HOW TO BECOME A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN IN NEW YORK
If you have a clear eye for detail and would like to have a job where you help people daily, a career as a pharmacy technician may be right up your alley. A licensed pharmacist supervises pharmacy techs, and they may perform tasks such as taking incoming prescriptions, mixing medications, counting out pills, labeling prescriptions and dispensing them to patients. They also have administrative duties such as answering phones and ordering medication. Regulations vary by state. Pharmacy technician guidelines for the state of New York can be found below. [Leer en español]
NEW YORK PHARMACY TECHNICIAN REQUIREMENTS
Some states do not have licensure or registration requirements to work as a pharmacy tech, and New York is one of those states. Therefore, you should be able to find employment as a pharmacy tech in New York with just a high school diploma or GED. Pharmacy techs must also be 18 years of age and pass a criminal background check.
Since pharmacy techs are not regulated in the state, completing a pharmacy tech program that has received accreditation through the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) is optional. However, taking an accredited program will give you an edge over your competition, help you to earn more money, and prepare you for certification.
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN SCHOOLS IN NEW YORK
| Programme | City | PTCB credential | ASHP accredited | Federal programme data | Programme hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton University School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences | Vestal | CPhT | Yes | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| University of Rochester Medical Center – Pharmacy Technician University | Rochester | CPhT | Yes | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Mount Sinai Health System Pharmacy Technician Training Program | New York | CPhT | Yes | Not matched to a federal institution record | 424 total |
| NYU Langone Health | New York | CPhT | Yes | Not matched to a federal institution record | Not published |
| NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital Pharmacy Technician Training Program | Flushing | CPhT | Yes | Not matched to a federal institution record | Not published |
| Northwell Health – Train for Success Pharmacy Technician Program | Lake Success | CPhT | Yes | Not matched to a federal institution record | Not published |
| The College at Brockport – Rochester Educational Opportunity Center | Rochester | CPhT | Yes | Not matched to a federal institution record | Not published |
| Access Institute | Hempstead | CPhT | No | Listed in federal programme data | Not published |
| Bronx Community College | Bronx | CPhT | No | Listed in federal programme data | Not published |
| Bronx Community College. | Bronx | Not published | No | Listed in federal programme data | Not published |
| Adelphi University | Garden City | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Bryant & Stratton College – Albany | Albany | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| CUNY Kingsborough Community College | Brooklyn | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Clinton Community College (SUNY) | Plattsburgh | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Continuing and Professional Studies The City College of New York | New York | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| D'Youville University | Buffalo | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Dutchess Community College | Poughkeepsie | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Genesee Community College | Batavia | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Hudson Valley Career Training Inc | Troy | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Hudson Valley Community College | Troy | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Hunter College – Continuing Education | New York | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Jefferson Community College | Watertown | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Lehman College – Continuing Education | Bronx | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Medical Training Institute of New York | Flushing | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Mohawk Valley Community College, Utica | Utica | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| Nassau Community College | Garden City | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| New York City College of Technology/CUNY – Division of Continuing Studies | Brooklyn | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| New York Institute of Career Development | New York | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| New York Institute of Medical Careers | Flushing | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
| New York Medical Career Training Center – Flushing | Flushing | CPhT | No | Not listed under pharmacy technician (non-credit programmes are not covered by federal reporting) | Not published |
If you are interested in having a pharmacy technician education, here are a few pharmacy technician schools in New York and pharmacy technician programs that provide on-the-job training for you to think about:
Manhattan Institute
The Manhattan Institute in New York City offers a diploma program in pharmacy technology. This program consists of six weeks of Saturday and Sunday classes, so you can still work weekdays while taking classes. This pharmacy tech program will prepare you for entry-level work in the field.
New York City College of Technology
Located in Brooklyn, this school offers a 200-hour certificate program in pharmacy technology. This includes 45 hours of classroom instruction with the remaining 155 hours taken online. Classes are held once a week. The online courses prepare students to take the PTCE. Externships are available, and students will receive help with job placement once they have completed the course.
Molloy College
The Rockville and Suffolk Center campuses of Molloy offer a pharmacy technician program. This program consists of 80 hours of instruction in theory and an 80-hour externship. You can complete the classroom portion of the program two nights a week for 13 weeks at the Suffolk Center campus or one Saturday a week for 12 weeks at the Rockville campus. The externship can be taken after the student has completed the instructional part of the program. The externship consists of working 10 eight-hour days in a local retail pharmacy. Students will be able to work in the pharmacy field and take the PTCE once they have completed this program.
PHARMACY TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS
Certification is optional in the state, but this credential can help you to advance in your career as a pharmacy tech. Certification can also help you to make more money. The most common form of accreditation is to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) by taking the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination (PTCE) that is given by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board. This exam costs $129. Or, you can take the Examination for Certification as Pharmacy Technician (ExCPT) that the National Health career Association (NHA) offers. The cost to take this exam is $117.
CAREER OUTLOOK AND SALARY EXPECTATIONS
Pharmacy technician employment in New York is projected to grow 3% between 2024 and 2034, from about 26,910 jobs to 27,830 (Projections Central state projections). That is roughly 2,570 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 New York is growing more slowly than the country as a whole.
The median pharmacy technician in New York earns $43,930 a year (May 2025, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn between $37,740 and $49,980; the lowest tenth earn under $36,540 and the top tenth above $64,690. New York employs about 24,400 pharmacy technicians.
What that is worth where you live. Prices in New York run at 107.9% of the national average (2024, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities), so $43,930 here buys what $40,706 would buy in an average-cost part of the country. Measured that way New York ranks 50 of 51 states for pharmacy technician pay, which is lower than its headline wage suggests because living costs are above average.
WHERE TO WORK AS A PHARMACY TECHNICIAN IN NEW YORK
Pharmacy technicians work in various venues, such as independent drugstores, retail pharmacies, compounding pharmacies, hospitals, mail-order pharmacies, and nursing homes. Part-time and full-time work is available for this career.
Pharmacists are taking on newer and more responsibilities. Therefore, they rely on the help of pharmacy techs to share in their workload. Manual dexterity and solid communication skills are a plus to working in this field.
With the growth rate steadily increasing, work should be available almost anywhere in the state. A registered pharmacy technician can work in the following New York locations:
Buffalo, Rochester, Yonkers, Syracuse, Albany, New Rochelle, Mount Vernon, and Schenectady
However, some of the cities with higher employment rates for this profession include the Bronx, Brooklyn, New York City, Staten Island, and Yonkers. Furthermore, pharmacy technicians working in Brooklyn and New York City are most likely to make the most money in this career.
FAQS
What are the best pharmacy technician schools in New York?
- CUNY Bronx Community College, Bronx
- Monroe College, Bronx
- Access Careers, Hempstead
- American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education, Piscataway, NJ
- Penn Foster Career School, Online
How do you become a pharmacy technician in New York?
- You must be at least 18 years old
- You must have a high school diploma or GED
- Pass a criminal record check
- Certification is not required in New York
How much do pharmacy technicians make in New York?
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OUT-OF-STATE OPTIONS
Residents of New York may also wish to review their options in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, and Vermont.