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Pharmacy technician training in Iowa

10 pharmacy technician programs with costs, results and funding that can make them free

9 schools offer these pharmacy technician programs, and Iowa has approved every one for workforce funding. Each shows its price if you pay yourself and how past students did.

Pharmacy technicians help pharmacists dispense medications, manage stock and serve customers. Many programs award a certificate after a year or less, most states regulate the work in some way, and some states and employers require certification.1

In Iowa, 3 of the 10 programs take students without a high school diploma and 7 ask for a diploma or equivalent.

All 10 are the same kind of program: pharmacy technician.

See the 10 programs

How much does pharmacy technician training cost in Iowa?

$1,650 to $2,966 is what most pharmacy technician programs in Iowa cost if you pay yourself

That is the middle half of the 10 programs with a price. All of them: $1,299 to $7,276

In the typical program

Finished the program
53%
Working 6 months later
74%
Earned a year, estimated
about $32,100
Length
13 to 35 weeks

Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Only programs approved for workforce funding are listed; other schools in Iowa may also offer pharmacy technician training. How these figures are made

Is there free pharmacy technician training in Iowa?

All 10 pharmacy technician programs in Iowa approved for WIOA funding

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10 programs

  • Pharmacy technicianHybridHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technician Training Course

    Kirkwood Community College

    Cedar Rapids

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Kirkwood Community College, Cedar RapidsPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolHybrid · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$32,300
    Price if you pay yourself$2,879
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician Training Course at Kirkwood Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technician Training Course at Kirkwood Community College
    Finished
    41%
    Working at 6 months
    71%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,080
    Length
    32 weeks, 9 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $585
    Students counted
    94
    Earned a year, estimated
    $32,300
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,879
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician Training Course at Kirkwood Community College
  • Pharmacy technicianOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technician - Online *PHRM.CPC

    Northeast Iowa Community College

    Based in Calmar, IA

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Northeast Iowa Community College, based in Calmar, IAPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$31,400
    Price if you pay yourself$1,495
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician - Online *PHRM.CPC at Northeast Iowa Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technician - Online *PHRM.CPC at Northeast Iowa Community College
    Finished
    77%
    Working at 6 months
    74%
    Earned in a quarter
    $7,844
    Length
    10 weeks, 5 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    51
    Earned a year, estimated
    $31,400
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,495
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician - Online *PHRM.CPC at Northeast Iowa Community College
  • Pharmacy technicianOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technician Certificate

    Hawkeye Community College

    Based in Waterloo, IA

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Hawkeye Community College, based in Waterloo, IAPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$24,700
    Price if you pay yourself$2,799
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician Certificate at Hawkeye Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technician Certificate at Hawkeye Community College
    Finished
    64%
    Working at 6 months
    83%
    Earned in a quarter
    $6,185
    Length
    16 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    30
    Earned a year, estimated
    $24,700
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,799
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician Certificate at Hawkeye Community College
  • Pharmacy technicianIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technician - Diploma

    Western Iowa Tech Community College

    Sioux City

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Western Iowa Tech Community College, Sioux CityPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$32,100
    Price if you pay yourself$7,276
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician - Diploma at Western Iowa Tech Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technician - Diploma at Western Iowa Tech Community College
    Finished
    32%
    Working at 6 months
    89%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,029
    Length
    48 weeks, 18 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $2,091
    Students counted
    27
    Earned a year, estimated
    $32,100
    Price if you pay yourself
    $7,276
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician - Diploma at Western Iowa Tech Community College
  • Pharmacy technicianOnlineNo diploma needed

    Pharmacy Technician 6130001 (Online) (Continuing Education)

    Eastern Iowa Community Colleges

    Based in Davenport, IA

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Eastern Iowa Community Colleges, based in Davenport, IAPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolOnline · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$2,995
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician 6130001 (Online) (Continuing Education) at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
    More details about Pharmacy Technician 6130001 (Online) (Continuing Education) at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
    Finished
    38%
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    52 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    15
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $2,995
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician 6130001 (Online) (Continuing Education) at Eastern Iowa Community Colleges
  • Pharmacy technicianIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technician

    Iowa Valley Community College District

    Marshalltown

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Iowa Valley Community College District, MarshalltownPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimated$32,800
    Price if you pay yourself$1,299
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician at Iowa Valley Community College District
    More details about Pharmacy Technician at Iowa Valley Community College District
    Finished
    100%
    Working at 6 months
    67%
    Earned in a quarter
    $8,195
    Length
    7 weeks, 8 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $129
    Students counted
    10
    Earned a year, estimated
    $32,800
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,299
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician at Iowa Valley Community College District
  • Pharmacy technicianOnlineNo diploma needed

    Pharmacy Technician

    Change Course

    Based in Des Moines, IA

    No diploma needed

    Change Course, based in Des Moines, IAPharmacy technicianOnline · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,620
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician at Change Course
    More details about Pharmacy Technician at Change Course
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    12 weeks, 20 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $350
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,620
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician at Change Course
  • Pharmacy technicianOnlineHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technology

