Do pharmacy technicians need a license in New York?

Yes. New York requires state-level licensing or registration for pharmacy technicians, administered by the NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy. See the licensing section above for credential types and current requirements.

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in New York (2026)

Q: How long does pharmacy technician training take in New York?

Most people become a Pharmacy Technician in New York through a short pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training, a national exam (PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT), and board of pharmacy registration where required.

Q: How much do pharmacy technicians earn in New York?

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS data (May 2025), pharmacy technicians in New York earned a median annual wage of approximately $43,930. Employment concentration in New York is roughly 0.83 of the national average, meaning fewer workers per capita than the U.S. as a whole.

Q: What is the job outlook for pharmacy technicians in New York?

New York currently employs approximately 24,400 workers, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 6.4% national employment change for this occupation from 2024 to 2034.

Updated June 8, 2026 | TradeCareerPath Editorial Team

New York employs about 24,400 pharmacy technicians earning a median $43,930 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Training as a Pharmacy Technician here means completing a short pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training, a national exam (PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT), and board of pharmacy registration where required, then applying through NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy.

Compare Pharmacy Technician Schools in New York

BOC Score, tuition, graduation rate, and median graduate earnings from federal IPEDS and U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard data. Tuition is the published annual figure for the latest reported year and excludes room, board, books and fees. Earnings are reported across all programs at the school (all majors), not a single trade. Distance is measured from the page's primary location.
#	School	BOC Score (0–100)	Tuition (published, per year)	Median grad earnings (all majors)	Graduation rate	Online	Distance
1	American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education	72.0	Contact school for pricing	$56,760	88%	—	54 mi
2	Access Careers	70.9	Contact school for pricing	$43,184	90%	—	50 mi
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3	American Institute of Healthcare & Technology	58.3	Contact school for pricing	Not reported	100%	—	53 mi
4	Lackawanna College	58.2	$18,400	$45,609	37%	Yes*	78 mi
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5	Quinsigamond Community College	58.1	$6,262 in-state / $11,206 out-of-state	$55,076	22%	Yes*	140 mi
6	Salem Community College	54.5	$6,360 in-state / $10,260 out-of-state	$50,664	40%	Yes*	131 mi
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7	CUNY Bronx Community College	54.4	$5,206 in-state / $8,086 out-of-state	$44,993	16%	Yes*	34 mi
8	Pennco Tech-Blackwood	52.7	Contact school for pricing	$45,022	72%	—	114 mi
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9	Pennco Tech-Bristol	48.9	Contact school for pricing	$43,445	84%	—	92 mi
10	Pennsylvania Institute of Technology	42.5	$14,850	$50,857	21%	Yes*	117 mi
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Schools closest to the page's primary location are gathered first, then ranked by BOC Score; distance from the page's primary location is shown for reference. The BOC Score is an independent measure of school outcomes (graduation, earnings, net price, retention) expressed as a 0–100 percentile within each school's peer group; higher is better and advertising never affects it. *Online availability refers to coursework; hands-on trade training is completed in person. Read the full methodology.

New York employs approximately 24,400 pharmacy technicians according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with a median annual wage of $43,930 ¹. Nationally, pharmacy technician employment is projected to grow 6.4% from 2024 to 2034, with about 49,000 openings per year ². This page covers how to become a Pharmacy Technician in New York, including licensing requirements, training programs, and salary data.

At a Glance

Training paths: pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training (find programs)
Typical timeline: a short pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training, a national exam (PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT), and board of pharmacy registration where required
Licensing authority: NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy
Exam: PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT
Median wage (New York): $43,930 per year ¹

Quick Answers About How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in New York

How to become a Pharmacy Technician in New York? Complete a short pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training, a national exam (PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT), and board of pharmacy registration where required. Apply through NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy.

How long does it take? Most people finish a short pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training, a national exam (PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT), and board of pharmacy registration where required. Confirm current hour totals with the program and NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy.

