How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Reading, PA in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs in Reading, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Pennsylvania.
BLS OES May 2025 · Reading metro area
A typical Pharmacy Tech in Reading, Pennsylvania earns $17.72 per hour, or $36,860 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,072 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,150, and the top 10% of earners make over $52,000.
That pay is 8% below the Pennsylvania figure of $40,040 and 19% below the national figure of $45,750. Reading ranks 14th of 16 metro areas in Pennsylvania for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 410 Pharmacy Techs work in the Reading area.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Reading at a glance
- Typical pay is $17.72 an hour, or $36,860 a year.
- That is 8% below the Pennsylvania figure, ranking 14th of 16 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $34,150; the top 10% make over $52,000.
- Typical pay rose +47% from 2015 to 2025, against +39% for Pennsylvania as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Reading?
Pay in Reading runs from entry-level positions at around $16.42 an hour to more than $25.00 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Pennsylvania and national figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay by career stage in Reading
| Career stage | Reading | Pennsylvania | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $34,150$16.42 an hour | $35,140$16.89 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $35,070$16.86 an hour | $36,160$17.39 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $36,860$17.72 an hour | $40,040$19.25 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,040$22.13 an hour | $46,870$22.53 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $52,000$25.00 an hour | $51,290$24.66 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Reading area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Reading
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs in the Reading area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Pharmacy Tech pay in Reading was $25,020 a year. By 2025 it had reached $36,860, a change of +47%, compared with +39% for Pennsylvania over the same years.
How Reading compares with other Pennsylvania cities
Philadelphia pays Pharmacy Techs the most in Pennsylvania at $44,880 a year, $8,020 more than Reading. The lowest-paying area in the state is Wilkes at $36,280.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Reading | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philadelphia | $44,880 | $21.58 | +22% | 9,030 |
| 2 | Pittsburgh | $41,780 | $20.09 | +13% | 4,270 |
| 3 | Carlisle metro incl. Harrisburg | $39,940 | $19.20 | +8% | 910 |
| 4 | Lancaster | $39,580 | $19.03 | +7% | 650 |
| 5 | Williamsport | $38,500 | $18.51 | +4% | 100 |
| 6 | Allentown | $38,490 | $18.50 | +4% | 1,160 |
| 7 | Lebanon | $37,890 | $18.22 | +3% | 130 |
| 8 | Johnstown | $37,540 | $18.05 | +2% | 170 |
| 9 | Chambersburg | $37,440 | $18.00 | +2% | 180 |
| 10 | State College | $37,400 | $17.98 | +1% | 160 |
| 11 | Erie | $37,340 | $17.95 | +1% | 370 |
| 12 | Gettysburg | $37,320 | $17.94 | +1% | 70 |
| 13 | Hanover metro incl. York | $37,220 | $17.89 | +1% | 520 |
| 14 | Reading | $36,860 | $17.72 | this city | 410 |
| 15 | Altoona | $36,810 | $17.70 | 0% | 190 |
| 16 | Barre | $36,280 | $17.44 | -2% | 940 |
Every metro area in Pennsylvania with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Pennsylvania typical pay $40,040
Is Reading a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Techs in Reading earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $36,860 a year, 19% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Reading area, about 2.3 are Pharmacy Tech positions; nationally, the figure is closer to 3.0. That makes Pharmacy Techs a smaller part of the local job market than usual, so employers draw from a smaller pool of qualified candidates.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Reading, PA?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Reading earns $36,860 a year, or $17.72 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $34,150 and the top 10% earn over $52,000.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Reading?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Reading is $17.72. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $16.42, and the top 10% earn over $25.00 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Reading?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Reading typically offer around $16.42 an hour, or $34,150 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Reading higher than in the rest of Pennsylvania?
- Reading pay is 8% below the Pennsylvania figure of $40,040 a year, ranking 14th of 16 metro areas in the state. Philadelphia pays the most in Pennsylvania at $44,880.