Pharmacy Technician Salary in Alaska and How to increase your Pay

By | July 14, 2023
Pharmacy Technician Salary in Alaska
The cities that pay the highest salaries to Pharmacy technicians in Alaska include Tanaina, Badger, and Fish hook. Image source: unitekcollege.

The pharmacy technician salary in Alaska is $37,631.

A pharmacy technician is a healthcare professional who works in a pharmacy assisting pharmacists in preparing and dispensing medications.

Pharmacy technicians often work in retail pharmacies, hospitals, or other healthcare facilities.

They may also work in long-term care facilities, such as nursing homes, or in pharmaceutical companies.

Pharmacy Technician Salary in Alaska Cities

CitySalary HourlySalary Yearly
1.Anchorage$19.07$37,354
2.Fairbanks$17.96$35,191
3.Juneau$19.28$37,776
4.Badger$24.15$47,321
5.Knik-Fairview$20.17$39,511
6.College$16.41$32,153
7.Tanaina$26.49$51,901
8.Wasilla$17.18$33,655  
9.Bethel$21.14$41,424
10.Sitka$18.56$36,355
11.Kalifornsky$17.62$34,525
12.Meadow Lakes$15.97$31,289
13.Ketchikan$18.04$35,344
14.Kenai$15.67$30,694
15.Eielson AFB$17.78$34,842
16.Butte$15.18$30,960
17.Palmer$17.54$34,366
18.Fish hook$22.33$43,753
19.Gateway$16.76$32,829
20.Chena Hot Springs$17.29$33,873
21.Homer$16.79$32,884
22.Kodiak$18.33$35,918
23.Petersburg$15.52$30,408
24.Sterling$13.57$26,578
25.Homer$16.79$32,884
26.Nome$20.27$39,706
27.Soldotna$16.57$32,468
28.Nikiski$14.78$28,963
29.Unalaska$18.46$36,171
30.Valdez$17.28$33,847
Salaries of pharmacy technicians across cities of Alaska.

10 Cities with Highest Pharmacy Technician Salary in Alaska

Here are top 10 paying cities for pharmacy technicians in Alaska:

CitySalary HourlySalary Yearly
1.Tanaina$26.49$51,901
2.Badger$24.15$47,321
3.Fish hook$22.33$43,753
4.Bethel$21.14$41,424
5.Nome$20.27$39,706
6.Knik-Fairview$20.17$39,511
7.Juneau$19.28$37,776
8.Anchorage$19.07$37,354
9.Sitka$18.56$36,355
10.Unalaska$18.46$36,171
Cities that pay the highest salaries to pharmacy technicians in Alaska.

Skill-based Pharmacy Technician Salary in Alaska

Pharmacist technicians in Alaska with desirable skills and certifications will make more money than their colleagues that lacked them. Some of these skills include:

  1. Pharmacy Information Systems (PIS)
  2. Interpret Prescriptions for Accuracy Skills
  3. Medication Safety Training (MST)
  4. Pharmacy Math Skills
  5. Phlebotomy Skills.

Experience-based on Pharmacy Technicians Salary in Alaska

Experience is a desirable asset for any worker and much more so for pharmacy technicians in Alaska.

Pharmacy technicians in Alaska who have been around the industry longer like 10 years or more earn more money, which is around $44,628.

A pharmacist technician with less than one year of experience makes $35,948 per year in Alaska.

10 Companies with Highest Pharmacy Technician Salary in Alaska

Here are top 10 paying companies for pharmacy technicians in Alaska:

S/NCOMPANYHOURLY SALARYANNUAL SALARY
1.Avella Specialty Pharmacy$28.26$55,357
2.Visit Healthcare$26.16$51,253
3.Express Scripts$24.63$48,252
4.Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium$23.00$45,052
5.US Department of Veterans Affairs$22.88$44,817
6.Option Care Health$22.16$43,419
7.Catalent Pharma Solutions$21.23$41,600
8.AIDS Healthcare Foundation$20.76$40,671
9.Bartlett Regional Hospital$20.73$40,608
10.State of Alaska$20.64$40,441
Companies that pay the highest salaries to pharmacy technicians in Alaska.

10 Highest Paying Pharmacy Technician Jobs in Alaska

Here is a list of the best paying pharmacist technician jobs in Alaska:

  • Pharmacy Technician Program Director;  $53,180
  • Certified Pharmacy Technician; $41,700
  • Specialty Pharmacy Technician;  $56,354
  • Hospital Pharmacy Technician; $47,174
  • Senior Pharmacy Technician; $49,360
  • Pharmacy Technician Supervisor; $70,436
  • Head of Pharmacy Technician; $87,904
  • CVS Pharmacy Technician; $32,409
  • Compounding Pharmacy Technician; $40,502
  • Pharmacy Technician Walgreens; $44,237.

