Pharmacy Technician

O*NET: Pharmacy Technicians·29-2052.00

The Verdict:Pharmacy technicians perform hands-on sterile compounding, IV preparation, and secure drug handling that current robotics struggle with in variable conditions. Routine dispensing, data entry, and billing are rapidly automating via commercial machines. The role is shrinking at entry level but hands-on oversight and hospital delivery sustain demand over the next decade.

Resilience Score

/100

Resilient

Score tiers

Highly Resilient81–100

Resilient61–80

Moderate Risk41–60

High Risk21–40

Critical Risk0–20

How is this scored?

Task Resilience

How much of this role's daily work remains beyond AI and robotic automation.

30% of score

Physical Presence

The degree to which this job needs a human present — hands-on, in the field, or in the room.

20% of score

Human Necessity

How important the unique human edge is — for trust, accountability, or judgment.

15% of score

Regulatory Shield

How strong the legal requirement is for a human in this job (by law, licensing, or credentials).

13% of score

Technological Maturity

How far AI remains from performing this role's core functions.

10% of score

Displacement Evidence

The volume of jobs in this field being eliminated by AI or automation right now.

12% of score

Score last updated: February 2026Full methodology

Avg Salary

Median annual wage from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024 release.

$43k

Job Growth (10yr)

Projected change in total number of jobs (not salary) from 2024–2034. Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections.

+6.4%

AI Exposure

Percentage of this role's analyzed tasks that AI can handle autonomously or nearly so. 5 of 21 tasks are classified as AI-exposed.

24%

Low exposure

Task Analysis

This role has a mixed AI profile.
5 tasks are automatable, 48% reward AI fluency, and 6 remain human-essential.

5exposed

10AI leverage

6human-essential

View all 21 tasks

AI Can Handle This5 tasks

Tasks AI can do autonomously or nearly so

Enter prescription information into computer databases.

Operate cash registers to accept payment from customers.

Price and file prescriptions that have been filled.

Compute charges for medication or equipment dispensed to hospital patients and enter data in computer.

Prepare and process medical insurance claim forms and records.

AI Leverage10 tasks

Master these tools — humans who do outperform those who don't

Receive written prescription or refill requests and verify that information is complete and accurate.

Establish or maintain patient profiles, including lists of medications taken by individual patients.

Receive and store incoming supplies, verify quantities against invoices, check for outdated medications in current inventory, and inform supervisors of stock needs and shortages.

Answer telephones, responding to questions or requests.

Assist customers by answering simple questions, locating items, or referring them to the pharmacist for medication information.

Order, label, and count stock of medications, chemicals, or supplies and enter inventory data into computer.

Prepack bulk medicines, fill bottles with prescribed medications, and type and affix labels.

Supply and monitor robotic machines that dispense medicine into containers and label the containers.

Maintain and merchandise home healthcare products or services.

Price stock and mark items for sale.

Human Advantage6 tasks

Tasks requiring trust, presence, or novel judgment

Maintain proper storage and security conditions for drugs.

Mix pharmaceutical preparations, according to written prescriptions.

Clean and help maintain equipment or work areas and sterilize glassware, according to prescribed methods.

Transfer medication from vials to the appropriate number of sterile, disposable syringes, using aseptic techniques.

Restock intravenous (IV) supplies and add measured drugs or nutrients to IV solutions under sterile conditions to prepare IV packs for various uses, such as chemotherapy medication.

Deliver medications or pharmaceutical supplies to patients, nursing stations, or surgery.

Resilience Landscape

Pharmacy Technician lands in Stable, Lower Pay

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Pharmacy Technician

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