Becoming a pharmacy technician is an excellent way to become established in the medical industry, and industry that is always goring and that always offers stability to those in its employ. In order to become a pharmacy technician it is necessary to complete a pharmacy technician training program. There are a limited number of pharmacy technician programs in Nebraska for you to choose from when looking for a school through which to complete your qualification. However the programs in questions are of good quality. When studying to be a pharmacy technician it is better to select a program form within your own state as there are often different rules in different states by which pharmacy technicians are governed. This makes it important to explore the Nebraska education options before looking out of state for other programs that may be more suitable for your needs.
Overview
In Nebraska there are two main areas where you can become a pharmacy technician. The first key metropolitan area is Omaha where around 1,130 people are employed at about $27,400 a year. This well in step with the average employment rates across the country. In addition there is Lincoln where 350 pharmacy technicians are employed at about $24,320. These employment numbers are slightly below average for the US in general. In Nebraska there are around 2,150 people currently employed as pharmacy technicians, which is not bad when considering the population density of the state overall. A 31% growth rate is also anticipated for the state, meaning that it is a good place to seek employment as a pharmacy technician. There are a number of training programs available, but the most popular pharmacy technician training options are those programs that result in Associate’s degrees and Certificates.
Pharmacy Technician Training In Nebraska
Pharmacy technician programs in Nebraska will always cover coursework on the following topics:
- Pharmacology
- Chemistry
- Medical and pharmaceutical terminology
- Dosage calculations
- Drug reactions
- Pharmacy record keeping
- Interpreting prescriptions
- Pharmacy law
- Dosage forms
- Drug preparation
- Compounding of prescribed medications
In order to become a pharmacy technician it is highly recommended that you complete a formal training program. It is not always a requirement that you complete such a program, but many employers prefer you to have done the non-compulsory education before hiring you. It is possible to learn on the job, but this is gradually becoming a far less popular option as it is difficult to get into a job without training or experience. There is also voluntary certification you can strive for which too will improve your employment opportunities within the pharmaceutical industry.
Pharmacy Technician Careers In Nebraska
There are a number of different employers that you could work for as a pharmacy technician in Nebraska. These include:
- CVS/Pharmacy where you can earn around $8.05 – $12.79 an hour in Nebraska
- Walgreen’s Pharmacy where you can earn around $8.91 – $14.60 an hour in Nebraska
- Wal-Mart Stores, Inc where you can earn around $8.27 – $12.21 an hour in Nebraska
- Rite Aid Pharmacy where you can earn around $7.83 – $13.83 an hour in Nebraska
- Walgreen Co. where you can earn around $7.85 – $15.29 an hour in Nebraska
There are also a number of different industries where you may find employment as a pharmacy technician in Nebraska:
- In Retail Drugstore, Pharmacy Chain you can earn around $8.26 – $15.29 an hour in Nebraska
- In Retail you can earn around $8.29 – $15.36 an hour in Nebraska
- In Retail Grocery you can earn around $8.29 – $15.76 an hour in Nebraska
- In a Hospital you can earn around $8.75 – $15.92 an hour in Nebraska
- In Healthcare you can earn around $8.50 – $15.50 an hour in Nebraska
List Of Pharmacy Technician Programs In Nebraska
There are not a lot of options open to students who would like to become pharmacy technicians in Nebraska. There are not very many pharmacy technician programs in Nebraska for you to choose from. The main options are listed below. If you intend to continue living in Nebraska after your studies, it is probably better to attend one of these schools as different states tend to have different rules. If, however, you are planning to work in another state as a pharmacy technician, it may be in your best interests to relocate now and study there.
Schools in Nebraska:
- Institute of Business & Medical Careers, located in Cheyenne and offering a Pharmacy Technician Degree
- Vatterott College, located in Omaha and offering advanced Pharmacy Technician Degree options and other related qualifications
- Northeast Community College, located in Norfolk and offering an Associate degree program
- Southeast Community College Area, located in Lincoln and offering an Associate degree program
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln, located in Lincoln and offering a Doctorate degree program
- Western Nebraska Community College, located in Scottsbluff offering an Associate degree program
Correspondence Schools in Nebraska:
- National American University, which offers the following: Pharmacy Technician A.A.S.
- Penn Foster Career School, which offers the following: Pharmacy Technician
- Ashworth College, which offers the following: Pharmacy Technology
When selecting a school through which to earn you pharmacy technician qualification it is essential that you ensure that the school is appropriately accredited (and remember that an ‘approved’ school is not necessarily also an accredited school). When you are looking for the best school to attend, create a list of all of your options and narrow them down according to what your specific and personal needs and wants are. Apply to more than one school in order to improve your chances of being accepted.
According to citytowninfo.com the following is true about schools in Nebraska:
- Cities with highest percentage of jobs relative to population: Omaha
- Cities with lowest percentage of jobs relative to population: Lincoln
- Cities with the highest absolute number of jobs: Omaha
Salary
According to phramcaytechs.net the average salary you can expect to earn as a pharmacy technician in Nebraska is about $26,500 a year. The actual salary can differ from city to city, according to cbsalary.com, so here are the approximate figures you could expect to earn in different regions in Nebraska:
- In Grand Island you can expect to earn something in the region of $29, 860
- In Lincoln you can expect to earn something in the region of $30, 934
- In Hastings you can expect to earn something in the region of $29, 860
- In Omaha you can expect to earn something in the region of $32, 168
- In Kearney you can expect to earn something in the region of $29, 860
There are, in addition, a number of other factors that may play a role in terms of how much you actually earn as a pharmacy technician working in Nebraska. For example, apart from your specific area, you may find that different industries within the same city pay different amounts and that certain employers are more generous than others. In addition your level of education and experience will play role. In some cases you may even discover that there are slight gender differences in terms of how much pharmacy technicians earn.
Although there are not many pharmacy technician programs in Nebraska form which to make your choice, it is interesting to note that there are correspondence schools that you could choose to attend. In addition there are universities and training colleges that offer online programs across the country, but it is very important that you ascertain whether or not your state will accept the program you are considering as sufficient for you to register as a pharmacy technician there. Earnings for pharmacy technicians in Nebraska are not nearly as good as for pharmacy technicians who are planning to live and work elsewhere in the country, but it is still a very good salary which gains you access to the healthcare industry, one of the most stable industries out there. Job security is one of the main advantages of becoming a pharmacy technician in the current economic market and it is therefore a good idea to strive for this qualification.