Getting Your California Pharmacy Technician Degree
The field of Pharmacy Tech continues to grow, making the career outlook for a Pharmacy Technician very promising. As the pharmaceutical industry continues to grow, more and more post-secondary California colleges are offering a degree in Pharm Tech. Getting your California Pharm Tech degree will prepare you for an entry level position working with licensed pharmacists in many retail locations. When you first start in the field, you can expect to earn a salary around $30,000 per year, but as your experience grows, your salary can almost double to $59,000 per year. Many find this appealing as the job of a Pharmacy Technician is generally low stress while also being an incredibly important and rewarding service to many people in need.
Choosing a California Pharmacy Technician School
There are many things to take into consideration when searching for the best California Pharmacy Technician school, but the most important include location, time to completion, and cost of education. Most students seeking a career as a pharmacy technician are often hoping to find a school close to them. As such, it is highly likely that you already live in California and now need to narrow down your search to the local post-secondary colleges in your neighborhood. Attending college close to home will help you better balance work and family. It also has an added perk of helping you land a job that is also close to home.
Beyond location, it is important to consider the length of time it will take you to obtain your California Pharm Tech degree. Most pharmacy technician programs in California take about 12 months to complete and include employment training like intership programs at local pharmacies. You also have the option of attending a part time or full time training program, which will help you better balance priorities. Another consideration is whether online classes are available at the college of your choice. Many pharm tech students prefer to mix online training with campus training, to ensure that they can complete their degree at their own pace.
Finally, it is important to consider the cost of your education. Luckily finding the right California Pharmacy Tech school doesn't mean you have to do a lot of shopping around. This is because costs don't fluctuate too much between these colleges. Each college will charge by credit hour and it is not atypical to find a school chargin $150 per credit hour.
In the end, the right school will fit your budget and lifestyle, but it also must properly prepare you for your Pharmacy Tech Certification Exam. Passing this exam is the only way to obtain a degree as a Pharmacy Technician, and you will need to renew your certification and obtain another 20 hours of education every two years. If becoming a Pharmacy Technician is right for you, browse our thorough directory of California health schools and request FREE information from the colleges of your choice.
