
Deltona 230 $17,400 $8.40 $20,400 $9.80 267.5%
Fort Walton Beach NA $17,400 $8.40 $19,800 $9.50 NA
Gainesville 100 $19,800 $9.50 $22,200 $10.70 114%
Jacksonville 250 $19,300 $9.30 $21,800 $10.50 7.3%
Lakeland 180 $18,800 $9.10 $20,900 $10.00 135.5%
Miami (Area) 2,310 $19,600 $9.40 $22,700 $10.90 162%
Naples 100 $23,600 $11.30 $25,200 $12.10 114.8%
Ocala NA $22,100 $10.60 $23,500 $11.30 NA
Orlando 520 $24,200 $11.60 $27,200 $13.10 30.3%
Palm Bay NA $21,700 $10.40 $24,000 $11.50 NA
Palm Coast NA $15,800 $7.60 $16,200 $7.80 NA
Panama City NA $18,800 $9.00 $21,700 $10.40 NA
Pensacola 110 $20,300 $9.70 $22,800 $11.00 76%
Port St. Lucie 220 $18,800 $9.00 $20,600 $9.90 356.8%
Sebastian NA $20,000 $9.60 $23,200 $11.20 NA
Tallahassee NA $19,300 $9.30 $21,200 $10.20 NA
Tampa 1,080 $20,100 $9.70 $22,200 $10.70 138.2%
Georgia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany NA $16,200 $7.80 $19,000 $9.10 NA
Athens NA $18,400 $8.80 $19,500 $9.40 NA
Atlanta 830 $19,100 $9.20 $21,800 $10.50 -9.5%
Augusta NA $20,000 $9.60 $23,300 $11.20 NA
Dalton NA $19,800 $9.50 $23,000 $11.10 NA
Gainesville NA $18,200 $8.70 $19,500 $9.40 NA
Macon 60 $17,300 $8.30 $19,100 $9.20 48.5%
Warner Robins 90 $18,100 $8.70 $20,400 $9.80 284.7%
Hawaii
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Honolulu NA $21,300 $10.30 $24,200 $11.70 NA
Idaho
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Boise City NA $16,900 $8.10 $19,300 $9.30 NA
Illinois
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Chicago (Area) 1,700 $27,400 $13.20 $34,100 $16.40 15.5%
Kankakee NA $23,900 $11.50 $28,200 $13.60 NA
Rockford NA $23,500 $11.30 $29,300 $14.10 NA
Springfield NA $18,400 $8.80 $19,400 $9.30 NA
Indiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bloomington 50 $19,200 $9.20 $23,100 $11.10 57%
Elkhart 70 $18,500 $8.90 $20,500 $9.80 63.5%
Evansville 40 $19,600 $9.40 $22,500 $10.80 -46.3%
Indianapolis 520 $20,100 $9.70 $23,400 $11.30 50.2%
South Bend 50 $18,900 $9.10 $20,600 $9.90 -10%
Terre Haute 30 $18,900 $9.10 $20,700 $9.90 20%
Iowa
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Des Moines NA $21,600 $10.40 $23,000 $11.00 NA
Kansas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Topeka NA $20,400 $9.80 $22,500 $10.80 NA
Wichita 90 $19,500 $9.40 $23,700 $11.40 -28.3%
Kentucky
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lexington NA $24,400 $11.70 $36,300 $17.50 NA
Louisville 50 $21,600 $10.40 $24,600 $11.80 -80%
Louisiana
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baton Rouge 80 $19,000 $9.10 $23,200 $11.10 -42.8%
Lake Charles 50 $18,400 $8.90 $21,000 $10.10 41.7%
New Orleans 300 $21,500 $10.40 $23,600 $11.40 48%
Shreveport 200 $22,900 $11.00 $25,400 $12.20 185%
Maryland
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Baltimore NA $19,200 $9.20 $21,700 $10.50 NA
Hagerstown NA $20,200 $9.70 $23,300 $11.20 NA
Massachusetts
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Barnstable Town 60 $23,500 $11.30 $25,900 $12.50 49.5%
Boston (Area) NA $23,300 $11.20 $26,800 $12.90 NA
Springfield 90 $19,700 $9.50 $23,300 $11.20 -23.8%
Worcester NA $19,200 $9.20 $23,400 $11.30 NA
Michigan
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ann Arbor NA $25,000 $12.00 $29,400 $14.10 NA
Bay City 50 $22,300 $10.70 $24,100 $11.60 284.3%
Detroit (Area) NA $22,600 $10.90 $24,900 $12.00 NA
Flint NA $18,700 $9.00 $19,900 $9.60 NA
Grand Rapids NA $18,900 $9.10 $23,100 $11.10 NA
Jackson NA $21,300 $10.30 $23,800 $11.40 NA
Muskegon NA $19,300 $9.30 $27,000 $13.00 NA
Niles NA $23,900 $11.50 $28,900 $13.90 NA
Minnesota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Duluth NA $25,800 $12.40 $29,500 $14.20 NA
Minneapolis 430 $19,400 $9.30 $22,700 $10.90 -37.5%
Rochester 50 $24,600 $11.80 $31,800 $15.30 29.3%
St. Cloud NA $22,200 $10.70 $24,600 $11.80 NA
Mississippi
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Hattiesburg 40 $16,600 $8.00 $18,900 $9.10 88%
Jackson 40 $21,600 $10.40 $25,200 $12.10 -63.5%
Missouri
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Kansas City 150 $21,900 $10.50 $26,200 $12.60 -62.8%
St. Louis 190 $22,700 $10.90 $28,600 $13.80 -63.8%
Nebraska
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Lincoln 30 $19,700 $9.50 $23,300 $11.20 -49.3%
Omaha 70 $20,500 $9.90 $25,900 $12.50 -60.3%
Nevada
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Las Vegas 120 $22,800 $11.00 $25,000 $12.00 -64.8%
New Jersey
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Atlantic City NA $18,300 $8.80 $20,100 $9.70 NA
Trenton NA $18,900 $9.10 $20,400 $9.80 NA
Vineland 50 $21,700 $10.40 $25,200 $12.10 128.2%
New Mexico
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albuquerque 190 $24,400 $11.70 $27,800 $13.40 23%
Las Cruces 130 NA NA NA NA 380.5%
New York
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Albany 110 $19,600 $9.40 $24,700 $11.90 -38.8%
Binghamton 40 $18,400 $8.80 $23,400 $11.30 -15.5%
Buffalo 170 $19,800 $9.50 $23,700 $11.40 -22.5%
Elmira 30 $19,600 $9.40 $22,400 $10.80 132%
Glens Falls NA $20,400 $9.80 $22,300 $10.70 NA
New York (Area) NA $20,700 $10.00 $26,500 $12.70 NA
Poughkeepsie 100 $19,500 $9.40 $24,100 $11.60 2%
Rochester 140 $19,600 $9.40 $24,600 $11.80 -30.5%
Syracuse 210 $21,600 $10.40 $30,100 $14.50 71.8%
North Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charlotte 100 $19,900 $9.60 $23,300 $11.20 -70%
Durham NA $27,400 $13.20 $30,300 $14.60 NA
Raleigh 220 $26,200 $12.60 $29,300 $14.10 11.5%
Wilmington 100 $18,500 $8.90 $19,600 $9.40 72.5%
North Dakota
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Fargo 140 $21,300 $10.30 $23,400 $11.20 190.3%
Ohio
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Akron NA $19,600 $9.40 $25,300 $12.20 NA
Cincinnati 840 $20,400 $9.80 $24,900 $12.00 110.2%
Cleveland 270 $18,300 $8.80 $22,300 $10.70 -32.8%
Columbus 140 $18,600 $8.90 $26,500 $12.70 -61.8%
Dayton 210 $21,300 $10.30 $25,200 $12.10 43.2%
Toledo 110 $22,900 $11.00 $25,700 $12.40 -5%
Oklahoma
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Oklahoma City 130 $17,300 $8.30 $19,800 $9.50 -42.8%
Tulsa 270 $16,900 $8.10 $18,900 $9.10 61.7%
Oregon
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Portland 60 $26,600 $12.80 $31,400 $15.10 -85.3%
Pennsylvania
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Allentown 150 $22,600 $10.90 $25,300 $12.10 12.5%
Altoona NA $25,200 $12.10 $29,400 $14.10 NA
Harrisburg 50 $18,000 $8.60 $20,800 $10.00 -58.3%
Lancaster NA $18,400 $8.80 $20,100 $9.70 NA
