HOW TO BECOME A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN IN NEBRASKA

As a pharmacy technician or pharmacy tech, you’ll be in high demand and have a career in healthcare that pays well. The training and educational requirements are simple, and it does not take long to be qualified to work with and assist pharmacists. [Leer en español]

The job of a pharmacy technician is to work with patients to get their information and fill prescriptions; measure out medications; package and add labels to medications; organize and inventory supplies in a pharmacy; take payments from patients and process claims; take phone calls, and communicate information between pharmacists and patients. 

PHARMACY TECH REQUIREMENTS IN NEBRASKA

According to the Nebraska Pharmacists Association (NPA), pharmacy technicians must be certified. There are two options for certification: state certification through the NPA or national certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).

To become certified, you must pass an exam, but you do not need to have completed any particular post-secondary academic program.

In addition to being certified, you must also be at least 18 years old and have a high school diploma or GED to work as a pharmacy tech in the state.

You also have to show that you have not been convicted of drug-related crimes. Registration through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services is also required.

POST-SECONDARY PHARMACY TECHNICIAN PROGRAMS

Pharmacy technician programmes in Nebraska: what each one is recognised or accredited by, and whether federal data records graduates. PTCB directory retrieved 13 October 2026; completions are IPEDS 2023–24 under CIP 51.0805. A programme can be genuine and show no completions if it is non-credit, which federal reporting does not cover.

Programme	City	PTCB credential	ASHP accredited	Federal programme data	Programme hours
Central Community College	Grand Island	CPhT, CSPT	Yes	Listed in federal programme data	615 total, 180 experiential
Metropolitan Community College – Omaha	Omaha	CPhT	No	Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting)	Not published
Nebraska Methodist College	Omaha	CPhT	No	Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting)	Not published
University of Nebraska Medical Center Pharmacy Technician Program	Omaha	CPhT	No	Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting)	Not published
Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals – Pharmacy Technician Training Program	Not published	CPhT	No	Not matched to a federal institution record	Not published
Southeast Community College	Lincoln	CPhT, CSPT	Yes	Not matched to a federal institution record	240 experiential

Although Nebraska does not require that you complete a post-secondary pharmacy technician program to become a qualified pharmacy technician, many employers may prefer that you have a certificate or degree. Here are some options for pharmacy technician programs that will help you prepare to take a certification exam:

University of Nebraska Medical Center, College of Pharmacy, remote 

The University of Nebraska offers a program for becoming certified through the NPA. It costs just $385 and includes self-paced learning. This pharmacy technician program will prepare you to pass the necessary exam for state certification, and the cost includes one certification renewal.

Southeast Community College, Lincoln

You can earn a diploma from Southeast and be prepared to pass national certification exams for pharmacy technology. This program includes 61.5 credit hours over four school quarters or 12 months.

Nebraska Methodist College, Omaha 

This program includes a 16-week and an accelerated nine-week option. Both programs include online learning as well as campus classes and on-site pharmacy training. By completing either program, you will be prepared to pass certification examinations.

NEBRASKA PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION

There are two exams that you can take and pass to become certified in Nebraska as a pharmacy technician. One is the PTCB’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination.

The other is the NHA’s Examination for Certification as Pharmacy Technician. The former costs $129 to take, while the latter is $117. Once certified, you will need to register through the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION BOARD

The PTCB is a national organization that offers certification for pharmacy technicians. To become certified, you must take and pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination. The examination costs $129 and is offered in English and Spanish.

You do not need to have completed any post-secondary education to sit for this exam, but you must have a high school diploma or GED. You also have to show that you have not been convicted of any drug-related crimes.

Once you pass the exam, you will need to register with the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

SALARY EXPECTATIONS AND OUTLOOK FOR PHARMACY TECHNICIANS IN NEBRASKA

The median pharmacy technician in Nebraska earns $46,610 a year (May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn between $38,860 and $49,270; the lowest tenth earn under $36,710 and the top tenth above $57,110. Nebraska employs about 2,660 pharmacy technicians.

What that is worth where you live. Prices in Nebraska run at 90.1% of the national average (2024, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities), so $46,610 here buys what $51,730 would buy in an average-cost part of the country. Measured that way Nebraska ranks 7 of 51 states for pharmacy technician pay, better than its headline wage suggests because living costs are below average.

Pharmacy technician employment in Nebraska is projected to grow 7% between 2024 and 2034, from about 2,710 jobs to 2,900 (Projections Central state projections). That is roughly 270 openings a year, a figure that counts people leaving the occupation as well as new posts, so it is the better guide to how often jobs come up.

Nationally the occupation is projected to grow 6.4% over the same period (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics), so Nebraska is close to the national rate.

WORKING AS A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN IN NEBRASKA

Pharmacy technicians work in pharmacies, but where those pharmacies are located varies. Most pharmacy techs work in those that are located in drugstores. Other options include hospitals, nursing homes, online pharmacies, general merchandise stores, and grocery stores. Expect to work full-time with some shifts on weekends or in the evenings.

In Nebraska, as in all states, pharmacies are found all over. The larger cities and their suburbs will have more available jobs, though. In Nebraska, these include Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue, and Grand Island. Rural areas and smaller cities also need pharmacy techs in their local hospitals and drugstores.

FAQS

What are the best pharmacy technician schools in Nebraska?

1. National American University, Bellevue
2. Southeast Community College, Lincoln
3. Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux City, IA
4. Penn Foster Career School, Online
5. Ashworth College, Online

How do you become a pharmacy technician in Nebraska?

1. You must be at least 18 years old
2. You must have a high school diploma or GED
3. Gain certification through the Nebraska Pharmacists Association (NPA) or national certification through the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
4. Pass either the PTCE or the ExCPT exam

How much do pharmacy technicians make in Nebraska?

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OUT-OF-STATE OPTIONS

Residents of Nebraska may also wish to review their options in South Dakota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming.