Pharmacy Technician Salary in Santa Fe, NM: $50,495 (2026)
Quick Answer:A full-time pharmacy technician in Santa Fe, NM earns a median $50,495/year (≈ $24.27/hour) in nominal terms for 2026 — projected from BLS OEWS 2025 (SOC 29-2052). Once you factor in Santa Fe's price level (1% below national, BEA RPP 98.8), that paycheck buys what $51,125 would nationally. Nominal pay sits 10.9% above the New Mexico state average.
Official BLS data · View source
Pharmacy technicians in Santa Fe, New Mexico, are expected to earn a median annual salary of $50,495 in 2026, reflecting a competitive edge over the national median of $48,239. With a salary range extending from $40,784 at the bottom 10th percentile to $62,568 at the top 90th percentile, the opportunities for upward mobility in this field are promising. This data, derived from official BLS OEWS surveys, indicates that factors such as shift differentials and overnight retail premiums significantly enhance earnings potential. In the context of Santa Fe's job market, the demand for skilled pharmacy technicians is robust, supporting salaries that are approximately 4.68% higher than the national average.
Salary Breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Entry Level (P10) | $40,784 | $19.61 |
| Lower Range (P25) | $47,775 | $22.98 |
| Median (P50)(typical) | $50,495 | $24.27 |
| Upper Range (P75) | $58,213 | $27.98 |
| Top Earners (P90) | $62,568 | $30.08 |
Median Salary Position
4.68% above the national average
2026 Salary Percentile Distribution in Santa Fe
In Santa Fe, NM, the pharmacy technician salary spread from the 10th to 90th percentile is $21,784 (2026 est.). At $50,495, the local median is 4.68% above the national median of $48,239.
Salary Calculator
At 40 hours/week in Santa Fe: You'd be in the lower-middle range
How Santa Fe Pharmacy Technician Pay Compares
Santa Fe median: $50,495/year (2026)
| Compared To | Median Salary | Santa Fe Pays |
|---|---|---|
| New Mexico Average | $45,532 | +10.90% more |
| National Average | $48,239 | +4.68% more |
Pharmacy Technicians in Santa Fe, NM earn a median of $50,495 per year (2026 est.), which is 4.68% higher than the national median of $48,239 and 10.90% above the New Mexico state average of $45,532.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Santa Fe has a cost of living 1.23% below the national average, meaning your salary goes further here.
Adjusted salary = nominal × (100 / CoL index). CoL index: 100 = national average.
Santa Fe, NM has a cost-of-living index of 98.767 (below the national average of 100). A pharmacy technician earning $50,495 nominally has purchasing power equivalent to $51,125 in an average-cost city — an effective 1.25% boost.
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2019 BLS Actual
$35,730
2025 BLS Actual
$47,890
2026 Current Est.
$50,495
2019–2027 Growth
+49.0%
Salary Trajectory for Pharmacy Technicians in Santa Fe (2019–2027)
2019–2025: actual BLS OEWS data for this metro area. 2026+: CAGR 5.44% projection.
| Year | Annual Salary | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | $35,730 | Actual |
| 2020 | $36,830 | Actual |
| 2021 | $36,910 | Actual |
| 2022 | $39,600 | Actual |
| 2023 | $45,850 | Actual |
| 2024 | $47,340 | Actual |
| 2025 | $47,890 | Actual |
| 2026(current) | $50,495 | Estimated |
| 2027 | $53,242 | Projected |
Based on 7 years of BLS OEWS data for the Santa Fe metropolitan area, the median pharmacy technician salary grew 34.0% from $35,730 (2019) to $47,890 (2025). At a 5.44% compound annual growth rate, salaries are projected to reach $53,242 by 2027 — a total increase of $17,512 (49.01%) from 2019.
Note: Historical values (2019–2025) are actual BLS OEWS figures for the Santa Fe 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) | $40,784 – $47,775 |
| 3-5 years (Mid Career) | $47,775 – $50,495 |
| 5+ years (Experienced) | $50,495 – $58,213 |
| 10+ years (Top Earner) | $58,213 – $62,568 |
CPhT salary ranges estimated from BLS percentile data. Individual pharmacy technician compensation varies by employer, certifications, and specialization.
Pharmacy Technician Job Market in Santa Fe
The local labor market includes 160 pharmacy technicians, indicating a stable environment for job seekers in this profession. However, living costs in Santa Fe are slightly below the national average, with a cost of living index of 98.767, which means that the purchasing power for pharmacy technician salaries is relatively favorable. Among employers, retail pharmacy chains like CVS and Walgreens generally offer the lowest wages compared to hospital pharmacies and specialty operations that handle sterile compounding. The disparity in salaries can be attributed to various factors, including the setting and required credentials; for instance, technicians with CSPT certification may earn more due to the specialized nature of their work. For those looking to maximize their pharmacy technician pay in Santa Fe, leveraging certifications such as PTCB, seeking night shifts, and targeting hospital roles can yield significant benefits in this evolving job market.
More salary data for Santa Fe, NM:
Frequently Asked Questions
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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 $47,890 for pharmacy techniciansin the Santa Fe 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