    Indian Hills Community College

    Based in Ottumwa, IA

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Indian Hills Community College, based in Ottumwa, IAPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolOnline · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,739
    Program website, Pharmacy Technology at Indian Hills Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technology at Indian Hills Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    36 weeks, 9 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    None listed
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,739
    Program website, Pharmacy Technology at Indian Hills Community College
  • Pharmacy technicianIn personHigh school diploma or equivalent

    Pharmacy Technician - Certificate

    Iowa Western Community College

    Council Bluffs

    Accredited school

    High school diploma or equivalent

    Iowa Western Community College, Council BluffsPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolIn person · High school diploma or equivalent

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$1,795
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician - Certificate at Iowa Western Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technician - Certificate at Iowa Western Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    16 weeks, 13 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $252
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $1,795
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician - Certificate at Iowa Western Community College
  • Pharmacy technicianIn personNo diploma needed

    Pharmacy Technician

    Kirkwood Community College

    Cedar Rapids

    Accredited school

    No diploma needed

    Kirkwood Community College, Cedar RapidsPharmacy technician · Accredited schoolIn person · No diploma needed

    Earned a year, estimatedNot reported
    Price if you pay yourself$6,615
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician at Kirkwood Community College
    More details about Pharmacy Technician at Kirkwood Community College
    Finished
    Not reported
    Working at 6 months
    Not reported
    Earned in a quarter
    Not reported
    Length
    32 weeks, 16 hours a week
    Cost of supplies
    $917
    Students counted
    Not reported
    Earned a year, estimated
    Not reported
    Price if you pay yourself
    $6,615
    Program website, Pharmacy Technician at Kirkwood Community College

How to pay for pharmacy technician training in Iowa

WIOA funding can pay for pharmacy technician training in Iowa

Every program on this page is approved for it. Whether you qualify, how much your local area pays and how to apply are on our page Does WIOA pay for job training?

Financial aid and grants for pharmacy technician training

Most students can get federal student aid for college, career school or trade school. A Federal Pell Grant, unlike a loan, usually doesn't have to be repaid. Ask the school whether its program qualifies.67

GI Bill for pharmacy technician training

Veterans, service members and qualified dependents can use GI Bill benefits for non-college training programs.8

The program list does not show which programs accept these. Ask the school.

Quick facts: Pharmacy technician training in Iowa

programs with a price cost under $2,000
5 of 10
lowest typical price among the states with enough programs to compare
10th of 40
other states where the typical program's graduates earned less
14 of 18
pharmacy technician programs here, against the typical state's 10
10 vs 10

State comparisons use the same figures as the pharmacy technician training by state table: the middle program of each state, and only states with three or more schools for prices. Source: US Department of Labor, program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025).

Pharmacy technician training in Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Marshalltown and other Iowa cities

Choosing an area filters the program list above. 5 programs are online.

Other training in Iowa

How pharmacy technician training compares with the rest of medical office and lab work: Medical certification programs in Iowa

Where the Iowa pharmacy technician program numbers come from

Which Iowa pharmacy technician programs are on this list?

These are the pharmacy technician programs Iowa approved for WIOA funding (public workforce funding under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act), as reported to the US Department of Labor for program year 2024 (July 2024 to June 2025). Each state keeps its approved programs on an eligible training provider list (ETPL).9 The list here covers programs approved as of June 30, 2025. Schools that never applied for approval are missing, so this is a part of what Iowa offers.

How the prices and results of Iowa pharmacy technician programs are measured

Prices are tuition and required fees for someone paying without workforce funding, as the school reported them; check the current price with the school. Results describe students who left each program in recent years, so they are no guarantee, and the yearly earnings are the reported quarter times four, an estimate. A program without a "Trained with WIOA funding" line may still take WIOA students. Where a field was left empty or withheld, the page says "Not reported", and "Left out" where a figure was filed but failed one of our checks; nothing is estimated to fill a gap. Where the numbers come from explains each figure in full.

Sources for the facts about pharmacy technician training in Iowa

Show the 9 sourcesHide the sources
  1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: Pharmacy Technicians
  2. US Department of Labor, TrainingProviderResults.gov: About This Site
  3. US Department of Labor: WIOA Adult Program
  4. Code of Federal Regulations, title 20, part 680, sections 680.220, 680.230 and 680.310: career services before training, other grants such as Pell Grants first, and limits on Individual Training Accounts (GovInfo, 2024 edition)
  5. US Department of Labor: American Job Centers
  6. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Eligibility for Federal Student Aid
  7. US Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: Don't Miss Out on Federal Pell Grants
  8. US Department of Veterans Affairs: GI Bill benefits for non-college degree programs
  9. US Department of Labor, Training and Employment Guidance Letter 8-19, Attachment I: Requirements for Training Providers, Program Eligibility, and the State Eligible Training Provider (ETP) List