Walmart bumps pay for pharmacy technicians, again
Walmart announced it is raising pay this week for more than 36,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacy technicians, increasing their average hourly wage to more than $20 an hour.
This is the second pay increase for the company’s pharmacy technicians in the past year, as the retailer strives to create additional pathways of growth and opportunity for Walmart pharmacy employees.
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“We are sending a strong signal to pharmacy technicians everywhere that Walmart is serious about attracting top talent and giving them the tools to build a successful career,” said Kevin Host, senior vice president of Walmart Health & Wellness, pharmacy, in a blog post.
In addition to the one-time pay bump, Walmart said its pharmacy technicians will get more frequent, automatic pay raises as the company introduces a new, progressive wage model designed to set it apart from the competition. For example, new pharmacy technicians will get raises that can add up to $4 to their starting base pay over the course of four years. Pharmacy technicians will get raises every six months in their first two years with the company.
“We believe we are among the first large retailers to incorporate this kind of model — an approach that’s commonly seen in healthcare systems,” Host said. “This will help associates increase their pay more quickly as they build their careers and continue working at Walmart.”
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According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the mean hourly wage for pharmacy technicians nationwide in May 2021 was $18.25.
Walmart plans to hire approximately 5,000 additional pharmacy technicians this year.