Retail 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.

The company will pay for workers to earn their certified pharmacy technician designation, Walmart noted. Employees don’t need a college degree to work in various pharmacy roles, including sales associates, technicians, or team lead positions.

“This investment is really about supporting the pharmacy teams who show up for their communities every day,” said Kevin Host, Walmart’s senior vice president of pharmacy operations.

Increasing pay and elevating thousands of employees into leadership roles, as well as removing barriers to entry for other positions, strengthens Walmart’s pharmacy teams, the company said. The changes in pharmacy operations come as Walmart makes a push to expand its healthcare offerings by providing customer access to LillyDirect, Eli Lilly’s direct-to-consumer platform, home pharmacy delivery, and its in-house Better Care Services that launched on Jan. 8.

“These investments are about more than compensation,” the company said.

“They are about creating clear, long-term career pathways for associates. Pharmacy technicians are a critical part of the healthcare journey, supporting patients, coordinating care, and helping keep pharmacies running smoothly. The new operations team lead role creates opportunities for technicians to step into leadership, build new skills, and take on greater responsibility.”

Walmart’s efforts to strengthen its pharmaceutical workforce come on the heels of revised fiscal guidance for 2026 that predicts net sales increasing between 4.8 percent and 5.1 percent to $674.5 billion, and adjusted earnings per share of $2.51. Gains in the company’s health and wellness sector are part of the reason why it raised its revenue outlook from estimates of 3.75 percent to 4.75 percent growth in net sales, Walmart noted in its most recent earnings release.

The retailer also continues to boost wages for its pharmacy staff as inflation impacts the cost of living. In 2022, the company increased hourly wages to more than $20 for 36,000 Walmart and Sam’s Club pharmacy technicians.

Walmart is poised to gain additional market share among chain pharmacies as rivals Walgreens and CVS announced the closure of hundreds of stores in 2025. Rite Aid, which once operated more than 4,900 locations in the United States, closed its final locations in 2025 after multiple bankruptcy filings.