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Do you want to start a career as a pharmacy technician in Florida?
If so, all you have to do is read the below info regarding training programs and schooling requirements.
Article Table of Contents
Training Requirements
To be able to get employed in this state, you will need to obtain a license first.
To get licensed you must first register with the Florida State Board of Pharmacy, which issues the licenses.
You must be at least 17 years of age and have a high-school diploma or a GED.
In addition, you must also enroll in a training course that will help you develop your skills.
The program you enroll in should have received accreditation from the Board.
You can either opt for programs that last for 9 months and end in a diploma or an associate’s degree.
The latter programs usually have a duration of 2 years, but provide better job opportunities later on.
There are many good schools offering training in Florida, including:
- Brewster Technical College
- McFatter Technical College
- Southeastern College
- Penn Foster Career School
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Alterius Career College | 3319 W Hillsborough Ave, Tampa, Florida 33614 |
| Atlantic Technical Center | 4700 Coconut Creek Parkway, Coconut Creek, Florida 33063-3902 |
| Brewster Technical Center | 2222 N Tampa St, Tampa, Florida 33602-2196 |
| Cape Coral Institute of Technology | 360 Santa Barbara Blvd North, Cape Coral, Florida 33993-2479 |
| Concorde Career Institute | 10933 Marks Way, Miramar, Florida 33025 |
| Concorde Career Institute | 3444 McCrory Place, Orlando, Florida 32803 |
| Concorde Career Institute | 4202 W Spruce, Tampa, Florida 33607-4127 |
| D A Dorsey Educational Center | 7100 N. W. 17th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33147-6304 |
| Florida Career College | 989 North Semoran Boulevard, Orlando, Florida 32807 |
| Florida Education Institute | 5818 SW 8th St, Miami, Florida 33144 |
| Florida State College | 501 W State St, Jacksonville, Florida 32202 |
| Indian River State College | 3209 Virginia Ave, Fort Pierce, Florida 34981-5596 |
| Lively Technical Center | 500 N Appleyard Dr, Tallahassee, Florida 32304-2895 |
| Manatee Technical Institute | 6305 State Rd 70 East, Bradenton, Florida 34203 |
| Medical Institute of Palm Beach | 5821B Lake Worth Rd, Greenacres, Florida 33463 |
| Miami Dade College | 300 NE 2nd Avenue, Miami, Florida 33132-2204 |
| New Professions Technical Institute | 4000 W. Flagler St., Miami, Florida 33134 |
| Orange Technical College | 901 Webster Ave, Winter Park, Florida 32789 |
| Pasco-Hernando State College | 10230 Ridge Road, New Port Richey, Florida 34654-5199 |
| Pensacola State College | 1000 College Blvd, Pensacola, Florida 32504-8998 |
| Pinellas Technical Education Center | 901 34th St S, Saint Petersburg, Florida 33711-2209 |
| Radford M Locklin Technical Center | 5330 Berryhill Rd, Milton, Florida 32570-8188 |
| Rasmussen College | 4755 Southwest 46th Court, Ocala, Florida 34474-6226 |
| Ridge Career Center | 7700 State Rd 544, Winter Haven, Florida 33881-9518 |
| Schiller International University | 8560 Ulmerton Road, Largo, Florida 33771 |
| Seminole State College of Florida | 100 Weldon Blvd, Sanford, Florida 32773-6199 |
| Southeastern College | 1756 North Congress Ave, West Palm Beach, FL 33409 |
| Southeastern College | 5875 NW 163rd Street, Suite 101 Miami Lakes Area , FL 33014 |
| Tallahassee Community College | 444 Appleyard Dr, Tallahassee, Florida 32304-2895 |
| Technical Education Center | 501 Simpson Rd, Kissimmee, Florida 34744 |
| Ultimate Medical Academy | 1255 Cleveland St, Clearwater, Florida 33755-4933 |
| Washington-Holmes Technical Center | 757 Hoyt Street, Chipley, Florida 32428-1618 |
| Westside Tech | 955 E Story Rd, Winter Garden, Florida 34787-3733 |
| William T McFatter Technical Center | 6500 Nova Drive, Davie, Florida 33317 |
When deciding on a school, make sure you meet the requirements, as not all schools have the same ones.