Do I need a license in New York? Yes. New York credentials this role through NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy ³. See the licensing section below.

What do pharmacy technicians earn in New York? The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians in New York is $43,930 according to BLS data. Entry-level wages start around $36,540 and experienced professionals can earn $64,690 or more ¹.

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in New York

Meet basic requirements. Most New York pharmacy technician programs expect a high school diploma or GED. Confirm current age, background-check, and work-authorization rules with NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy.
Complete a pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training. Finish a certificate or associate program in New York, preferably ASHP-accredited, or employer training if the board allows it. This is not a registered apprenticeship.
Pass PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT. Many boards and employers require the PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT exam. Confirm which exam NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy accepts.
Register with the state board of pharmacy. Apply through NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy before unsupervised work. Reciprocity, trainee cards, and fees vary; confirm with the board.

Steps and hour totals vary by credential level; confirm current requirements with the state board before you apply.

Pharmacy Technician License Requirements in New York

Pharmacy technicians in New York typically complete a short training program, pass PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT, and register with NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy. See NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy ³.

Typical path

Meet the board’s entry rules.
Complete a pharmacy technician program or board-allowed employer training.
Pass PTCB CPhT or NHA ExCPT if the board requires a national exam.
Register or license with NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy before unsupervised work.

Hour totals, fees, and reciprocity rules change. Confirm current requirements with NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy before you enroll.

Pharmacy Technician Wages by Metro Area in New York

Pharmacy Technicians Wages by Metro Area in New York

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), pharmacy technicians wages in New York vary by metro area.

Metro Area	Employment	Median Annual Wage	Avg. Annual Wage	Entry Level (10th pctile)	Experienced (90th pctile)
New York-Newark-Jersey City	25,420	$44,640	$47,550	$36,680	$65,990
Rochester	1,830	$40,940	$43,290	$37,760	$50,260
Buffalo-Cheektowaga	1,740	$40,130	$42,650	$35,090	$51,770
Albany-Schenectady-Troy	1,120	$40,350	$42,520	$35,310	$51,850
Syracuse	890	$41,430	$43,490	$34,530	$58,560
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh	750	$43,340	$44,770	$36,210	$58,550
Utica-Rome	340	$37,800	$41,400	$34,440	$50,660
Binghamton	260	$44,770	$44,350	$34,730	$58,650
Glens Falls	180	$44,480	$42,370	$34,080	$55,340
Kingston	170	$44,340	$43,420	$36,200	$51,780
Watertown-Fort Drum	120	$36,610	$40,680	$32,240	$51,080
Elmira	90	$39,630	$40,580	$33,840	$47,940
Ithaca	60	$45,090	$45,840	$35,610	$55,920

Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the job outlook for pharmacy technicians in New York? New York currently employs approximately 24,400 pharmacy technicians ¹. Nationally, pharmacy technician employment is projected to grow 6.4% from 2024 to 2034 ².

Can I work as a pharmacy technician in New York with an out-of-state license? Contact the NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy for details on reciprocity and credential transfer.

What training programs are available in New York? Options include trade schools, community colleges, and state-approved training programs. Use the school finder above to search for programs in New York.

How much do pharmacy technicians earn in New York compared to the national average? The median annual wage for pharmacy technicians in New York is $43,930, which is $470 above the national median of $43,460 according to BLS data ¹.

In New York

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Citations

About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics - Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics: https://www.bls.gov/oes/ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
Bureau of Labor Statistics - Employment Projections: https://www.bls.gov/emp/ ↩︎ ↩︎
NYS Education Department - State Board of Pharmacy - Licensing Information: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/ ↩︎ ↩︎

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

Data	Provider	Vintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	May 2025
Employment Projections	U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics	2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System	National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)	2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)	U.S. Department of Education	latest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirements	CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programs	CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)	latest release (updated 2025-10-25)
O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones)	U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.)	O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13)