Physical therapy aides and pharmacy technicians perform support roles under the supervision of licensed professionals, such as physical therapists or pharmacists. Although both are unlicensed staff who do not have extensive educational or experience requirements, they do perform different tasks. In addition, their salaries are different, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education and Duties

PTAs and pharmacy techs generally have a high school diploma and receive on-the-job training, though some pharmacy techs complete formal programs -- usually lasting about one year -- at community colleges or technical-vocational schools. A PTA provides clerical and administrative support, such as answering phones and scheduling appointments, though she may also clean treatment rooms or assist with patients, depending on the state. Pharmacy techs handle patient and customer phone calls, package and label prescriptions under a pharmacist’s supervision and perform other support functions.

Basic Salaries

PTAs earned an average annual salary of $25,410 in 2012, according to the BLS. Pharmacy techs, however, earned $30,430. In addition to these salary variations, geography, industry and work locations affected salaries for both groups. In some cases, the highest- and lowest-paying states for each group included some of the same states. Oklahoma, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi and West Virginia were among the lowest-paying states, with salaries as low as $20,240 for pharmacy techs and $20,420 for PTAs. Nevada, Colorado, Minnesota and Alaska were all among the best-paying states for both PTAs and pharmacy techs. Salaries ranged from $27,380 to $35,200 for PTAs in those states and from $32,150 to $40,560 for pharmacy techs.

Industry

The industry in which a PTA or pharmacy tech worked affected salaries in 2012. In the hospital industry, PTAs earned an average of $24,090. Within that industry, psychiatric and substance abuse hospitals paid more, for an average annual salary of $40,170. PTAs who worked in schools earned $32,040 and those who worked in home health care services earned $33,230. PTAs in company management earned $33,410, and those in employment services earned $37,540. Most pharmacy techs worked in health and personal care stores, where the average salary was $28,940. Those who worked in electronic shopping and mail-order organizations earned $30,000 and those who worked in hospitals earned $34,410.

Other Influences

In addition to geography and regional differences, whether a PTA or pharmacy tech worked in a metropolitan area had an effect on wages in 2012. Generally speaking, those who worked in metropolitan areas earned more. Pharmacy techs in Stockton, California, earned an average of $41,210, while those in the San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara area earned an average of $48,100. A pharmacy tech in a non-metropolitan area of North Carolina, however, might earn $24,340. PTAs in northwest Texas non-metropolitan areas might earn as little as $19,930, while those in Reading, Pennsylvania, could earn as much as $40,130.

About the Author

Beth Greenwood is an RN and has been a writer since 2010. She specializes in medical and health topics, as well as career articles about health care professions. Greenwood holds an Associate of Science in nursing from Shasta College.