In some cases, a certain grade in math is mandatory or passing an interview in person.
Getting Licensed in Florida
After completing your program, you must send proof to the Board.
The application should also contain a $50 fee, as well as a $55 fee for registration.
The pharmacy technician license will expire after 2 years, and you will need to renew it.
to renew it, you have to take 20 extra education hours and pay a $55 fee.
If you plan on getting a national license, you will have to send an application to the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).
You will also be required to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) and pay a fee of $129.
Salary Expectations
The Projections Managing Partnership predicts a 22% growth in pharmacy technician jobs in Florida until 2026.
As a pharmacy tech, you will earn a median salary of $32,090 per year and $15.43 an hour.
As a certified pharmacy technician, you can earn about $41,630 per year in Florida.
Annual Salary Range:| Location | Avg. Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Jacksonville | $33,085 |
| Miami | $34,126 |
| Tampa | $33,400 |
| Orlando | $33,348 |
| St. Petersburg | $33,372 |
| Hialeah | $33,863 |
| Tallahassee | $31,794 |
| Port St. Lucie | $33,042 |
| Fort Lauderdale | $34,042 |
| Cape Coral | $32,597 |
Regional Salary in Florida
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 1,040 | $42,540 | $20.45 | $50,460 | $36,170 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | 300 | $40,810 | $19.62 | $47,610 | $35,520 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | 920 | $37,970 | $18.26 | $46,950 | $30,720 |
| Gainesville, FL | 670 | $43,050 | $20.7 | $51,360 | $34,640 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | 150 | $38,190 | $18.36 | $47,590 | $30,300 |
| Jacksonville, FL | 2,390 | $41,230 | $19.82 | $48,330 | $34,270 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | 1,140 | $39,430 | $18.96 | $45,870 | $32,670 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 11,190 | $43,370 | $20.85 | $55,680 | $36,160 |
| Naples-Immokalee-Marco Island, FL | 510 | $41,540 | $19.97 | $49,560 | $36,160 |
| North Port-Sarasota-Bradenton, FL | 1,090 | $41,010 | $19.72 | $48,940 | $33,800 |
| Ocala, FL | 440 | $38,840 | $18.68 | $46,680 | $31,360 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | 5,680 | $40,270 | $19.36 | $47,460 | $34,900 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 840 | $40,530 | $19.48 | $48,480 | $30,690 |
| Panama City, FL | 240 | $38,430 | $18.48 | $45,810 | $32,050 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | 650 | $39,570 | $19.02 | $49,350 | $31,250 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | 550 | $39,610 | $19.04 | $46,490 | $34,270 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | 220 | $39,530 | $19 | $46,970 | $34,480 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | 230 | $39,600 | $19.04 | $46,240 | $32,660 |
| Sebring, FL | 120 | $37,980 | $18.26 | $45,750 | $32,030 |
| Tallahassee, FL | 580 | $36,660 | $17.63 | $45,100 | $30,090 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | 5,610 | $43,440 | $20.88 | $52,010 | $32,330 |
| The Villages, FL | 150 | $39,200 | $18.84 | $46,460 | $32,760 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Getting Employed as a Pharmacy Technician in Florida
After getting certified, it should be easy for you to get hired in a clinic, hospital, nursing home, or pharmacy.
You may have to work on the weekends and nights, as most facilities are open all night.
You can also choose to work part-time, although you can find a full-time position easier.
In this state, you have bigger chances to find a good job in major cities such as Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Fort Lauderdale.
The first step to take before getting hired is to complete a training program, so make sure to choose a school that suits you best.
Read the full guide: How to Become a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technician Schools by State