Pharmacy Technicians pay range in Columbia
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $52,780 or more. The middle half of pharmacy technicians in Columbia earn between $36,630 and $46,920.
- $36K10th
- $37K25th
- $39KMedian
- $47K75th
- $53K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $42,210 | $3,518 | $20.29 |
| Median | $39,170 | $3,264 | $18.83 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $36,630 | $3,052 | $17.61 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $46,920 | $3,910 | $22.56 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Pharmacy Technicians salary after taxes in Columbia
On the average salary of $42,210, a single filer in Columbia takes home about $35,542 a year, or $2,962 a month and $1,367 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is Columbia a good place for pharmacy technicians? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Columbia area are 6% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 93.7), so the average $42,210 buys what about $45,066 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.8 times the median wage of all jobs in Columbia ($46,430). A typical home costs $256,154, or 6.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Pharmacy Technicians salary in other South Carolina cities
Columbia ranks 5th of 8 South Carolina metro areas for this job; Charleston pays the most ($45,780).
- Charleston$45,780
- Spartanburg$44,320
- Greenville$44,140
- Hilton Head Island$43,440
- Columbia$42,210
- Florence$41,850
- Myrtle Beach$41,340
- Sumter$41,240
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 Columbia: questions
How much do pharmacy technicians make an hour in Columbia?
$20.29 an hour on average, and $18.83 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level pharmacy technicians salary in Columbia?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $35,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $36,630, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the pharmacy technicians take-home pay in Columbia?
About $35,542 a year ($2,962 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $42,210.
Do pharmacy technicians earn more in Columbia than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% less than 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 Columbia, SC (17900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.1%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.23, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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