How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Chicago, IL in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs in Chicago, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Illinois.
BLS OES May 2025 · Chicago · Naperville · Elgin metro area
A typical Pharmacy Tech in Chicago, Illinois earns $22.51 per hour, or $46,820 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,902 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,780, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,170.
That pay is right at the Illinois figure of $46,650 and 2% above the national figure of $45,750. Chicago ranks 1st of 9 metro areas in Illinois for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 15,830 Pharmacy Techs work in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Chicago at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.51 an hour, or $46,820 a year.
- That is right at the Illinois figure, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $37,780; the top 10% make over $59,170.
- Typical pay rose +59% from 2015 to 2025, against +62% for Illinois as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Chicago?
Pay in Chicago runs from entry-level positions at around $18.16 an hour to more than $28.45 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Illinois and national figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay by career stage in Chicago
| Career stage | Chicago | Illinois | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $37,780$18.16 an hour | $36,550$17.57 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $38,830$18.67 an hour | $38,190$18.36 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $46,820$22.51 an hour | $46,650$22.43 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $49,950$24.01 an hour | $49,150$23.63 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,170$28.45 an hour | $58,260$28.01 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Chicago
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Pharmacy Tech pay in Chicago was $29,500 a year. By 2025 it had reached $46,820, a change of +59%, compared with +62% for Illinois over the same years.
How Chicago compares with other Illinois cities
Chicago pays Pharmacy Techs the most of any metro area in Illinois. The lowest-paying area in the state is Champaign at $37,970.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Chicago | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicago | $46,820 | $22.51 | this city | 15,830 |
| 2 | Peoria | $46,110 | $22.17 | -2% | 590 |
| 3 | Rockford | $45,170 | $21.72 | -4% | 560 |
| 4 | Rock Island metro incl. Moline | $45,080 | $21.67 | -4% | 550 |
| 5 | Bloomington | $42,990 | $20.67 | -8% | 270 |
| 6 | Springfield | $42,160 | $20.27 | -10% | 570 |
| 7 | Decatur | $40,560 | $19.50 | -13% | 180 |
| 8 | Kankakee | $39,190 | $18.84 | -16% | 160 |
| 9 | Urbana metro incl. Champaign | $37,970 | $18.25 | -19% | 390 |
Every metro area in Illinois with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Illinois typical pay $46,650
Is Chicago a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Tech pay in Chicago sits close to the national figure: $46,820 a year, 2% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Chicago · Naperville · Elgin area, about 3.5 are Pharmacy Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 3.0. That makes the local economy more reliant on Pharmacy Techs than most places, and turnover keeps positions opening through the year.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Chicago, IL?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Chicago earns $46,820 a year, or $22.51 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $37,780 and the top 10% earn over $59,170.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Chicago?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Chicago is $22.51. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.16, and the top 10% earn over $28.45 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Chicago?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Chicago typically offer around $18.16 an hour, or $37,780 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Chicago higher than in the rest of Illinois?
- Chicago pay is right at the Illinois figure of $46,650 a year, ranking 1st of 9 metro areas in the state.