Philadelphia (Area) NA $21,100 $10.10 $24,700 $11.90 NA
Pittsburgh 370 $27,000 $13.00 $33,000 $15.90 -16%
Scranton 90 $20,600 $9.90 $25,100 $12.10 -10.8%
York NA $26,700 $12.80 $31,600 $15.20 NA
Rhode Island
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Providence 310 $18,900 $9.10 $21,300 $10.20 44.2%
South Carolina
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 60 $20,000 $9.60 $23,500 $11.30 -48.3%
Columbia NA $18,700 $9.00 $21,200 $10.20 NA
Florence 70 $21,100 $10.10 $23,300 $11.20 120%
Greenville NA $18,600 $9.00 $24,300 $11.70 NA
Myrtle Beach NA $19,300 $9.30 $20,500 $9.90 NA
Spartanburg 60 $20,000 $9.60 $26,800 $12.90 20.7%
Tennessee
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Johnson City 70 $19,600 $9.40 $21,100 $10.10 132%
Kingsport 100 $19,500 $9.40 $22,400 $10.80 113.7%
Knoxville 140 $20,100 $9.70 $23,200 $11.20 11.3%
Memphis NA $20,300 $9.80 $25,600 $12.30 NA
Morristown NA $17,700 $8.50 $19,300 $9.30 NA
Nashville NA $18,600 $8.90 $20,000 $9.60 NA
Texas
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Austin 210 $22,200 $10.70 $25,400 $12.20 -31.3%
Beaumont 30 $18,000 $8.60 $21,300 $10.30 -47.3%
Dallas (Area) 530 $21,000 $10.10 $25,200 $12.10 -59.5%
Houston 520 $22,900 $11.00 $26,000 $12.50 -49%
Killeen 40 $18,800 $9.10 $22,300 $10.70 -16%
Longview 30 $17,500 $8.40 $19,900 $9.50 -11%
Lubbock 60 $21,200 $10.20 $23,600 $11.40 13.5%
McAllen 170 $23,100 $11.10 $25,300 $12.20 95%
San Antonio 350 $23,200 $11.10 $26,600 $12.80 5.2%
Texarkana 30 $24,400 $11.70 $28,900 $13.90 58.7%
Wichita Falls 40 $19,900 $9.60 $23,900 $11.50 66.5%
Utah
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Ogden NA $22,100 $10.70 $23,800 $11.40 NA
Provo 40 $20,500 $9.90 $22,700 $10.90 -39.8%
Salt Lake City 100 $19,300 $9.30 $21,900 $10.50 -59.5%
Vermont
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Burlington 70 $19,200 $9.20 $20,500 $9.80 61.7%
Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Blacksburg 60 $19,400 $9.30 $22,900 $11.00 119.2%
Richmond 150 $22,200 $10.70 $26,100 $12.60 -37%
Roanoke 90 $23,100 $11.10 $25,500 $12.30 54%
Virginia Beach 260 $19,100 $9.20 $22,300 $10.70 -13.3%
Washington
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Bellingham NA $25,700 $12.30 $33,900 $16.30 NA
Kennewick NA $23,200 $11.20 $26,400 $12.70 NA
Mount Vernon 40 $19,400 $9.30 $24,400 $11.70 118.2%
Seattle (Area) 260 $24,800 $11.90 $29,100 $14.00 -64.5%
Spokane NA $24,400 $11.70 $29,100 $14.00 NA
Yakima 30 $23,400 $11.20 $27,200 $13.10 6.5%
West Virginia
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Charleston 140 $18,300 $8.80 $22,700 $10.90 134%
Huntington 90 $17,900 $8.60 $22,300 $10.70 96%
Morgantown 40 $19,600 $9.40 $24,000 $11.50 80.2%
Parkersburg 50 $17,900 $8.60 $21,300 $10.30 93.8%
Wheeling 40 $20,700 $10.00 $23,600 $11.30 37.3%
Wisconsin
City/Area Employees Median
Annual Salary
Median
Hourly Wage
Top 25%
Annual Salary
Top 25%
Hourly Wage
Job Density
Eau Claire NA $17,900 $8.60 $20,600 $9.90 NA
Fond du Lac 40 $20,100 $9.60 $25,500 $12.30 116%
Green Bay 70 $18,100 $8.70 $21,000 $10.10 2.5%
La Crosse 50 $21,900 $10.50 $25,000 $12.00 90.8%
Madison NA $22,900 $11.00 $25,400 $12.20 NA
Milwaukee NA $20,100 $9.70 $24,900 $12.00 NA
Wausau NA $17,300 $8.30 $19,100 $9.20 NA