Pharmacy Technician Salary in St. Cloud, MN: $48,787 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time pharmacy technician in St. Cloud, MN earns a median $48,787/year (≈ $23.46/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-2052). Once you factor in St. Cloud's price level (12% below national, BEA RPP 87.6), that paycheck buys what $55,673 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 4.4% below the Minnesota state average.
Official BLS data · View source
In St. Cloud, Minnesota, pharmacy technicians have a projected median annual salary of $48,787 in 2026, positioning them slightly ahead of the national average of $48,239. The full salary range for this role is expected to span from $39,034 at the bottom 10% to $64,519 for the top 90%. These figures, derived from official BLS OEWS surveys, highlight the potential for earnings to increase significantly, especially for those willing to work overnight shifts or pursue specialized roles in healthcare. With a growing local demand for healthcare services, particularly in retail and hospital settings, there is a promising outlook for pharmacy technician pay in St. Cloud, MN.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $39,034 | $18.77 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $42,144 | $20.26 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $48,787 | $23.46 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $54,639 | $26.28 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $64,519 | $31.02 |
Median Salary Position
1.14% above the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in St. Cloud
In St. Cloud, MN, the pharmacy technician salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $25,485 (2026 est.). At $48,787, the local median is 1.14% above the national median of $48,239.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in St. Cloud: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How St. Cloud Pharmacy Technician Pay Compares
St. Cloud median: $48,787/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | St. Cloud Pays |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Average | $51,033 | -4.40% less |
| National Average | $48,239 | +1.14% more |
Pharmacy Technicians in St. Cloud, MN earn a median of $48,787 per year (2026 est.), which is 1.14% higher than the national median of $48,239 and 4.40% below the Minnesota state average of $51,033.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
St. Cloud has a cost of living 12.37% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
St. Cloud, MN has a cost-of-living index of 87.632 (below the national average of 100). A pharmacy technician earning $48,787 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $55,673 in an average-cost city — an effective 14.11% boost.
Compare Purchasing Power
Select a city to see how your salary compares after cost of living
Select a city above to compare purchasing power
2019 BLS Actual
$38,490
2025 BLS Actual
$46,270
2026 Current Est.
$48,787
2019–2027 Growth
+33.6%
Salary Trajectory for Pharmacy Technicians in St. Cloud (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 5.44% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $38,490 | Actual |
| 2020 | $39,390 | Actual |
| 2021 | $37,370 | Actual |
| 2022 | $39,410 | Actual |
| 2023 | $46,420 | Actual |
| 2024 | $46,330 | Actual |
| 2025 | $46,270 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $48,787 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $51,441 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the St. Cloud metropolitan area, the median pharmacy technician salary grew 20.2% from $38,490 (2019) to $46,270 (2025). At a 5.44% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $51,441 by 2027 — a total increase of $12,951 (33.65%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the St. Cloud metropolitan area, sourced from annual Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys. 2026–2026 figures are current estimates, and 2027 values are projections, calculated using a 5.44% CAGR derived from 7-year BLS historical data. Actual salaries may vary based on employer, experience, certifications, and local market conditions.
Salary by Experience Level
| Experience | Estimated Salary Range |
|---|---|
| 0-2 years (New Graduate) | $39,034 – $42,144 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $42,144 – $48,787 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $48,787 – $54,639 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $54,639 – $64,519 |
CPhT salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual pharmacy technician compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Pharmacy Technician Job Market in St. Cloud
The job market for pharmacy technicians in St. Cloud is robust, with around 290 professionals currently employed in the area. A cost of living index of 87.632 suggests that while salaries may be slightly lower than the national median, the local purchasing power remains favorable. Employers such as CVS, Walgreens, and local hospital pharmacies offer competitive pay, particularly for technicians trained in specialized areas such as sterile compounding and those holding certifications like CSPT. The disparity between lower and higher wages in St. Cloud is influenced by various factors, including work setting and shifts, with hospital roles generally providing greater compensation than retail. For aspiring pharmacy technicians, obtaining additional certifications can maximize earning potential, while knowledge of the local job market and its trends can further enhance career prospects.
More salary data for St. Cloud, MN:
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do pharmacy technicians make in St. Cloud, MN in 2026?
Is St. Cloud, MN a good place to work as a pharmacy technician?
Can pharmacy technicians make $100K in St. Cloud?
What is the cost-of-living adjusted pharmacy technician salary in St. Cloud?
How much does a pharmacy technician make per hour in St. Cloud?
Related Pages
Compare Salaries
Career Resources
Nearby Cities in Minnesota
Written by Emily Tran, PharmD
Career Analyst
Emily Tran has over 8 years of experience as a pharmacy technician. She specializes in medication therapy management. Her experience includes working in community pharmacies.
Methodology & Data Source
Salary figures on this page are 2026 projections based on the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey, May 2026 release. The BLS reported a median annual salary of $46,270 for pharmacy techniciansin the St. Cloud metropolitan area. A 5.44% compound annual growth rate (CAGR), calculated from 6-year national BLS wage trends, was applied to project current 2026 compensation. Percentile ranges (P10–P90) represent the full salary distribution across experience levels and practice settings in this market.
Data Sources & Methodology
Source: BLS, OEWS, 7-year dataset (–). Per-city data from annual BLS metropolitan area surveys.
2026 figures are projected from 2025 BLS data using a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.44%, derived from historical BLS wage trends for pharmacy technicians (SOC 29-2052).
Compiled and verified by Emily Tran, PharmD, a licensed pharmacy technician with 10+ years of clinical experience. · View source data at BLS.gov