SalaryByCity

Pharmacy Technicians vs Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive: Salary Comparison (2024)

Side-by-side salary comparison using 2024 Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Pharmacy Technicians

$43,460

Median annual salary

487,920 employed nationally

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

$46,290

Median annual salary

1,737,820 employed nationally

Which Career Pays More?

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn $2,830 more per year than Pharmacy Technicians professionals — that's 6.5% higher. At the 90th percentile, Pharmacy Technicians earns $59,450 compared to $64,150 for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive.

Salary Range Comparison

Pharmacy Technicians$35,100 – $59,450
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$31,600 – $64,150
$31,600$64,150

Detailed Salary Comparison

PercentilePharmacy TechniciansSecretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveDifference
10th Percentile$35,100$31,600+$3,500
25th Percentile$36,920$37,770$-850
Median (50th)$43,460$46,290$-2,830
75th Percentile$48,580$55,650$-7,070
90th Percentile$59,450$64,150$-4,700
Mean (Average)$44,800$47,640$-2,840

Employment Numbers

Pharmacy Technicians

487,920

employed nationwide

Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

1,737,820

employed nationwide

Top Paying Cities

Best Cities for Pharmacy Technicians

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$70,740
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$61,990
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$59,960
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$55,810
Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA$54,740

Best Cities for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive

CityMedian
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$61,190
San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA$60,320
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,310
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH$56,060
Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT$53,960

Frequently Asked Questions

Who earns more: Pharmacy Technicians or Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive professionals earn more, with a median salary difference of $2,830 (6.5% higher) as of 2024 BLS data.
What is the salary range for Pharmacy Technicians?
Pharmacy Technicians salaries range from $35,100 (10th percentile) to $59,450 (90th percentile), with a median of $43,460.
What is the salary range for Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive?
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive salaries range from $31,600 (10th percentile) to $64,150 (90th percentile), with a median of $46,290.
How many Pharmacy Technicians and Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive jobs are there?
There are approximately 487,920 Pharmacy Technicians positions and 1,737,820 Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive positions nationwide according to 2024 BLS data.
Is it worth switching from Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive to Pharmacy Technicians?
Career decisions depend on many factors beyond salary. Pharmacy Technicians has a median salary of $43,460 while Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive earns $46,290. Consider job satisfaction, growth prospects, required education, and work-life balance.

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Data verified March 2026 · Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS