# Pharmacy Technicians

> Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.
- **Entity Type:** role
- **Schema Version:** role.v1
- **Soc Code:** 29-2052.00
- **Summary:** Prepare medications under the direction of a pharmacist. May measure, mix, count out, label, and record amounts and dosages of medications according to prescription orders.

## Aliases

- Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)
- Chemotherapy Pharmacy Technician (Chemo Pharmacy Technician)
- OR Pharmacy Tech (Operating Room Pharmacy Tech)
- RPhT (Registered Pharmacy Technician)
- Accredited Pharmacy Technician
- Compounding Technician
- Compounding Pharmacy Tech (Compounding Pharmacy Technician)
- Drug Coordinator
- Hospital Pharmacy Tech (Hospital Pharmacy Technician)
- Inpatient Pharmacy Tech (Inpatient Pharmacy Technician)
- Pharmacist Assistant
- Pharmacist Technician

## Tasks

| Text | Type | Iwa |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate. | Core | 4.A.2.a.2.e |
| Enter prescription information into computer databases. | Core | 4.A.3.b.1.f |
| Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients. | Core | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Compute charges for medication or equipment dispensed to hospital patients and enter data in computer. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.b.1.f |
| Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs. | Core | 4.A.4.c.3.a |
| Prepare and process medical insurance claim forms and records. | Supplemental | 4.A.4.c.1.c |
| Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages. | Core | 4.A.4.c.3.a |
| Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests. | Core | 4.A.4.c.1.a |
| Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information. | Core | 4.A.4.a.3.b |
| Operate cash registers to accept payment from customers. | Core | 4.A.4.c.1.c |
| Transfer medication from vials to the appropriate number of sterile, disposable syringes, using aseptic techniques. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.a.1.a |
| Restock intravenous (IV) supplies and add measured drugs or nutrients to IV solutions under sterile conditions to prepare IV packs for various uses, such as chemotherapy medication. | Supplemental | 4.A.3.a.1.a |

## Emerging Tasks


## Activities

| Name | Iwa |
| --- | --- |
| Prepare medications or medical solutions. | 4.A.3.a.1.a |
| Maintain inventory of medical supplies or equipment. | 4.A.4.c.3.a |
| Verify accuracy of patient information. | 4.A.2.a.2.e |
| Perform clerical work in medical settings. | 4.A.4.c.1.a |
| Provide information to the general public. | 4.A.4.a.3.b |
| Provide customers with general information or assistance. | 4.A.4.a.3.c |
| Sterilize medical equipment or instruments. | 4.A.3.a.1.i |
| Clean medical equipment or facilities. | 4.A.3.a.1.i |
| Maintain medical equipment or instruments. | 4.A.3.b.4.f |
| Record patient medical histories. | 4.A.3.b.6.k |
| Enter patient or treatment data into computers. | 4.A.3.b.1.f |
| Maintain supply or equipment inventories. | 4.A.4.c.3.a |
| Monitor availability of equipment or supplies. | 4.A.4.c.3.g |
| Process medical billing information. | 4.A.4.c.1.c |
| Operate cash registers. | 4.A.4.c.1.c |
| Process sales or other transactions. | 4.A.4.c.1.c |
| Deliver items. | 4.A.3.a.1.j |
| Arrange delivery of goods or services. | 4.A.4.b.4.j |
| Merchandise healthcare products or services. | 4.A.4.a.6.b |
| Enter information into databases or software programs. | 4.A.3.b.1.f |
| Enter codes or other information into computers. | 4.A.3.b.1.f |

## Capabilities

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Customer and Personal Service | knowledge | 4.59 |
| Active Listening | essential_skill | 4 |
| Oral Comprehension | ability | 4 |
| Written Comprehension | ability | 4 |
| Oral Expression | ability | 4 |
| Near Vision | ability | 4 |
| Speech Recognition | ability | 3.88 |
| Medicine and Dentistry | knowledge | 3.85 |
| Mathematics | knowledge | 3.82 |
| Reading Comprehension | essential_skill | 3.75 |
| Speaking | essential_skill | 3.75 |
| English Language | knowledge | 3.75 |
| Problem Sensitivity | ability | 3.75 |
| Information Ordering | ability | 3.75 |
| Computers and Electronics | knowledge | 3.71 |
| Category Flexibility | ability | 3.62 |
| Law and Government | knowledge | 3.49 |
| Speech Clarity | ability | 3.38 |
| Administrative | knowledge | 3.31 |
| Critical Thinking | essential_skill | 3.25 |
| Production and Processing | knowledge | 3.24 |
| Active Learning | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Monitoring | essential_skill | 3.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Service Orientation | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Complex Problem Solving | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | transferable_skill | 3.12 |
| Written Expression | ability | 3.12 |
| Deductive Reasoning | ability | 3.12 |
| Number Facility | ability | 3.12 |
| Perceptual Speed | ability | 3.12 |
| Finger Dexterity | ability | 3.12 |
| Writing | essential_skill | 3 |
| Mathematics | essential_skill | 3 |
| Coordination | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Time Management | transferable_skill | 3 |
| Inductive Reasoning | ability | 3 |
| Selective Attention | ability | 3 |
| Time Sharing | ability | 3 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | ability | 3 |

