#United States #Washington #PTCB #Pharmacy Technicians #Expert Core

Pharmacy Technician Workforce in 2025

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) has recently unveiled the findings from its 2025 Workforce Survey, which surveyed over 17,000 pharmacy technicians. This survey has marked a pivotal change in the pharmacy industry, transitioning from the turbulence experienced during the pandemic to a new phase referred to as "sophisticated stabilization."

One significant revelation from the survey is the emergence of an "Expert Core" within the pharmacy technician workforce. Surprisingly, more than 42% of technicians now have over a decade of experience. This shift indicates a robust professional maturation, with a growing number of technicians viewing their roles as lifelong careers rather than temporary positions. In fact, 63% of respondents report a commitment to their careers, a notable increase from 59% in 2022.

Key Findings from the Survey

The data collected sheds light on several critical trends:

1. The Professionalization Shift: For the first time, more than 63% of technicians see their job as a long-term career. This represents an increase of nearly 7.4% since the previous year, pointing towards a rising sense of professionalism within the field.
2. Rising Expertise: A striking 41% of pharmacy technicians have held certification for over 10 years, establishing a foundation of seasoned experience that benefits pharmacies nationwide.
3. Certification Benefits: The survey highlighted that national certification, once perceived as an optional status, has morphed into a significant economic advantage. Certified pharmacy technicians earn a consistent 20% more than their non-certified counterparts, making regular certification increasingly essential in the industry.
4. Retention Challenges: Despite the evident commitment to their roles, technicians indicated that inadequate pay and incentives remain the primary reasons for potential turnover. This underscores an ongoing need for the industry to reassess compensation strategies to match increasing responsibilities adequately.

Charting a Path Forward

While it’s crucial to maintain a steady influx of entry-level pharmacy technicians, the survey emphasizes that boosting retention is equally important. Technicians have expressed a desire for upward mobility, advocating for the establishment of clear career paths. This necessitates the introduction of advanced credentialing in specialized domains such as sterile compounding and supply chain management alongside proper alignment of compensation with heightened responsibilities.

PTCB’s executive director, William Schimmel, remarked, "Protecting this 'Expert Core' is essential for patient safety. The departure of experienced technicians due to stagnant incentives results in a loss of critical skills that are difficult to replace."

The complete report can be accessed through the PTCB's 2025 Technician Workforce Survey Whitepaper, providing comprehensive insight into these trends and changes.

Survey Methodology

Conducted in May 2025, the PTCB surveyed over 350,000 pharmacy technicians across the United States, retrieving responses from 17,112 certified and non-certified technicians from all 50 states, along with the District of Columbia, Guam, and Puerto Rico. This extensive reach underscores the importance of the findings and their implications for the future of pharmacy services.

About PTCB

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) stands as the nation’s first certified and trusted nonprofit credentialing organization for pharmacy technicians. Established on the foundation that pharmacy technicians are vital in advancing medication safety and overall patient care, PTCB has created the benchmark for excellence by offering widely recognized certifications, such as the certification for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (CPhT).