How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Durham, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs in Durham, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Durham · Chapel Hill metro area
A typical Pharmacy Tech in Durham, North Carolina earns $22.76 per hour, or $47,350 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,946 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,110, and the top 10% of earners make over $59,130.
That pay is 6% above the North Carolina figure of $44,530 and 3% above the national figure of $45,750. Durham ranks 1st of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 1,380 Pharmacy Techs work in the Durham · Chapel Hill area. Durham is part of the Durham · Chapel Hill metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Chapel Hill share these figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Durham at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.76 an hour, or $47,350 a year.
- That is 6% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $38,110; the top 10% make over $59,130.
- Typical pay rose +48% from 2015 to 2025, against +55% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Durham?
Pay in Durham runs from entry-level positions at around $18.32 an hour to more than $28.43 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the North Carolina and national figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay by career stage in Durham
| Career stage | Durham | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $38,110$18.32 an hour | $35,820$17.22 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $41,040$19.73 an hour | $37,480$18.02 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $47,350$22.76 an hour | $44,530$21.41 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $53,550$25.74 an hour | $48,480$23.31 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $59,130$28.43 an hour | $57,360$27.58 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Durham · Chapel Hill area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Durham
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Pharmacy Tech pay in Durham was $31,950 a year. By 2025 it had reached $47,350, a change of +48%, compared with +55% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Durham compares with other North Carolina cities
Durham pays Pharmacy Techs the most of any metro area in North Carolina. The lowest-paying area in the state is Rocky Mount at $40,700.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Durham | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Durham metro incl. Chapel Hill | $47,350 | $22.76 | this city | 1,380 |
| 2 | Fayetteville | $46,490 | $22.35 | -2% | 580 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $46,220 | $22.22 | -2% | 3,970 |
| 4 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $46,130 | $22.18 | -3% | 2,430 |
| 5 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $45,770 | $22.01 | -3% | 1,540 |
| 6 | Greenville | $45,310 | $21.78 | -4% | 370 |
| 7 | Asheville | $45,160 | $21.71 | -5% | 680 |
| 8 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $44,930 | $21.60 | -5% | 1,240 |
| 9 | Wilmington | $44,300 | $21.30 | -6% | 670 |
| 10 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $43,930 | $21.12 | -7% | 1,990 |
| 11 | Lenoir | $43,920 | $21.11 | -7% | 580 |
| 12 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $43,150 | $20.75 | -9% | 160 |
| 13 | Goldsboro | $42,030 | $20.21 | -11% | 160 |
| 14 | Burlington | $41,490 | $19.95 | -12% | 240 |
| 15 | Jacksonville | $40,710 | $19.57 | -14% | 170 |
| 16 | Rocky Mount | $40,700 | $19.57 | -14% | 220 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $44,530
Is Durham a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Tech pay in Durham sits close to the national figure: $47,350 a year, 3% above the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Durham · Chapel Hill area, about 4.0 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 Durham, NC?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Durham earns $47,350 a year, or $22.76 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $38,110 and the top 10% earn over $59,130.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Durham?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Durham is $22.76. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $18.32, and the top 10% earn over $28.43 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Durham?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Durham typically offer around $18.32 an hour, or $38,110 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Durham higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Durham pay is 6% above the North Carolina figure of $44,530 a year, ranking 1st of 16 metro areas in the state.