How to become a pharmacy technician in New Orleans, Louisiana

New Orleans is by far the largest city in Louisiana with 383,997 citizens in the 2020 census count. The city grew by 11% in population between 2010 and 2020, which is well above the national population growth rate of 7.4% for the period. The metro area of New Orleans clocks in at 1.27 million people.

World renowned for its music, culture and festivals (hello, Mardi Gras!), New Orleans will always be a place to see and be seen in. Cross-cultural and multilingual it is one of the more unique cities in North America.

Pharmacy technician schools in New Orleans

If you are looking into qualifying for a pharmacy technician license in NOLA you are naturally going to need training in the field. As luck would have it, there are a several schools specializing in this and other related trades – we have listed only those with an actual New Orleans campus.

1. Unitech Training Academy, Metaire Campus

Unitech Training New Orleans

Address: 5401 Jefferson Hwy # D, New Orleans, LA 70123

Website: https://unitechtrainingacademy.com/

Unitech Training Academy’s physician assistant program is in hybrid form in 2022, where 60% of the classes are on campus and 40% are digital.

In addition to being taught at the New Orleans campus, Unitech teach the Pharmacy Technician program at their Alexandria, Baton Rouge, Houma, Lafayette, Lake Charles and West Monroe campuses.

At Unitech Training Academy, students learn to perform many of the following as they go through the program:

  • Best practices on patient confidentiality and ethics
  • Basic knowledge of the pharmacology of medications
  • Using industry-leading pharmacy software
  • Soft skills such as active listening, organizational skills, and speaking

These skills will help you not only in your pursuit of a pharmacy technician certification but throughout your professional life in health care.

2. Delgado Community College

Delgado College, New Orleans

Address: 615 City Park Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119

Website: https://www.dcc.edu/

Upon completion of a C.T.C. Entry-Level Pharmacy Technician Program at Delgado Community College, students will be able to:

  • Apply critical thinking skills related to math, pharmacology, and pharmacy operations needed for an entry-level pharmacy technician.
  • Apply the communication and customer service skills needed for interactions with patients and other healthcare professionals.
  • Accurately perform pharmaceutical calculations applicable to an entry-level pharmacy technician position in community and institutional pharmacy settings.
  • Apply the laws governing the practice of pharmacy at the state and federal levels.
  • Transcribe, fill, and distribute prescriptions for medications in both the community and institutional pharmacy settings under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist.

At the completion of the Entry-Level Program students will be prepared to take a national certification examination provided as required by the Louisiana State Board of Pharmacy.

Pharmacy technician jobs in New Orleans

The largest employers of pharmacy technicians in the New Orleans area are the hospitals and pharmacies listed. The national chains are the most likely to offer structured and relevant on the job training. This holds true throughout Louisiana.

Pharmacies employing pharmacy technicians in New Orleans

We’re listing some of the pharmacies that will most likely be your first employer, for example as a retail pharmacy technician. This can prove to be an excellent starting point for your career as you can begin in the position of cashier, stock taker or other entry-level positions in the pharmacy. Preferable are employers offering on the job training or apprenticeships – looking for variations of these terms, or mentioning that’s what your are looking for in your applications, can help you get a paying position that also helps you get certified!

Walgreens Pharmacy #1377

1415 Tulane Ave Ste 2CW07 Fl 2
New Orleans, LA 70112

DHH Office Of Public Health Pharmacy

1450 Poydras St
New Orleans, LA 70112

Louisiana State Public Health Pharmacy

1450 Boytras St Ste 1915
New Orleans, LA 70112

Walgreens Pharmacy #4305

900 Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70112

Southeast Louisiana Veterans Healthcare System Pharmacy

1601 Perdido St
New Orleans, LA 70112

CVS Pharmacy #763

800 Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70112

Walgreens Pharmacy #5551

619 Decatur St
New Orleans, LA 70130

Crescent City Pharmacy

2240 Simon Bolivar Ave Ste A
New Orleans, LA 70113

Royal Pharmacy

1101 Royal St
New Orleans, LA 70116

Rite Aid Pharmacy #07262

2669 Canal St
New Orleans, LA 70119

Walgreens Pharmacy #2262

1100 Elysian Fields Ave
New Orleans, LA 70117

Avita Drugs

2601 Tulane Ave Ste 445
New Orleans, LA 70119

Hospitals hiring New Orleans pharmacy technicians

Tulane University Hospital & Clinic

1415 Tulane Ave
New Orleans, LA 70112

Interim LSU Public Hospital

2021 Perdido St
New Orleans, LA 70112

Ochsner Baptist Medical Center

2700 Napoleon Ave
New Orleans, LA 70115

Touro Infirmary

1401 Foucher St
New Orleans, LA 70115

Community Care Hospital

1421 General Taylor St
New Orleans, LA 70115

Kindred Hospital New Orleans

3601 Coliseum St
New Orleans, LA 70115

Children’s Hospital

200 Henry Clay Ave
New Orleans, LA 70118

Ochsner Medical Center

1514 Jefferson Hwy
New Orleans, LA 70121

New Orleans pharmacy technician salary

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics counts New Orleans as part of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA regional area. For the latest period, there are 1,790 pharmacy technicians employed in the area with a mean annual wage of $35,710. That’s just above the average wage in the entire state of Louisiana, which is $34,840.

The mean hourly wage for pharmacy technicians in New Orleans is $17.17.

So what can you expect to earn starting out as a pharmacy technician in New Orleans, Louisiana?

Starting salaries are around $15 per hour for entry-level positions. Typical positions would look like this:

PRN Pharmacy Technician
Cerner Corporation
Harahan, LA

You will oversee the acquisition of medications and pharmacy supplies and perform administrative duties such as answering phones.

Pharmacy Technician / Pharm Tech Apprenticeship
WALGREENS
New Orleans, LA 70130

If PTCB certified, assists with and coaches pharmacy technicians in the operation of pharmacy systems and cashiers in the operation of the pharmacy cash

Pharmacy Technician – Metairie, LA
Optum
Metairie, LA 70002

Full-time
No nights
Receive and process wholesaler medication orders.
Under direct supervision of the registered pharmacist, fills prescription orders and makes them available.

Pharmacy Technician
Touro Infirmary
New Orleans, LA 70115

Full-time
Tubes or delivers all first doses of ordered medication and stat medication orders in a timely manner.
Inspects expiration dates of medication in pharmacy and in store.

If you are more experienced, there are openings for jobs that start between $30,000 to $35,000 per year.

If you have completed a pharmacy technician program or have a nationally recognized certification you will earn more than if you do not – it’s worth it to get certified! You’ll also find it easier to advance your career, or get a new job much quicker if you move out of state.

Photo by Brother Swagler on Unsplash.

Data sources:

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