Program Details Pharmacy Assistant + Pharmacy Technician Certificates

NO LONGER ACCEPTING NEW ENROLLMENTS

Fall 2025 is the last quarter RTC will be offering Pharmacy Assistant classes.

Here is a general overview of what your classes will look like following each quarter. This information is subject to change. Please contact your adviser for more information regarding the courses. To see which materials are needed for your courses, click this bookstore link (Links to an external site.) and enter the course information.

You also may be interested in the AAS and AAS-T Transfer Degree options.

General Overview

As of Spring 2025 we are no longer accepting new students into the Pharmacy Assistant Certificate and Pharmacy Technician Certificate program.

How long is the program?

1 quarter (3 months) for the Pharmacy Assistant certificate with 18 credits
5 quarters (14 to 15 months) for the Pharmacy Technician certificate with 80 credits

When do classes meet? Online and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Are summer classes required? Yes, for Pharmacy Technician

You will develop skills in all areas of pharmacy practice: order entry, pharmaceutical calculations, record keeping, mixing intravenous solutions, and compounding of products to be dispensed. Special emphasis is on product knowledge and learning detailed information regarding drugs. You will complete externships in retail and hospital pharmacies.

This program is recognized by the WA Department of Health and the Washington pharmacy board. You will need to pass the PTCB national certification exam and apply for a state license to work as a pharmacy assistant or pharmacy technician in Washington.

What do pharmacy assistants and technicians do?

What is the average salary?

$36,660 annually for pharmacy assistants or aides in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most pharmacy assistants in King County earn at least $33,940.
$50,390 annually for pharmacy technicians in the Seattle-Bellevue-Tacoma area. Most pharmacy technicians in King County earn at least $37,270.

Who can I contact with questions?

New students, please visit our Zoom lobby (Links to an external site.) to talk with someone by video chat, or e-mail our advising department.
For current students, please visit RTC's advising page (Links to an external site and look for the faculty counselor assigned to Pharmacy Technician.

Overall Materials Needed:

Access to a functioning laptop or computer (you may use computers in the RTC Library or Learning Resource Center)
USB drive (thumb drive)
Webcam
Headset with microphone
Working Internet Connection
CastleBranch account($106)
Personal health insurance
General liability and malpractice insurance ($14.62)
Physical evaluation by physician or nurse practitioner
Textbooks and software: $365

Minimum GPA or grades to graduate

You need to earn a 2.0 in each class to complete your Pharmacy Assistant or Pharmacy Technician certificate.

Materials Warning

Some materials on this page are listed as TBD, which means that the materials have yet to be determined. Please consult your instructor on what textbooks or materials are required for the class. If you rent a textbook, make sure you return it by the deadline. If you purchase a textbook, you can sell it back to the RTC bookstore -- but make sure that you won't need the book again for classes in the future!

Financial Aid Eligibility Warning

The Pharmacy Assistant certificate is not eligible for federal financial aid because it is only 1 quarter. Please talk to your adviser about different ways to pay for tuition.

Quarter 1 Classes

Description: You will begin to learn the uses and warnings for 200 commonly prescribed drugs and earn your first aid and CPR certification. You start learning human anatomy, and you practice calculating dosages and filling prescriptions.

It's time to apply for your Pharmacy Assistant certificate! This quarter you will receive the Pharmacy Assistant Certificate.

Quarter 1 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
COL 101	College Success	NO	2
PHAR 101	Pharmacy Technician Fundamentals and Ethics	NO	4
PHAR 103	Top 200 Drugs I	YES	3
PHAR 105	Outpatient Pharmacy Preparations & Record-Keeping I	YES	5
PHAR 130	Medical Term/Anatomy & Physiology for Pharm Techs I	NO	3
PHAR 189	Pharmacy Pre-Externship	NO	1
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,472

The application fee for a Pharmacy Assistant license is $70 at this time.

Pharmacy Assistant Certificate Estimated Cost: $2,923

Quarter 2 Classes

Description: You will learn the uses, effects, and side effects of the major classes of drugs while improving your skills to compound, count, package, stock, and label medications using proper equipment and techniques. You also learn important laws related to pharmacies.

Quarter 2 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
PHAR 106	Outpatient Pharmacy Preparations & Record-Keeping II	NO	4
PHAR 108	Inpatient & Home Healthcare Phar Prep & Record	NO	8
PHAR 110	Pharmacology I	YES	5
PHAR 131	Pharmacy Law and References I	NO	1
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,442

Quarter 3 Classes

Description: You continue your study of pharmacology (effects and side effects of drugs) and learn the anatomy of the rest of the human body. You also practice professional teamwork and communication.

Quarter 3 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
PHAR 104	Pharmacology II	NO	5
PHAR 136	Medical Term/Anatomy & Physiology for Pharm Techs II	NO	3
PHAR 137	Pharmacy Law and References II	NO	2
PHAR 180	Leadership, Human Relations, and Customer Services	NO	5
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $2,160

Quarter 4 Classes

Description: You learn advanced preparation techniques to mix chemotherapy products and continue your study of the top 200 most commonly prescribed drugs in the United States. You will practice accurate computer skills with the goal of typing 35 words per minute.

Quarter 4 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
PHAR 107	IV Admixture Advanced Techniques	YES	3
PHAR 134	Business Office Machines	NO	6
PHAR 136	Medical Term/Anatomy & Physiology for Pharm Techs II	NO	3
Estimated Tuition and Fees: $1,858

Quarter 5 Classes

Description: Work for five weeks in a retail pharmacy and then five weeks in a hospital or other pharmacy that uses intravenous admixture training. You will learn job search skills and develop your resume for pharmacy technician jobs.

It's time to apply for your Pharmacy Technician certificate! This quarter you will receive the Pharmacy Technician Certificate.

Quarter 5 Course Information
Course ID	Course Name	Materials	Credits
PHAR 109	Top 200 Drugs II	YES	3
PHAR 190	Pharmacy Practice Internship I	TBD	8
PHAR 191	Pharmacy Practice Internship II	TBD	9
Tuition Estimated Total: $2,528

The PTCB exam fee for Certified Pharmacy Technician is $129.

The fee for the state Pharmacy Technician license is $140.

Pharmacy Technician Certificate Estimated Cost: $12,210 plus the cost of personal health insurance

Not quite the path you want to take? Let's go back to the Program Map!

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