Compared to the previous year, the third quarter of 2024 saw a 144% increase in demand for pharmacy technicians and a 14% demand increase for pharmacy directors, according to data from the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy.
The AACP releases quarterly reports on the number of job postings for pharmacy jobs, including pharmacy techs, directors, and retail, clinical and hospital pharmacists. In the third quarter of 2024, there were 45,196 openings for techs, an increase from 18,504 postings in 2023's third quarter. For pharmacy directors, there were 1,128 openings in 2024's third quarter, compared to 989 in 2023's third quarter.
Demand for hospital pharmacists also grew, from 1,717 postings in Q3 of 2023 to 2,372 in Q3 of 2024 — a 38% demand increase.
Throughout the first nine months of 2024, demand for pharmacy technicians and hospital pharmacists has been consistently growing. Demand for pharmacy directors and clinical pharmacists dipped in the second quarter before rising in the third, and the number of retail pharmacist job listings declined between the second and third quarters.