## Skills

| Name | Type |
| --- | --- |
| Active Listening | Common Skill |
| Speech Recognition | Specialized Skill |
| Mathematics | Common Skill |
| Reading Comprehension | Common Skill |
| Information Ordering | Specialized Skill |
| English Language | Common Skill |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Outlook | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Excel | Common Skill |
| Critical Thinking | Common Skill |
| Social Perceptiveness | Common Skill |
| Finger Dexterity | Common Skill |
| Deductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Complex Problem Solving | Common Skill |
| Active Learning | Common Skill |
| Writing | Common Skill |
| Time Management | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Word | Common Skill |
| Microsoft Edge | Specialized Skill |
| Inductive Reasoning | Common Skill |
| Chemistry | Specialized Skill |
| Learning Strategies | Specialized Skill |
| Telecommunications | Specialized Skill |
| Systems Analysis | Specialized Skill |
| Instructing | Specialized Skill |
| Biology | Specialized Skill |
| Psychology | Specialized Skill |
| Visualization | Specialized Skill |
| Negotiation | Common Skill |
| Database Software | Specialized Skill |
| Foreign Language | Common Skill |
| Depth Perception | Common Skill |
| Physics | Specialized Skill |
| Geography | Specialized Skill |
| Presentation Software | Specialized Skill |
| Medical Software | Specialized Skill |
| Installation | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Selection | Specialized Skill |
| Equipment Maintenance | Specialized Skill |

## Tools

| Example | Category | Hot | In Demand |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | yes | yes |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | yes | yes |
| Microsoft Outlook | Electronic mail software | yes | yes |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | yes | yes |
| Apple Safari | Internet browser software | yes | no |
| MEDITECH software | Medical software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Edge | Internet browser software | yes | no |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | yes | no |
| Mozilla Firefox | Internet browser software | yes | no |
| Billing and reimbursement software | Billing and invoicing software | no | no |
| Compounder software | Medical software | no | no |
| Database software | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Drug compatibility software | Data base user interface and query software | no | no |
| Label-making software | Label making software | no | no |
| Medical condition coding software | Medical software | no | no |
| Patient record maintenance software | Medical software | no | no |
| Pharmaceutical software | Medical software | no | no |
| Pharmacy management software | Enterprise resource planning ERP software | no | no |
| Prescription processing software | Medical software | no | no |
| Pyxis MedStation software | Inventory management software | no | no |

## Work Context

| Name | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Telephone Conversations | 5 |
| Importance of Being Exact or Accurate | 4.98 |
| Indoors, Environmentally Controlled | 4.93 |
| Contact With Others | 4.84 |
| E-Mail | 4.66 |
| Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams | 4.56 |
| Spend Time Standing | 4.54 |
| Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team | 4.45 |
| Importance of Repeating Same Tasks | 4.39 |
| Dealing With Unpleasant, Angry, or Discourteous People | 4.3 |
| Time Pressure | 4.26 |
| Physical Proximity | 4.07 |
| Spend Time Making Repetitive Motions | 4.06 |
| Consequence of Error | 4.01 |
| Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results | 3.99 |
| Frequency of Decision Making | 3.86 |
| Spend Time Walking or Running | 3.83 |
| Coordinate or Lead Others in Accomplishing Work Activities | 3.79 |
| Deal With External Customers or the Public in General | 3.75 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | 3.67 |
| Conflict Situations | 3.63 |
| Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals | 3.51 |
| Health and Safety of Other Workers | 3.4 |
| Work Outcomes and Results of Other Workers | 3.39 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | 3.39 |
| Freedom to Make Decisions | 3.28 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | 3.06 |
| Exposed to Sounds, Noise Levels that are Distracting or Uncomfortable | 3.05 |
| Level of Competition | 2.95 |
| Written Letters and Memos | 2.89 |
| Spend Time Bending or Twisting Your Body | 2.68 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | 2.52 |
| Degree of Automation | 2.44 |
| Pace Determined by Speed of Equipment | 2.29 |
| Spend Time Kneeling, Crouching, Stooping, or Crawling | 2.03 |
| Spend Time Sitting | 1.86 |
| Exposed to Hazardous Conditions | 1.83 |
| Wear Specialized Protective or Safety Equipment such as Breathing Apparatus, Safety Harness, Full Protection Suits, or Radiation Protection | 1.78 |
| Exposed to Cramped Work Space, Awkward Positions | 1.73 |
| Exposed to Minor Burns, Cuts, Bites, or Stings | 1.7 |

