According to Salary.com, pharmacy technicians in New York earn a median salary of $37,888 annually. Individuals interested in exploring this entry-level career option should have a high school diploma in order to apply for PTCB certification and increase their earning potential. Currently, the New York State Office of Professions does not have specific requirements for pharmacy technicians in New York. However, employers generally favor those with background knowledge and experience when hiring new employees. Education programs typically run for 6 months to one year and cover a broad range of topics including basic pharmacy calculations, law and ethics, anatomy, physiology, dispensing medication, inventory, customer record maintenance, billing and insurance. Below is a list of pharmacy technician programs in New York City.
ASA College
The 60-credit pharmacy technology program at ASA College issues graduates with an Associate of Occupational Studies degree at the end of the training. Instructors prepare students for their supporting role to pharmacists at community and hospital pharmacies. Through a balance of theory and practical training, students get the opportunity to put their classroom lectures into practice in a dedicated pharmacy lab and local pharmacy. All students must complete 90 hours at a community pharmacy and hospital pharmacy for a total of 180 hours of clinical externship. Course content includes drug classifications, dosage calculations, administration, medical terminology, pharmacy environment, fundamentals of pharmacy practices, therapeutic agents and ethical issues. Graduates of the program are prepared to take the national exam administered by the (PTCB). The program is designed to be completed in 4 semesters.
Admission criteria:
- Attend an interview with an Admissions Advisor
- Submit a completed application
- Submit a high school transcript request form
- Pay the non-refundable application fee
- Take and pass an Accuplacer placement test to determine the need for remedial work
Tuition is $6,460 for full-time students (12-18 credits) per semester. Other fees such as lab fees, registration and expenses for uniform and textbook apply.
- Website: http://www.asa.edu/pharmacy-technology.asp
- Address: 1293 Broadway (One Herald Sq) New York, NY 10001
- Phone: (212) 672-6450
- Email: info@asa.edu
The Manhattan Institute
Pharmacy technician training at Manhattan Institute prepares students for employment in the field of pharmacy. The program covers 90 hours of instruction in the classroom and leads to a Pharmacy Technician Diploma. Students will learn the most common medications, their interactions and side effects, pharmacy terminology, medical abbreviations, inventory control, reading and interpreting prescriptions, packaging and labeling, updating patient profiles, and billing and insurance. Graduates will have the option to take the national exam to become a Certified Pharmacy Technician. New classes begin every 6 weeks.
- Applicants must have a high school diploma or its equivalent or take an Ability to Benefit test
- Must provide a copy of government-issued photo ID (driver’s license, non-driver ID, passport)
- Transcript of any college or university courses completed
- Signature of parent or guardian if under 18 years old
Tuition for the program is $1,324. Registration, books, and lab fee will cost an additional $175.
- Website: https://www.manhattaninstitute.edu/courses/pharmacy-technician
- Address: 45 West 34th St, New York, NY 10001 – 5th floor
- Phone: 347-220-8181
Lehman College
The comprehensive 50-hour program at Lehman College prepares students for employment in a retail or other pharmacy settings. Students will also be prepared to pursue CPhT certification through the PTCB or NHA. Courses include the history of pharmacy, pharmacy medical terminology, pharmacy calculations and measurements, pharmacy practice in multiple environments, defining drugs by generic and brand names, reading and interpreting prescriptions, packaging and labeling, sterile compounding, handling of sterile products, dosage calculations, IV flow rates, total parental nutrition, and updating patient profiles. Upon completion of classroom and lab requirements, students will participate in an 80-hour clinical externship. Lehman’s Pharmacy Technician program is recognized by PTCB for CPhT exam. Classes meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 6:30 pm to 9:30 pm for 17 sessions.
Admission criteria:
- Have a high school diploma or GED
Tuition for the program is $1,299 and includes textbooks, registration fee, certificate, and materials.
- Website: http://lehman.edu/
- Address: 250 Bedford Park Boulevard West, Bronx, NY 10468
- Phone: 718-960-8000
ABC Training Center
ABC Training Center prepares pharmacy technician students to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board national certification exam. The training will cover calculations and dosage forms, screening of prescription and medication orders, distribution of medications, the role and responsibility of the pharmacy technician, drug usage indications and side effects, billing and insurance, pharmacy terminology, routes and formulations, and personal standards. Graduates will be eligible to take the PTCB for certification as a pharmacy technician. The program is offered on a weekday (full-time) only. Classes meet Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm for 4 weeks.