More Benefits for Pharmacy Technicians in Alaska

Employers in Alaska also provide the following benefits to pharmacy technicians:

  1. Health Insurance

Pharmacy technicians in Alaska enjoy affordable health insurance from their employers and/or companies.

The benefits are based on company policy, but generally, they cover medical, dental, and vision coverage.

2. Paid Vacation

Healthcare insurance does not cover paid vacations. Some workers opt for paid vacation days instead.

Employees usually get 3 weeks a year but sometimes can be more depending on seniority and experience.

These vacation days can be used for personal rest or to go on trips that employees select.

3. Post Retirement Fellowship

Many employers offer retirement programs to help their employees save for retirement.

Companies give retirees a supplemental pension and/or health care coverage after retirement.

These plans usually vary from company to company and can be based off of years of service for the employer, special skills or certifications, or an incentive such as providing free life insurance.

4. 401k (tax-deferred) Plan

You cannot contribute to your 401(k) plan until you earn a certain amount.

After earning the minimum amount, you can then make investments. The 401(k) and 403(b) plans match your contributions, so if you opt for both plans, you will be receiving a matching contribution.

Another good reason to contribute to your 401(k) plan early is the potential for investment growth tax-deferred until saved funds are withdrawn from the plan or through retirement.

What Related Job Titles to Pharmacy Technician Earn in Alaska

Here are earnings of related job titles to pharmacist technician in Alaska:

  • Pharmacy assistant; $35,379
  • Pharmacy service clerk; $32,710
  • Laboratory technician; $62,706
  • Health assistant; $49,435
  • Dispensing optician; $56,210.

Pharmacy Technician Salary and Job Outlook in Alaska

The projected 10-year job growth rate for pharmacy technicians in Alaska is around 2.04%  (2020 – 2030).

Alaska’s salary range is $34,400 – $60,630, with an average of $46,430.

The top-paying states are more expensive to live in, with higher rents, higher utility and grocery costs, and even higher school costs.

So, while living in Alaska may help you earn more money, you will end up spending more and saving less.

How to increase your Pay as a Pharmacy Technicians in Alaska

Here are ways to increase your salary as a pharmacy technician in Alaska:

  1. Working Overtime

Pharmacy technicians in Alaska get paid time and a half for working overtime and double-time for working on days other than the weekend or on holidays.

Some employers pay double-time on Sundays while many others pay triple-time to make up for the long hours spent by pharmacy technicians on Sundays, when business is at its busiest.

2. Add reputable certifications to your resume

A pharmacy technician who earns voluntary certifications is more marketable and can earn higher pay.

There are many different voluntary and required certifications for pharmacy technicians in Alaska.

These certifications vary from state to state, and from pharmacy to pharmacy, but a pharmacy technician who earns these credentials gets more responsibilities at work as well as better pay.

3. Ask for a promotion or a raise

Employers realize that employees want higher salaries. This is especially true when they have worked in the same job for a long time.

While it may seem counter-intuitive, asking for a promotion or a raise can help increase your salary.

4. Seek out a higher paying job

If you think you can make more money by moving to another state, check out jobs in Arizona or Colorado.

If you want to move to another country, Japan is considered one of the most expensive countries to live in, especially when education and public transportation are factored into the cost of living expenses.

More Career Opportunities for Pharmacy Technicians in Alaska

If you are looking for other career opportunities in Alaska as a pharmacy technician, then here are areas you can work:

  1. Patient advocate

A patient advocate is responsible for coordinating care and answering questions from patients and caregivers.

Patient advocates are required to be knowledgeable about patient’s rights, market-based insurance and financial concerns of patients.

They also inform customers about new products and services.

2. Medical receptionist

A medical receptionist performs clerical duties, such as reception work and billing operations.

Medical receptionists’ responsibilities include greeting people who visit the office, answering phones, data entry, and filing medical records.

3. Medical assistant

A medical assistant is an entry-level job in a medical office. Their work include handling patient charts, taking and recording measurements, preparing simple solutions, obtaining information from physicians and nurses, and assisting in treatment procedures.

4. Patient coordinator

A patient coordinator is dedicated to managing patients’ needs at the nursing home or dialysis center.

They coordinate care with other staff members and monitor patient care to ensure all treatments are being administered properly.

Conclusion

As a pharmacy tech in Alaska, you are one of the most important people in the pharmacy space.

Your skills, attitude and work ethics make you a valuable asset for any pharmacy, and you can make an average salary of $18.16 an hour.

If you want to increase your salary as a pharmacy technician in Alaska, there are many ways to do this as explained above.

Information sources: indeed.com, glassdoor.com, bls.gov, and pharmacytechnicianguide.com.