How Much Does a Pharmacy Tech Make in Bristol, VA in 2026?
Typical pay for Pharmacy Techs in Bristol, from federal wage data (May 2025), with the ten-year trend and how the city compares across Virginia.
BLS OES May 2025 · Kingsport · Bristol metro area
A typical Pharmacy Tech in Bristol, Virginia earns $18.16 per hour, or $37,760 per year, according to the latest government wage data for the area (May 2025). Calculated from the annual figure, that is roughly $3,147 a month. Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,760, and the top 10% of earners make over $49,260.
That pay is 15% below the Virginia figure of $44,610 and 17% below the national figure of $45,750. Bristol ranks 11th of 11 metro areas in Virginia for Pharmacy Tech pay. About 510 Pharmacy Techs work in the Kingsport · Bristol area.
Pharmacy Tech pay in Bristol at a glance
- Typical pay is $18.16 an hour, or $37,760 a year.
- That is 15% below the Virginia figure, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state.
- Entry-level positions typically offer around $31,760; the top 10% make over $49,260.
- Typical pay rose +42% from 2015 to 2025, against +58% for Virginia as a whole.
BLS OES May 2025
How much does a Pharmacy Tech make in Bristol?
Pay in Bristol runs from entry-level positions at around $15.27 an hour to more than $23.69 for the top 10% of earners. The table sets each career stage against the Virginia and national figures.
Pharmacy Tech pay by career stage in Bristol
| Career stage | Bristol | Virginia | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting out | $31,760$15.27 an hour | $36,260$17.43 an hour | $36,020$17.32 an hour |
| First years | $36,230$17.42 an hour | $37,960$18.25 an hour | $37,850$18.20 an hour |
| Typical Pharmacy Tech | $37,760$18.16 an hour | $44,610$21.45 an hour | $45,750$22.00 an hour |
| Experienced | $46,280$22.25 an hour | $49,150$23.63 an hour | $49,990$24.04 an hour |
| Top 10% | $49,260$23.69 an hour | $59,030$28.38 an hour | $61,040$29.35 an hour |
BLS OES May 2025 · city figures cover the Kingsport · Bristol area as BLS defines it
Pharmacy Tech pay growth in Bristol
Typical (median) annual wage for Pharmacy Techs in the Kingsport · Bristol area · BLS OES May estimates, 2015 to 2025 · hover a bar for the year-over-year change
In 2015, typical Pharmacy Tech pay in Bristol was $26,590 a year. By 2025 it had reached $37,760, a change of +42%, compared with +58% for Virginia over the same years.
How Bristol compares with other Virginia cities
Charlottesville pays Pharmacy Techs the most in Virginia at $48,110 a year, $10,350 more than Bristol. The lowest-paying area in the state is Bristol at $37,760.
| # | City | Typical pay | Hourly | Vs Bristol | Pharmacy Techs employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charlottesville | $48,110 | $23.13 | +27% | 340 |
| 2 | Arlington | $46,660 | $22.44 | +24% | 6,650 |
| 3 | Stuarts Draft metro incl. Staunton | $46,100 | $22.17 | +22% | 130 |
| 4 | Richmond | $44,030 | $21.17 | +17% | 2,020 |
| 5 | Virginia Beach | $43,930 | $21.12 | +16% | 1,990 |
| 6 | Harrisonburg | $43,780 | $21.05 | +16% | 300 |
| 7 | Winchester | $42,390 | $20.38 | +12% | 270 |
| 8 | Lynchburg | $42,030 | $20.21 | +11% | 300 |
| 9 | Roanoke | $41,200 | $19.81 | +9% | 530 |
| 10 | Blacksburg metro incl. Christiansburg · Radford | $40,510 | $19.48 | +7% | 230 |
| 11 | Bristol | $37,760 | $18.16 | this city | 510 |
Every metro area in Virginia with Pharmacy Tech wage data · BLS OES May 2025 · Virginia typical pay $44,610
Is Bristol a good place to work as a Pharmacy Tech?
Pharmacy Techs in Bristol earn less than the national figure: typical pay is $37,760 a year, 17% below the national rate. For every 1,000 jobs in the Kingsport · Bristol area, about 4.3 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 Bristol, VA?
- A typical Pharmacy Tech in Bristol earns $37,760 a year, or $18.16 an hour, according to BLS wage data for May 2025. Entry-level pay runs about $31,760 and the top 10% earn over $49,260.
- How much does a Pharmacy Tech make an hour in Bristol?
- Typical hourly pay for Pharmacy Techs in Bristol is $18.16. Entry-level hourly pay runs about $15.27, and the top 10% earn over $23.69 an hour.
- What is the starting pay for a Pharmacy Tech in Bristol?
- Entry-level Pharmacy Tech positions in Bristol typically offer around $15.27 an hour, or $31,760 a year.
- Is Pharmacy Tech pay in Bristol higher than in the rest of Virginia?
- Bristol pay is 15% below the Virginia figure of $44,610 a year, ranking 11th of 11 metro areas in the state. Charlottesville pays the most in Virginia at $48,110.