Admission criteria:
- Submit the completed admission forms
- Provide a valid photo ID (passport, driver’s license or state ID, or military ID)
- High school diploma or GED or college transcript
Tuition for the program is $900 and includes the registration fee and books.
- Website: https://abctrainingcenter.net/pharmacy-technician/
- Address: 50 East Fordham Road, (Entrance on Walton Avenue), Bronx NY, 10468
- Phone: (718) 618 5589
New York Medical Career Training Center
The pharmacy technician program at New York Medical Career Training Center includes instruction in the classroom as well as a pharmacy internship on site. The training will cover the pharmacy law and ethics, drug classifications, basic sciences for pharmacy, anatomy and physiology, history of medicine and pharmacy, pharmacology, hospital pharmacy operation, complementary alternative medicine, and psychopharmacology. Skills lab will cover dosage forms and routes of administration, pharmacy calculations, processing of prescriptions, repackaging and compounding, aseptic techniques, and pharmacy stock. Students are required to complete a 120-hour internship to develop experience in billing cash register, drug distribution, data entry, compounding and pre-packaging, and dispensing refills. Instructors will cover material that will enable students to pass the National Certification Exam. Mornings, afternoons, evenings, and weekend schedules are available. The duration of the program varies from 5 weeks to 8 weeks depending on the chosen schedule.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma or GED – applicants without the high school diploma will be required to take the Ability to Benefit exam and obtain a passing grade
- Provide a valid picture ID
- Have a social security card
Tuition for the program is $999. Books and registration will cost $160.
- Website: https://www.nymedtraining.com/training-options/pharmacy-technician/
- Address: 36-09 Main Street 5th Floor Flushing NY 11354
- Phone: (718)-460-1717
- Email: info@nymedtraining.com
The City College of New York
The Continuing and Professional Studies Department at The City College of New York prepares adults for a career as a pharmacy through the 75-hour pharmacy technician program. The program will cover applied and practical concepts needed for candidates to take the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). Areas of study include pharmacy law, human anatomy and physiology, managing a pharmacy, arithmetic and algebra review, medical dosages for oral medications and IV infusions, pharmacology, maintain inventory, medical terminology, drugs and their side effects, billing and insurance, and updating pharmacy database. The duration of the program is 4 months (25 sessions). Saturday sessions are available and can be completed in just 15 sessions. Evening classes meet from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma, TASC or HSE
- Provide a valid picture ID
- Have a social security card
Tuition for the program is $750. The non-refundable registration fee of $25 is not included in the cost.
- Website: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/cps/pharmacy-technician
- Address: 160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031
- Phone: 212-650-7000
New York Institute of Career Development
New York Institute of Career Development offers an online pharmacy technician program that is accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. Graduates will understand the role and responsibilities of a pharmacy technician and the differences between that of the technician and the pharmacist, practice within the personal and professional ethics of the profession, know major classifications of drugs and their indications, side effects, dosages, mechanisms of action and routes of administration, and interact with pharmacists, customers, and business associates. They will also know how to perform the duties of the technicians including recordkeeping, medication transcriptions, aseptic operations, dispensing medications, and updating patient profiles. Students will complete a mandatory externship at Walgreens and CVS to obtain real-life experience in a pharmacy environment. The externship will cover 190 contact hours. Areas of study include History of Pharmacy, Professional Standards, Medical and Pharmaceutical Terminology, Systems of Measurement, Pharmacy Calculations, Trade Names and Generic Names, Understanding Pharmacology, Community Pharmacy Operations, Interpreting and Processing Prescriptions, Third Party Payments, Hospitals Pharmacy Practice, Infection Control, Extemporaneous Compounding, and Regulatory Law.
Admission criteria:
- A high school diploma, TASC or HSE
- Provide a valid picture ID
- Have a social security card
- Meet the system requirements for online study – a computer and internet connection
Tuition for the program is $934 for students who pay in full or $1,104 for those who opt for the monthly bill pay plan.
- Website: https://www.nyicd.edu/career-courses/pharmacy-technician
- Address: 192 Lexington, Suite 701, New York, New York 10016
- Phone: 1-800-239-9275