Some people feel reluctant to enter the healthcare field because they don’t want to go back to school.
However, learning how to become a Pharmacy Technician in South Carolina only has to take you less than a year.
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Licensing Requirements to Become a Pharmacy Technician in South Carolina
The South Carolina Board of Pharmacy states that you must have an active SC Pharmacy Technician registration to work in this occupation.
You also need to have a Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or National Health Career (NHA) certification by exam.
The training program to prepare you for work as a Pharmacy Technician must have American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) or PTCB approval.
Keep that in mind before you invest time and money in classes.
The Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation Department does provide ways to verify your choosing learning program.
Search this directory by your location to view available ASHP-approved educational opportunities.
You can also check this list to view available PTCB-approved educational opportunities.
If you already worked outside SC as a Pharmacy Technician, you can work in SC.
However, you must verify your experience.
Either way, registering in SC will require 1,000 hours of practice.
5 Pharmacy Technician Schools in South Carolina
If you cannot find training in your location, you may take advantage of qualified distance learning programs.
Make sure they match up with your state’s requirement – in this case, South Carolina.
Remember, the following list of schools are only suggestions.
If local pharmacies allow you to intern with them while attending these classes, there’s a good chance the state will approve the training too.
1. Spartanburg Community College
Spartanburg provides the hands-on experience you need to learn how to count and fill drugs before dispensing them for patients.
You will find placement in a local pharmacy where you will also learn how to interact with patients and provide sales or technical support. 
Your training will develop your skills for working at a doctor’s office or a specialist clinic.
You also can find employment in a retail pharmacy department upon program completion.
Once finished with these courses and clinical sessions, you will earn a Pharmacy Technician Certificate.
This program will take you about 42 weeks to complete, according to the academic calendar.
2. Central Carolina Technical College (CC Tech)
The CC Tech program takes about a year, depending on when you decide to start (either spring or fall).
It equals 28 semester hours.
You learn about measuring and counting, packaging and labeling, and dispensing medications.
If patients have questions, you also will know how to respond to them.
This coursework also covers legal policies and ethical guidelines for handling prescription drugs.
3. Midlands Technical College
Midlands has a Community Pharmacy Technician Academic Certificate program.
It teaches you how to handle patient accounts, calculate dosage amounts, and prepare medications.
You will also know how to fill prescriptions and answer patient questions.
Your training will include simulated training that also teaches you how to manage inventory.
In addition, the instruction you receive will teach you the technology, equipment, and record-keeping you need to perform.
You will attend classroom and online sessions when attending this program.
It will take you only two semesters (less than a year) to complete if you follow the suggested class sequence.
4. Aiken Technical College
Aiken provides a certificate program that also offers an opportunity to practice Pharmacy Technician skills.
After completing this training, you would have employment opportunities in either retail or clinical pharmacy settings. 
This schooling teaches you more than just how to fill the medications for patients.
You will gain experience in how to interact with patients and answer their basic healthcare questions.
In addition, this instruction teaches the technology and resources needed for handling inventory.
People picking up their medications also need to verify their identity.
This calls for retrieval of their medical history, which is another task you’ll learn when enrolled at Aiken.
5. Southeastern College
Southeastern College has a Pharmacy Technology program you can enroll in that will prepare you for entry-level work.
By the time you complete this training, you will know how to package medications and distribute them according to prescription instructions. 
Your training at Southeastern will take about 10 months to finish.
You can attend both online and in person or just in person if you want.
It includes some hands-on practice and foundational courses.
Pharmacy Technician Schools in South Carolina
Top 5 Schools in South Carolina
| School Name | Address |
|---|---|
| Spartanburg Community College | 107 Community College Drive, Spartanburg, SC 29303 |
| Central Carolina Technical College (CC Tech) | 506 N Guignard Dr, Sumter, SC 29150 |
| Midlands Technical College | 1260 Lexington Drive, West Columbia, SC 29170 |
| Aiken Technical College | 2276 Jefferson Davis Hwy, Graniteville, SC 29829 |
| Southeastern College | 581 Columbia Mall Boulevard, Columbia, SC 29223 |
Pharmacy Technician Salary in South Carolina
By July 2022, an entry-level salary would have an average yearly income of about $34,835.
Your annual salary might range from $31,412 to $38,869.
If you continue working toward new certificates and gain additional experience, you can earn $42,543 or more per year.
Annual Salary Range:Average Salary of Pharmacy Technicians in South Carolina
| City Name | Salary |
|---|---|
| Columbia | $34,500 |
| Charleston | $35,400 |
| North Charleston | $35,400 |
| Greenville | $35,400 |
| Rock Hill | $36,700 |
| Mount Pleasant | $35,400 |
| Spartanburg | $34,800 |
| Sumter | $33,300 |
| Hilton Head Island | $34,800 |
| Florence | $33,600 |
Regional Salary in South Carolina
| Region | Employed | Avg. Annual Salary | Avg. Hourly Pay | Top 10% Annual Salary | Bottom 10% Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 1,280 | $39,250 | $18.87 | $48,020 | $30,160 |
| Columbia, SC | 1,420 | $36,860 | $17.72 | $45,220 | $28,550 |
| Florence, SC | 400 | $35,330 | $16.98 | $43,910 | $27,830 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Mauldin, SC | 1,260 | $37,290 | $17.93 | $46,530 | $28,940 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC | 270 | $36,070 | $17.34 | $45,720 | $28,810 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC-NC | 650 | $35,270 | $16.96 | $43,690 | $28,630 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 580 | $37,030 | $17.8 | $46,660 | $29,280 |
| Sumter, SC | 140 | $35,190 | $16.92 | $43,650 | $27,850 |
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Pharmacy Technician Training in South Carolina cost?
You might pay between $3,000-$5,000 for the certificate training.
If you decide to earn an associate or bachelor’s degree, it may cost you $10,000 a year or more.
Some programs fall under the federal and state financial aid category though.
You might not have to pay much, depending on the program.
What is a typical learning path for an SC Pharmacy Technician?
You will usually finish high school.
Then, attend a certificate program.
Some people working in this occupation have alternatively sought workforce-based education paid by an employer.
There’s a chance you’d start working a paid position within a few months while you pursue your certification.
Do you need to be certified to work as a Pharmacy Tech in SC?
The State Board does require it.
However, you have time to learn your job while supervised from certified personnel as you work toward the necessary certificates.
