Pharmacy Technician Degree

If you’re interested in starting a pharmacy tech career or if you are looking for a career change, you might have explored different training options for pharmacy technicians.

Like any other career, the first option students consider is a full-time degree program.

But, what is a Pharmacy Technician degree? And do you require one to become a Pharmacy Technician?

Well, the short answer is no.

To become a pharmacy tech, you technically don’t need a degree.

Having said that, a ‘university certificate’ does hold a lot of value, even for Pharmacy Technicians.

In this article, we’ll talk all about the pros and cons of a pharmacy degree, in addition to exploring different training options.

Let’s get started!

What Degree Do You Need To Be a Pharmacy Technician?

For pharmacy technicians, there is usually no bachelor’s degree.

However, you can get an associate degree in Pharmacy Tech from a technical university.

It takes up to 2 years to obtain an associate degree and select universities offer an associate degree for Pharmacy Techs.

But, as we mentioned earlier, to become a Pharmacy Technician, a degree is not required.

All you need is some kind of formal education or training as a pharmacy technician to start a career as one.

Know more: Pharmacy Technician Online Schools

Pharmacy Technician Associate Degree

One of the most traditional ways of completing your pharmacy technician training is through an Associate Degree.

An associate degree can be completed in 2 years, which makes it faster than a bachelor’s degree that usually takes up to 3 to 4 years.

The best thing about enrolling in a university program is that you get a certificate from a university. And in healthcare, that’s always considered valuable.

However, a degree program also comes with some major disadvantages, such as:

Big Price Tag

The tuition for an associate degree program for pharmacy techs can cost upwards of $15,000. That’s an extremely high enrollment fee, and to afford this, you might have to take student loans.

Student debt is something everyone wants to avoid, and unfortunately, with a degree program, you’re left in a position where you’re in a debt for years, even before starting your career.

Scheduled Classes

Another disadvantage that an associate’s degree has, in addition to high enrollment costs, is that you have to attend regular classes that are scheduled by the university.

That means you have to drive to or take public transport to school multiple times a week for 2 years. In the long run, this can prove to be problematic as well as expensive, and because of such a long course duration, we have seen students drop out of their training program.

Other expenses

Additionally, you will also need to bear other expenses like travel, accommodation, food, etc. This further increases the cost of a degree program.

Recommended Training Program For Pharmacy Technicians – Online Programs

If you want to complete your education faster and without a big price tag, we recommend going for an online training program.

It’s important to understand why you should choose an Online Training Program over a university Associate Degree Program or a Diploma Program, and we’re here to tell you just that.

An online program has numerous advantages.

For starters, they offer the freedom and flexibility to learn at your own pace and comfort.

Read more: Pharmacy Technician Training

Opting for an online pharmacy technician program is also strongly recommended over other ways to complete the program since you gain the knowledge and skills required to enter the pharmacy technician field much faster, and in a cost-effective manner.

The major advantages of an Online Pharmacy Technician Degree Program are:

Affordable

When it comes to affordability, choosing an online program is the best. You don’t have to bear the higher costs as an online program is significantly less than a full-time program.

Miscellaneous expenses such as accommodation and travel costs are also not involved in an Online Program.

Faster

An Associate degree program takes up to 2 years to complete, while a Diploma can be completed in 1 year.

An online course is much faster than these methods and can be completed in as little as 2 months, depending on your pace of learning.

Self-paced courses

Self-paced means you can learn and access the course according to your requirements and comfort. You don’t have any deadline or any scheduled class that you have to attend at a particular time.

This means you can learn at your own pace, and at any hour of any day, which is beneficial if you have other responsibilities to cater to.

Now, if you’re looking for the best online training program for pharmacy techs, we highly recommend that you choose Preppy.

It checks all the boxes and offers more.

Learn More About Preppy’s Pharmacy Technician Certification Program

Additional sources:

 What is a Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technician Skills
How Long Does It Take To Become a Pharmacy Technician
What Does a Pharmacy Technician Do
Where Can Pharmacy Technicians Work
Pharmacy Assistant vs Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy Technician vs Pharmacist
How To Become a Pharmacy Technician Without Going To School
Pharmacy Technician License vs Certification
Pharmacy Technician Job Description
Hospital Pharmacy Technician
Certified Pharmacy Technician