Pharmacy Technician
Pima Medical Institute · Chula Vista, CA
- Cost
- $18,860
- Length
- 35 weeks
- Working 6 months later
- 53%
Program names, program descriptions and occupation titles appear here in English, because that is the only language the federal and state records publish them in. Everything else on this page is translated.
What happened to people who took this
- People enrolled
- 308
- Finished the program
- 69%Based on 220 peopleTypical California program: 85% of 1,951 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Working 6 months later
- 53%Typical California program: 69% of 1,690 reportingThat median pools every California program that reported this measure, whatever its length, credential, or field, and leaves out the ones that reported nothing. It is a reference point, not a rating of this program.
- Earnings in one quarter after
- Not reported
The jobs this trains for
This describes the jobs people do, not the classes this program teaches. It comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, which asks people already doing the work. The Department publishes it in English only, so the job names and the sentences below stay in English on this page.
Trains for more than one job. The outlook shown is the weakest of them.
Where California publishes a separate figure for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County), it appears beneath the statewide one. Statewide stays the headline: people who train here do not necessarily work here.
Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary
Job ads may call this: Lecturer · Professor · Instructor · Clinical Professor
Some of what people in this job do. The Department rates how important each one is, and they appear in that order.
- Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
- Keep abreast of developments in the field by reading current literature, talking with colleagues, and participating in professional conferences.
- Evaluate and grade students' class work, assignments, and papers.
- Supervise laboratory sessions.
Show 2 more things this job involves
- Compile, administer, and grade examinations, or assign this work to others.
- Prepare and deliver lectures to undergraduate or graduate students on topics such as public health, stress management, and work site health promotion.
What this pays in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $67,344 | $110,663 | $290,470 |
| Across California | $67,344 | $169,732 | $392,241 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $169,732per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $106,487
- Projected openings
- 20,800San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 1,610
- Projected change
- +19.2%
- Usually needs
- Doctoral or professional degree
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- Under 5 years in a related job
- Training after you are hired
- None
Employers usually expect some time in a related job as well as the training. Ask the provider what their graduates did before they were hired.
These are the federal government's answers for the occupation, not rules this provider sets. California publishes the same two answers for every one of these jobs.
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Doctorate or professional degree — 49% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: Doctoral or professional degree. 52% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 0.6%
- High school diploma
- 2%
- Started college, no degree
- 2%
- Two-year degree
- 2%
- Four-year degree
- 15%
- Master's degree
- 31%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 49%
This counts people already doing this job, across the whole United States. Every other figure on this page is California's, and the federal government publishes no state version of this one. It is what people happen to have, not a rule about who gets hired. A small row does not mean you would be turned away, and a large one is not a promise of a job.
Pharmacy Technicians
Pay, hiring, and what people studied
Job ads may call this: Compounding Technician · Accredited Pharmacy Technician · Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) · RPhT (Registered Pharmacy Technician)
- Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.
- Enter prescription information into computer databases.
- Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.
- Compute charges for medication or equipment dispensed to hospital patients and enter data in computer.
- Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.
What this pays in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County)
Each bar runs from the lowest-paid tenth to the highest-paid tenth. The darker middle is where half the people are, and the line is the median.
| Area | The lowest-paid tenth earn under | Half earn under | The highest-paid tenth earn over |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) | $45,550 | $56,026 | $83,463 |
| Across California | $44,049 | $56,653 | $83,463 |
The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' 2026 figures for San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA (San Diego County) beside the same figures for the whole state. A region can sit well below or above the statewide spread, and the statewide number is the one most often quoted — so where they differ, the local row is the one that describes the work near this program.
- Typical pay in California
- $56,653per yearSan Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: $50,886
- Projected openings
- 41,220San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad MSA: 3,970
- Projected change
- +8.2%
- Usually needs
- High school diploma or equivalent
Getting in
- Experience needed first
- None
- Training after you are hired
- 1 to 12 months
What people in this job actually studied
Most common: Started college, no degree — 34% of the people doing this work.
California says this job usually needs: High school diploma or equivalent. 3% of the people doing it went less far than that.
- No high school diploma
- 3%
- High school diploma
- 25%
- Started college, no degree
- 34%
- Two-year degree
- 17%
- Four-year degree
- 17%
- Master's degree
- 3%
- Doctorate or professional degree
- 1%
Program details
This program provides in-person instruction only.
The Pharmacy Technician program provides students with the educational and clinical training in preparation for entry-level employment. Students have the opportunity to develop professional skills in customer service, prescription preparation, patient profiling and drug inventory maintenance. Upon completion of the program, students are equipped to handle all the responsibilities of a pharmacy technician.
Someone else may be able to pay for this
This program was on California's Eligible Training Provider List when the state last reported it to the U.S. Department of Labor (2026-08-04). Programs on that list can be paid for through an Individual Training Account. Listings are renewed periodically and can lapse, so a program listed when the state last reported may not be listed today. Ask before you rely on it.
The place to ask is an America's Job Center of California
South Bay Career CenterComprehensive center
Phone: 619-319-9675
333 H StreetSouth Bay Career Bldg. Suite 1055Chula Vista, CA 91910about 1.7 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5 :00p.m.
Metro Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675 and 619-266-4253
4389 Imperial AvenueSan Diego, CA 92113about 5.9 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Has a veterans' representative
East County Career CenterAffiliate site
Phone: 619-319-9675
151 Van Houten AvePCGEl Cajon, CA 92020about 12.4 miles away
Hours: Monday - Friday 8:00am- 5:00pm
Distances are straight-line, so the drive is longer. Call before you travel: opening hours here are as the federal directory published them, and the state notes its own staff are not present at every location.
Find a center anywhere in California, and check what is on the list today:
CareerOneStop — American Job Center Finder (U.S. DOL) · California EDD — Office Locator · California EDD — Eligible Training Provider List
How this gets paid for, and what to ask →
Whether a person can have a program paid for is decided by their local workforce development board and the America's Job Center staff who interview them — not by this site, and not by the training provider. California has 45 local workforce development areas and each sets its own policies, so the answer can differ between two people in neighboring counties. Nothing here is a promise of funding or a determination of eligibility.
The rules cited here, and the state and federal sites linked to, are published in English.
How this site gets its figures, and what they do not tell you →