ExCPT vs. PTCE: Your guide to certification

Becoming a pharmacy technician is an outstanding option for individuals seeking a rewarding, accessible career in the healthcare sector. Earning a pharmacy technician certification helps you stand out in the job market and strengthens your qualifications to secure your ideal role. To obtain the Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) credential, you must successfully complete a pharmacy technician certification exam, either:

• The Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), administered by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB), OR
• The Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT), provided by the National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Let’s take a closer look at the advantages of achieving CPhT status and consider which pharmacy technician certification exam, the PTCE or ExCPT, best aligns with your career goals.

Benefits of becoming a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT)

CPhT stands for Certified Pharmacy Technician, which demonstrates your knowledge and readiness for pharmacy technician roles. Although it is not always necessary to earn a CPhT, many states do require pharmacy technicians to be certified. According to the NHA, 90% of employers encourage or require their pharmacy technicians to be certified. Regardless of whether it is mandatory or not, having this certification will make it significantly easier for you to gain employment. Those who hold a certification will also be more likely to achieve higher salaries and more promotional opportunities than non-certified candidates.

Choosing how to get certified is an important step for your future career. The exams offered by the PTCB and NHA are recognized in all states. However, they differ in content, cost, eligibility, and career advancement resources. Depending on your goals, certification through one of these organizations may be more advantageous than the other.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE)

The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) is a nationally recognized, non-profit organization dedicated to advancing medication safety and supporting pharmacy technicians. PTCB offers the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE), a key requirement for those seeking PTCB certification and the CPhT credential. The PTCE exam is considered the leading pharmacy technician certification exam in the U.S. and is widely accepted by employers and state boards of pharmacy. It is greatly preferred for employment in hospitals and similar healthcare settings.

PTCE content

The PTCE is a comprehensive assessment of the knowledge and skills required to be a pharmacy technician. The exam consists of 90 questions covering four major sections. Candidates must have a strong understanding of all the content below to successfully pass the PTCB exam.

Medications (40%)

The Medications section of the PTCB exam evaluates your knowledge of various aspects of medications, including their generic and brand names, therapeutic classifications, therapeutic equivalence, potential drug interactions and contraindications, dosage forms, routes of administration, storage requirements, indications, and safety considerations. This section accounts for 40% of the overall exam score. The Medications section is the core of the PTCE and requires a lot of memorization. Study the material in this section early and often to be successful on the exam.

Patient Safety and Quality Assurance (26.25%)

The Patient Safety and Quality Assurance section of the PTCE assesses your understanding of patient safety principles, error prevention techniques, quality assurance procedures, patient engagement, and education. This section is crucial for ensuring that pharmacy technicians are able to provide safe and effective care to their patients. The Patient Safety and Quality Assurance section comprises some of the most important, life-saving material that you will learn when preparing for the pharmacy technician exam. These things can have a real impact on your customers’ health and well-being, so be sure to treat this section with the care it deserves.

Order Entry and Processing (21.25%)

The Order Entry and Processing section of the PTCE covers the essential tasks involved in accurately processing and dispensing medications. It assesses your ability to calculate and convert medication doses, ensure proper drug administration, and manage medication returns. As the true nuts and bolts of being a pharmacy technician, getting Order Entry and Processing right is a crucial part of doing your job. The dosages and administration instructions you give to customers are a key part of keeping them safe.

Federal Requirements (12.5%)

The Federal Requirements section of the PTCE covers the federal requirements for healthcare substances and waste. It includes regulations for controlled substances, restricted drug programs, and FDA recall requirements. This section can be challenging for some because it involves a lot more legal text than other sections. However, ensuring that your work follows federal guidelines is extremely important, and failure to do so could cost you your pharmacy technician job in the future.

Check out our PTCB exam info page for more information, containing a detailed outline and studying tips.

PTCE pass rate

The PTCE pass rate varies from year to year, but has remained around 70% over the past 4 years of available data.

PTCB eligibility and cost

Eligibility requirements for earning PTCB certification and taking the PTCE include completing a PTCB-recognized education or training program or accumulating a certain number of hours of pharmacy technician work experience. Applicants must also pass a criminal background check and successfully complete the PTCE, as mentioned above.