## Preparation

- **Job Zone:** 3
- **Job Zone Name:** Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- **Education:** Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- **Experience:** Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- **Svp Range:** (6.0 to < 7.0)

### Education Distribution

| Label | Percentage |
| --- | --- |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 41.97 |
| High School Diploma | 35.73 |
| Some College Courses | 14.63 |
| Bachelor's Degree | 3.84 |
| Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 3.83 |

## Person Fit

| Name | Family | Value |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Conventional | career_interest_type | 7 |
| Health Care Service | specific_interest_area | 4.6 |
| Realistic | career_interest_type | 4.21 |
| Office Work | specific_interest_area | 4 |
| Dependability | work_style | 4 |
| Social | career_interest_type | 3.32 |
| Attention to Detail | work_style | 3 |
| Investigative | career_interest_type | 2.99 |
| Personal Service | specific_interest_area | 2.54 |
| Cautiousness | work_style | 2.54 |
| Enterprising | career_interest_type | 2.52 |
| Integrity | work_style | 2.36 |
| Medical Science | specific_interest_area | 2.35 |
| Accounting | specific_interest_area | 2.28 |
| Physical/Manual Labor | specific_interest_area | 2.16 |
| Information Technology | specific_interest_area | 1.98 |

## Related Roles

| Soc Code | Slug | Title | Tier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 29-1051.00 | role-29-1051-00 | Pharmacists | Primary-Short |
| 31-9095.00 | role-31-9095-00 | Pharmacy Aides | Primary-Short |
| 31-9092.00 | role-31-9092-00 | Medical Assistants | Primary-Short |
| 29-2056.00 | role-29-2056-00 | Veterinary Technologists and Technicians | Primary-Short |
| 31-9097.00 | role-31-9097-00 | Phlebotomists | Primary-Short |
| 29-2061.00 | role-29-2061-00 | Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | Primary-Long |
| 29-2012.00 | role-29-2012-00 | Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians | Primary-Long |
| 31-1131.00 | role-31-1131-00 | Nursing Assistants | Primary-Long |
| 29-2055.00 | role-29-2055-00 | Surgical Technologists | Primary-Long |
| 29-2081.00 | role-29-2081-00 | Opticians, Dispensing | Primary-Long |
| 43-6013.00 | role-43-6013-00 | Medical Secretaries and Administrative Assistants | Supplemental |
| 29-2072.00 | role-29-2072-00 | Medical Records Specialists | Supplemental |

## Career Clusters

| Cluster | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Healthcare & Human Services | healthcare-human-services |

## Education Level

- **Category:** High school diploma or equivalent

## Study Programs

| Title | Slug |
| --- | --- |
| Health Professions and Related Programs | health-professions-and-related-programs |

## Market

- **Median Wage:** 43460
- **Mean Wage:** 44800
- **Pct10Wage:** 35100
- **Pct25Wage:** 36920
- **Pct75Wage:** 48580
- **Pct90Wage:** 59450
- **Employment:** 487920
- **Area Title:** U.S.

## Industries


### Top

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Median Wage | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 345940 | 38630 | 7.01 |
| 456110 | 456110 | Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | National industry | 256330 | 37900 | 114.32 |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 103460 | 49340 | 1.42 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 10060 | 44120 | 0.53 |
| 52 | 52 | Finance and Insurance | Sector | 6390 | 45700 | 0.32 |
| 56 | 56 | Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | Sector | 4370 | 46080 | 0.15 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 3560 | 45610 | 0.42 |
| 55 | 55 | Management of Companies and Enterprises | Sector | 2520 | 53530 | 0.28 |
| 31-33 | 31-33 | Manufacturing | Sector | 2290 | 46850 | 0.06 |
| 524114 | 524114 | Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | National industry | 2040 | 48060 | 1.44 |
| 54 | 54 | Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | Sector | 1350 | 44890 | 0.04 |
| 61 | 61 | Educational Services | Sector | 1050 | 52050 | 0.02 |

### Concentrated

| Naics | Slug | Title | Level | Employment | Lq |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 456110 | 456110 | Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | National industry | 256330 | 114.32 |
| 44-45 | 44-45 | Retail Trade | Sector | 345940 | 7.01 |
| 524114 | 524114 | Direct Health and Medical Insurance Carriers | National industry | 2040 | 1.44 |
| 62 | 62 | Health Care and Social Assistance | Sector | 103460 | 1.42 |
| 42 | 42 | Wholesale Trade | Sector | 10060 | 0.53 |
| 561320 | 561320 | Temporary Help Services | National industry | 3560 | 0.42 |
| 621420 | 621420 | Outpatient Mental Health and Substance Abuse Centers | National industry | 400 | 0.41 |
| 52 | 52 | Finance and Insurance | Sector | 6390 | 0.32 |
- **Count:** 22

