Pharmacy Technicians pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,780 a year or less, while the top 10% make $59,170 or more. The middle half of pharmacy technicians in Chicago earn between $38,830 and $49,950.
- $38K10th
- $39K25th
- $47KMedian
- $50K75th
- $59K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $47,020 | $3,918 | $22.61 |
| Median | $46,820 | $3,902 | $22.51 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $38,830 | $3,236 | $18.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $49,950 | $4,162 | $24.01 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Pharmacy Technicians salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $47,020, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $37,774 a year, or $3,148 a month and $1,453 every two weeks. Taxes take 20% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $38,580 | $3,215 |
| Working in IL | $37,774 | $3,148 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for pharmacy technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $47,020 buys what about $45,388 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.9 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 7.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Pharmacy Technicians salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$47,020
- Rockford$44,570
- Peoria$44,530
- Kankakee$42,970
- Springfield$42,750
- Bloomington$42,670
- Decatur$42,600
- Champaign$42,400
Highest-paying cities for pharmacy technicians
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($76,740).
- San Jose, CA$76,740
- Napa, CA$71,040
- San Francisco, CA$67,690
- Seattle, WA$64,360
- Santa Rosa, CA$63,760
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Pharmacy Technicians salary in Chicago: questions
How much do pharmacy technicians make an hour in Chicago?
$22.61 an hour on average, and $22.51 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level pharmacy technicians salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $37,780 a year and the 25th percentile is $38,830, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the pharmacy technicians take-home pay in Chicago?
About $37,774 a year ($3,148 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $47,020.
Do pharmacy technicians earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. metro average for this job ($47,049).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 29-2052; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 0.8%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.16, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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