When considering how to become a pharmacy technician and meet these eligibility requirements, candidates typically follow one of three main paths:

1. Gain 500 hours of hands-on work experience as a pharmacy technician, then prepare for and take the PTCE.
2. Complete an approved training course that fulfills the educational requirements for PTCB certification and provides preparation for the PTCE.
3. Enroll in a recognized training course to satisfy PTCB certification requirements, then pursue separate study and preparation before attempting the PTCE.

The total PTCB certification cost includes a one-time $129 fee to sit for the PTCE, as well as a $49 recertification fee and an $89 reinstatement fee, both required every two years to maintain your pharmacy technician credentials.

PTCB renewal requirements / CE

The certification has to be renewed every 2 years by completing 20 hours of continuing education (CE). At least 1 of those hours must be in pharmacy law and 1 must be in patient safety.

PTCB career advancement

In addition to offering the CPhT credential, the PTCB offers many other certifications related to your pharmacy technician journey:

• Advanced Certified Pharmacy Technician
• Billing and Reimbursement Certificate
• Controlled Substances Diversion Prevention Certificate
• Hazardous Drug Management Certificate
• Immunization Administration Certificate
• Medication History Certificate
• Medication Therapy Management Certificate
• Nonsterile Compounding Certificate
• Certified Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician

These credentials can all be earned through the PTCB organization.

Having these extra certifications, especially the Advanced CPhT, can help with improving your resume and professional growth.

Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT)

The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) is a leading non-profit provider of the CPhT credential, offering the ExCPT exam as an alternative to other pharmacy technician certification exams. The NHA’s Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) is newer and not as widely taken as the PTCE, but it remains a respected certification that thoroughly assesses your pharmacy technician skills. If you are comparing ExCPT vs PTCB, it’s important to note that both exams are recognized by employers and state boards, with the ExCPT providing a comprehensive evaluation aligned with current industry standards for retail environments. Ultimately, choosing the ExCPT through NHA is a valuable path to earning your CPhT credential and advancing your pharmacy technician career.

ExCPT content

The ExCPT exam consists of 100 questions distributed across four primary content areas that all future pharmacy technicians must master. The National Healthcareer Association (NHA) provides an ExCPT exam outline that closely mirrors the PTCB in terms of study topics, but the ExCPT prioritizes certain areas differently.

Overview and Laws (25%)

The Overview and Laws section of the ExCPT evaluates your grasp of your key responsibilities as a pharmacy technician and ensures you adhere to all legal and ethical standards required by the profession. This part of the ExCPT covers knowledge of controlled substances, federal and state pharmacy laws, pharmacy regulations, and the essential roles, scope of practice, and everyday duties unique to pharmacy technicians taking the ExCPT.

Drugs and Drug Therapy (15%)

In the Drugs and Drug Therapy section, the ExCPT focuses on critical medication concepts that all certified pharmacy technicians must know. You will be tested on drug classification, proper product-to-dosage matching, therapeutic drug classes, administration routes, and primary indications. ExCPT candidates must also differentiate brand names from generic names for common prescription drugs. Mastery of vaccine and immunization schedules, common drug interactions, and understanding how medications impact patients are key to succeeding on the ExCPT.

Dispensing Process (45%)

The Dispensing Process makes up the largest portion of the ExCPT. Success on this major section signals competency in every step of dispensing medication, from initial prescription intake and accurate data entry to preparing and delivering filled scripts. You’ll be required to demonstrate proficiency in sterile and nonsterile product preparation, pharmaceutical compounding, repackaging, calculating dosages and daily supplies, and understanding unit-dosing procedures. This foundational ExCPT component directly reflects the daily tasks managed by working pharmacy technicians.

Medication Safety and Quality Assurance (15%)

The Medication Safety and Quality Assurance section is a vital part of the ExCPT test structure. In this section, you must display a thorough understanding of best practices in quality assurance and critical medication safety concerns. This includes knowing ExCPT-relevant processes for checking prescriptions, labeling medications precisely, recognizing medication warnings, implementing protocols for error reduction, and proper reporting responsibilities. Routine stock checks and maintaining hygiene are also necessary to meet NHA ExCPT standards for pharmacy technician certification.

For a comprehensive breakdown of all ExCPT exam topics and requirements, review the official NHA ExCPT Test Plan PDF for detailed study guidelines.