## Ai Signals

| Source | Label | Score | Scale | Release |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| frey_osborne | Computerization probability | 0.92 | 0-1 probability | 2013-baseline-2016-employment-snapshot |
| felten_aioe | AI occupational exposure | 0.0070256 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_image_generation_aioe | Image generation occupational exposure | -0.1433054 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |
| felten_language_modeling_aioe | Language modeling occupational exposure | -0.0233856 | relative exposure score | 2021-plus-generative-ai-workbooks |

## Ai Outlook


### Index

- **Value:** 53
- **Percentile:** 52
- **Band:** Moderate
- **Version:** ai-exposure-index-v1

#### Components

| Percentile | Source |
| --- | --- |
| 48 | felten_aioe |
| 47 | openai_gpts_are_gpts |
| 65 | microsoft_working_with_ai |
- **Component Count:** 3

### Exposure

| Source | Label | Value | Percentile | Band | Note |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| felten_aioe | Overall AI exposure (Felten et al.) | 0.0070256 | 48 | Moderate | How much this job's abilities overlap with what AI systems can do, across many AI capabilities. A relative research score, not a forecast of job loss. |
| eloundou_gamma | LLM task exposure, γ (OpenAI / Eloundou) | 0.5588235294117647 | 47 | Moderate | Share of this job's tasks where a large language model plus simple tools could cut the time to do them by at least half. γ is capped at 1.0 and many jobs reach that ceiling, so treat a top score as 'in the top group', not a precise rank. |
| microsoft_applicability | AI assistant applicability (Microsoft) | 0.19273144303959322 | 65 | Moderate | How applicable today's AI assistants are to this job's activities, measured from real Microsoft Copilot conversations. Applicability is not the same as replacement. |

### Frey Historical

- **Source:** frey
- **Label:** Computerization probability (Frey & Osborne, 2013)
- **Value:** 0.92
- **Percentile:** 82
- **Band:** High
- **Note:** A pre-LLM (2013) estimate of how automatable this job is by computerization and robotics. Shown for historical context only — it is not part of any current AI ranking.
- **Teleworkable:** no

### Eloundou

- **Alpha:** 0.29411764705882354
- **Beta:** 0.4264705882352941
- **Gamma:** 0.5588235294117647

### Usage Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Importance |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests. | 0.009346408719480382 | 4.56 |
| Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs. | 0.005854343923191008 | 4.66 |
| Prepare and process medical insurance claim forms and records. | 0.002156863550649319 | 4.66 |
- **Usage Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

### Bls

- **Growth Percent:** 6.4
- **Growth Percentile:** 83
- **Direction:** About average
- **Annual Openings Thousands:** 49
- **Annual Openings Percentile:** 89
- **Employment2024Thousands:** 490.4
- **Employment2034Thousands:** 521.8

### Sources

| Source | Version |
| --- | --- |
| bls_employment_projections | 2024-2034 |
| dingel_neiman | dingel-neiman-workathome |
| felten_aioe | felten-raj-seamans-aioe |
| frey_osborne | frey-osborne-automation |
| microsoft_working_with_ai | working-with-ai |
| openai_gpts_are_gpts | gpts-are-gpts |

## Ai Playbook

- **Trusted Task Count:** 1
- **Task Count:** 2
- **Total Sample:** 155
- **Autonomy Median:** 3
- **Dominant Collaboration:** none
- **Automation Share:** 18.57

### Collaboration

| Label | Percent |
| --- | --- |
| none | 73.57 |
| directive | 18.57 |

### Use Case

| Label | Percent |
| --- | --- |
| personal | 94.29 |

### Delegated Tasks

| Task | Usage Percent | Collaboration | Autonomy Median | Sample Count |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests. | 0.014001750218777347 | none | 3 | 140 |

### Boundary Tasks

| Task | Human Needed Percent | Sample Count |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests. | 99.28571428571429 | 140 |

### Seed Prompts

| Prompt | Collaboration |
| --- | --- |
| Help me with this part of my job: answer telephones, responding to questions or requests | none |
- **Release:** 2026-01-15-v4-plus-2025-03-27-v2

## Counts

- **Tasks:** 21
- **Skills:** 39
- **Capabilities:** 120
- **Tools:** 20
- **Related Roles:** 20

## Source

- **Dataset:** gold.onet_role_starter_surface
- **Version:** 30.3
- **Generated At:** 2026-06-02T21:00:32.945303+00:00
- **Content Hash:** d3c4ec31c6e5937b