Walmart to Hire 5000 Pharmacy Techs, Increase Pay

Referring to pharmacy technicians as “heroes,” Walmart announced that the company is raising pay for its more than 36,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacy technicians and is planning to hire approximately 5000 additional technicians this year.

“Our Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacy technicians have proven time and time again how much they mean to the communities they serve. They were front and center during the pandemic as we tested millions of customers and members, and many went above and beyond to help administer vaccines across the country,” wrote Kevin Host, senior vice president of Walmart Health & Wellness, Pharmacy and Sean Jackson, senior vice president of Sam’s Club GMM, Health and Wellness/Consumables, in an article on Walmart.com.¹

“These associates delivered heartfelt moments of care under extraordinary circumstances, and they did it with a smile on their face and the calm, professional attention that builds trust and keeps patients coming back,” Host and Jackson continued. “Simply put, our pharmacy technicians are heroes in their communities. They also play a critical, day-to-day role in the continued growth of our Health & Wellness business.”

For the second time in the past year, Walmart is making “significant investments in higher wages and career progression for our pharmacy technicians, with a goal of creating additional pathways of growth and opportunity for them,” Host and Jackson said.

Starting the week of June 13, Walmart and Sam’s Club are increasing pharmacy technicians’ average hourly wage to more than $20 per hour, following a pay increase last August.

“That’s by design. 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,” Host and Jackson said.

The 2 retail chains will also give technicians more frequent, automatic pay raises, “as we introduce a new, progressive wage model designed to set us apart from the competition,” Host and Jackson said.

For example, new pharmacy technicians will be given raises that can add up to $4 to their starting base pay over the course of 4 years. Additionally, technicians will receive raises every 6 months during their first 2 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 health care systems. This will help associates increase their pay more quickly as they build their careers and continue working at Walmart,” Host and Jackson said.

Sam’s Club and Walmart also plan to hire an additional 5000 techs this year, “to support our vision of providing best-in-class health care,” Host and Jackson wrote. "Our business is growing, and we’ll continue to make investments across our entire Health & Wellness team to help drive that growth.”

In addition to raises, the retailers will pay for eligible associates to become certified pharmacy technicianss through benefits like Live Better U and related programs.

“Walmart certified technicians can make $3 more per hour than their non-certified peers, which means earning a certification can make a big difference for associates and their families,” Host and Jackson wrote. "To remove any roadblocks, Walmart covers the costs for getting certified to be a pharmacy technician–from career diplomas, on-the-job training and test prep, to paying the certification exam fee.”

Reference

1. Host, K., Jackson, S. Walmart launches new approach to pharmacy tech wages with more frequent raises. Walmart.com. Published June 16, 2022. Accessed June 17, 2022. https://corporate.walmart.com/newsroom/2022/06/16/walmart-launches-new-approach-to-pharmacy-tech-wages-with-more-frequent-raises