ExCPT pass rate

The ExCPT pass rate was 62% in 2024, and has remained around 60% over the past 3 years.

NHA eligibility and cost

In order to meet the eligibility requirements for the NHA’s CPhT certification and begin your journey to become a pharmacy technician, you must hold a high school diploma or equivalent. You’ll also need to successfully complete one of the three approved pathways outlined below, which are designed to prepare candidates with the knowledge and skills needed for entry-level pharmacy technician roles:

1. Training Program:
   • Complete a pharmacy technician training program from an accredited or state-recognized institution or provider; or
   • Complete an employer-based pharmacy technician training program that:
     • Is recognized by the Board of Pharmacy in the state where you complete the training; or
     • Is verified by your employer as providing sufficient academic preparation to ensure you are competent in the essential duties required for an entry-level pharmacy technician.
2. Military: Completion of pharmacy-related training provided by any branch of the US Military also fulfills the training program requirement for CPhT certification. If your graduation or completion date from military training is five years or more before the application date, you must also demonstrate relevant pharmacy work experience as described below.
3. Work Experience: Accumulate at least 1,200 hours of supervised, pharmacy-related work experience within any single year during the past three years. This experience helps validate proficiency for those pursuing a career as a pharmacy technician through non-traditional pathways.

The ExCPT exam costs $125, which is similar to the PTCB certification cost. Maintaining your credential also requires a $55 renewal fee, noticeably less than the PTCB renewal fee of $89.

NHA renewal requirements / CE

The NHA holds the same standards for renewal as the PTCB, meaning your certification has to be renewed every 2 years by completing 20 hours of CE, including 1 hour in pharmacy law and 1 hour in patient safety.

NHA career advancement

The NHA organization offers many other certifications besides the CPhT:

• Certified Clinical Medical Assistant
• Certified Phlebotomy Technician
• Certified Medical Administrative Assistant
• Certified EKG Technician
• Certified Electronic Health Records Specialist
• Certified Medical Billing and Coding Specialist
• Certified Patient Care Technician/Assistant

However, these certifications are unrelated to becoming a pharmacy technician and do not provide the option for an Advanced CPhT credential.

PTCE and ExCPT comparison

We have established that the content outlines of the PTCE and ExCPT exams are quite similar, but it is crucial to understand how their core emphases differ when comparing the ExCPT vs. PTCB certifications. The main content area to master for the PTCE is medications, with 40% of the exam devoted to this topic. For the ExCPT, there is a large focus on the dispensing process, which makes up 45% of the test.

In analyzing both exams, the PTCE places a greater emphasis on patient safety, dedicating 26.25% of its exam to patient safety and quality assurance, along with a notable focus on medication safety within its medications section. In contrast, the ExCPT exam allocates only 15% of its assessment to medication safety and quality assurance.

As mentioned above, the ExCPT stands out in its heavier concentration on dispensing processes. Dispensing process questions account for nearly half of the ExCPT exam, while the PTCE devotes just 21.25% to order entry and processing content. Another distinguishing point in the PTCE vs. ExCPT comparison is that the ExCPT exam gives more weight to pharmacy laws: 25% of the ExCPT focuses on legal principles and pharmacy technician regulations, with a significant portion centered on legal compliance. Meanwhile, federal requirements occupy only 12.5% of the PTCE.

Your individual strengths and confidence in these pharmacy technician knowledge domains may strongly influence your decision between the PTCE and ExCPT exams. If exam content breakdown is not your primary deciding factor, considering pass rates for each CPhT exam may provide further insight:

By understanding these distinctions in focus areas and success statistics, prospective pharmacy technicians can better evaluate which path is most aligned with their strengths and career goals.

Conclusion

The PTCB remains the stronger option for many CPhT candidates, especially when you consider the PTCE’s consistently higher passing rates and the broader range of pharmacy technician certifications offered to support career growth. While the NHA’s certification and renewal requirement costs are lower than the PTCB’s, affordability is just one factor to weigh. Your individual strengths in specific exam content and career plans should also guide your decision. Whether you pursue the PTCB or NHA certification route, you’re selecting from two respected organizations whose pharmacy technician exams cover similar core content areas. Both pathways will ensure you acquire essential knowledge to excel in your pharmacy technician career.