How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Salem, NC in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs in Salem, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across North Carolina.
BLS OES May 2025 · Winston · Salem metro area
A typical Pharmacy Tech in Salem, North Carolina earns $22.01 per hour, or $45,770 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,814 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,380, and the top 10% of earners make over $62,820.
That pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $44,530 and right at the national figure of $45,750. Salem ranks 5th of 16 metro areas in North Carolina for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 1,540 Pharmacy Techs work in the Winston · Salem area. Salem is part of the Winston · Salem metro area, and BLS reports pay for the metro as a whole, so Winston share these figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Salem at a glance
- Typical pay is $22.01 an hour, or $45,770 a year.
- That is 3% above the North Carolina figure, ranking 5th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $35,380; the top 10% make over $62,820.
- Typical pay rose +50% from 2015 to 2025, against +55% for North Carolina as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Salem?
Pay in Salem runs from entry-level positions at around $17.01 an hour to more than $30.20 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 Salem
| Career stage | Salem | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $35,380$17.01 an hour | $35,820$17.22 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $37,960$18.25 an hour | $37,480$18.02 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $45,770$22.01 an hour | $44,530$21.41 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $51,740$24.87 an hour | $48,480$23.31 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $62,820$30.20 an hour | $57,360$27.58 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Winston · Salem area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Salem
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs in the Winston · Salem area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Pharmacy Tech pay in Salem was $30,600 a year. By 2025 it had reached $45,770, a change of +50%, compared with +55% for North Carolina over the same years.
How Salem compares with other North Carolina cities
Chapel Hill pays Pharmacy Techs the most in North Carolina at $47,350 a year, $1,580 more than Salem. The lowest-paying area in the state is Rocky Mount at $40,700.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Salem | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chapel Hill metro incl. Durham | $47,350 | $22.76 | +3% | 1,380 |
| 2 | Fayetteville | $46,490 | $22.35 | +2% | 580 |
| 3 | Charlotte | $46,220 | $22.22 | +1% | 3,970 |
| 4 | Raleigh metro incl. Cary | $46,130 | $22.18 | +1% | 2,430 |
| 5 | Salem metro incl. Winston | $45,770 | $22.01 | this city | 1,540 |
| 6 | Greenville | $45,310 | $21.78 | -1% | 370 |
| 7 | Asheville | $45,160 | $21.71 | -1% | 680 |
| 8 | High Point metro incl. Greensboro | $44,930 | $21.60 | -2% | 1,240 |
| 9 | Wilmington | $44,300 | $21.30 | -3% | 670 |
| 10 | Norfolk metro incl. Chesapeake | $43,930 | $21.12 | -4% | 1,990 |
| 11 | Lenoir | $43,920 | $21.11 | -4% | 580 |
| 12 | Pinehurst metro incl. Southern Pines | $43,150 | $20.75 | -6% | 160 |
| 13 | Goldsboro | $42,030 | $20.21 | -8% | 160 |
| 14 | Burlington | $41,490 | $19.95 | -9% | 240 |
| 15 | Jacksonville | $40,710 | $19.57 | -11% | 170 |
| 16 | Rocky Mount | $40,700 | $19.57 | -11% | 220 |
Every metro area in North Carolina with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · North Carolina typical pay $44,530
Is Salem a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Tech pay in Salem sits close to the national figure: $45,770 a year, right at the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Winston · Salem area, about 5.7 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 Salem, NC?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Salem earns $45,770 a year, or $22.01 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $35,380 and the top 10% earn over $62,820.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Salem?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Salem is $22.01. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $17.01, and the top 10% earn over $30.20 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Salem?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Salem typically offer around $17.01 an hour, or $35,380 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Salem higher than in the rest of North Carolina?
- Salem pay is 3% above the North Carolina figure of $44,530 a year, ranking 5th of 16 metro areas in the state. Chapel Hill pays the most in North Carolina at $47,350.