Walmart Raises Pharmacy Worker Pay Amid Health Care Expansion

The pharmacy area of a Wal-Mart store in Mount Prospect, Ill., on Sept. 21, 2006. Tim Boyle/Getty ImagesRetail giant Walmart is boosting pay for its pharmacy workers and elevating 3,000 associates to operations team lead positions in an effort to strengthen and attract workers to its healthcare workforce, the company said on Jan. 28.Certified pharmacy technicians at nearly 4,600 Walmart locations across the United States earn an average of $22 an hour, the Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said. Under the company’s new pay structure, however, pharmacy technicians can earn up to $40.50 an hour. Pharmacy lead positions, which currently earn an average of $28 an hour, have the potential of earning up to $42 an hour depending on location.