How Much Do Phlebotomists Make? 2023 Salary Guide (2024)

Written by Coursera Staff • Updated on

Discover the ins and outs of how much phlebotomists make and the factors that determine salaries.

How Much Do Phlebotomists Make? 2023 Salary Guide (1)

Phlebotomy is a growing career in the health care field with competitive salaries and opportunities for advancement. As the population ages and medical professionals are needed more than ever, phlebotomists can find both full-time and part-time employment in a diverse range of medical settings or as traveling professionals. In this article, you'll learn more about what a phlebotomist is, what they do, and their job outlook. You'll also find common certificates and tips for maximizing your earning potential.

What is a phlebotomist?

A phlebotomist, or phlebotomy technician, is a health care professional that draws blood from patients for laboratory testing, transfusions, and research. As a phlebotomist, you’ll have opportunities to work one-on-one with patients of all ages or as a specialist with pediatric or geriatric patients.

Read more: Phlebotomist: What They Do and How to Become One

Where they work

Phlebotomists work in a wide variety of health care environments in both full-time and part-time positions. Some of the most common work environments include:

  • Hospitals

  • Skilled nursing facilities

  • Private homes

  • Clinics

  • Outpatient facilities

  • Medical and testing laboratories

  • Doctors’ offices

  • Blood donor organizations

  • Research institutions

  • Substance abuse facilities

  • Prisons

  • Public health centers

There are many employment opportunities for traveling phlebotomists as well. Insurance companies and home health companies have positions that require in-home and in-facility visits.If you're not looking for permanent employment, temporary agencies hire phlebotomists to fill short and long-term positions.

Job outlook

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) predicts the number of job opportunities for phlebotomists will grow by 10 percent, which is faster than average for all occupations, between 2021 and 2031 [1]. This increase in jobs, they predict, will lead to an average of 19,500 openings for phlebotomists every year during the decade.

A career as a phlebotomist typically offers job security, competitive pay, and flexible work hours. Job opportunities exist in many health care environments and provide the opportunity to work with and meet many people from various walks of life.

How much do phlebotomists make?

The US Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the mean annual salary for phlebotomists at $37,380 [2]. Here are the salaries you can expect to make depending on where you work:

  • Outpatient care centers: $38,220

  • Medical and diagnostic labs: $38,040

  • Physician offices: $36,410

  • Hospitals: $36,980

  • Other ambulatory health care services: $35,360

Generally, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, state government-owned medical facilities, and colleges and universities offer the highest-paid positions.

There are several factors impacting the salary you can expect to earn as a phlebotomist such as your geographical location, education, and experience level.

Location and salary

Location is a particularly critical factor in determining the salary of a phlebotomist. The most promising states for phlebotomist careers are:

  • California: $59,401 [3]

  • Washington, DC: $49,925 [4]

  • New York: $52,967 [5]

  • Massachusetts: $66,135 [6]

  • Washington: $62,630 [7]

Looking beyond geographical locations, your level of education and experience also affect your salary.

Traveling phlebotomists are in high demand as the population ages. Salaries range from $29,000 to $46,000 [8], depending on experience, but you get to experience different clinics and environments. Many employers offer additional compensation for gas and time spent traveling.

Experience level and salary

According to Indeed, the average salary for phlebotomists is $48,895 [9]. Entry level phlebotomists might make $47,072, while those with six or more years of experience can make $54,007 and up.

Education level and salary

To become a phlebotomist, you do not need a bachelor's degree. A high school diploma or GED is enough to enter a phlebology certification program and go on to take the certification exam. Typically, salaries do not change much even if you do have a bachelor's degree, though some employers might regard it favorably.

Tips for increasing earning potential

A career in phlebotomy offers opportunities for increased earning potential. Some include gaining experience, location, obtaining a degree, and becoming certified. Here’s a closer look at each.

Gain experience. The more experience you have, the more you can generally increase your earning potential. Some employers only require experience for promotions, while others prefer continuing education.

You can gain experience with in-house training offered by hospitals and other health care facilities. You’ll learn venipuncture techniques and get hands-on equipment experience. Phlebotomy opportunities can include internships, so check with any medical facility you’d like to work at to see what’s available.

Consider specializing. You may want to work with a specific age demographic, and there are opportunities available in pediatric and geriatric phlebotomy. Because these populations require more challenging blood draws, you must typically complete specialized training and exams to work with them.

Choose a location. The geographic location you work in can impact your earning potential. Highly populated and affluent metro areas offer more earning opportunities.

You can also look beyond geographical locations and consider around-the-clock care facilities where you can earn shift-differential pay.

Consider getting a degree. Although a degree isn’t necessary to work as a phlebotomist, accredited degree programs provide classroom training and job experience. Associate degree programs are available at many colleges, and bachelor’s degree programs in medical technology are also options to consider if you aspire to be a phlebotomist.

A degree can result in a more competitive salary and it can be beneficial if your goal is to seek a higher position in the future, such as a medical technologist.

Get certified. Even if your state doesn’t require certification, it can be advantageous to earn one. Certified phlebotomists can often earn a higher salary than non-certified phlebotomists.

Some programs provide online learning. However, clinical experience is needed for course completion that will require completing a specified number of venipunctures on patients or mannequins. When choosing an online program, make sure the school has a nearby place for you to complete your clinical hours.

Types of phlebotomy certifications

There are many types of certifications for phlebotomists, each with different requirements. While one isn’t necessarily better than the others, the prerequisites are less challenging for some certifications [10]. Here are some examples:

  • Phlebotomy Technician Certification (PBT-ASCP) offered by the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians: This certification requires a high school diploma and 40 hours of class training, and 100 hours of practice.

  • Phlebotomy Technician Certificate (PTC-ASPT) offered by the American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians: To qualify for this certification, you must have completed a phlebotomy training program and six months of full-time or one year of part-time experience as a phlebotomist.

  • Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT-NHA) offered by the National Healthcareer Association: This certification requires completing classes through the National Healthcareer Association.

  • Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT-AMT) offered by the American Medical Technologists: For the RTT-AMT certification, you’ll need to pass an accredited phlebotomy course within the past four years and 1,040 cumulative hours working as a phlebotomist within the past three years.

  • Certified Phlebotomist Technologist (CPT-NPA) offered by the National Phlebotomy Association: Along with venipuncture training, requirements include 160 hours of classroom lessons and 200 hours of practical application.

Take a class on anatomy

As you’re thinking about a career in phlebotomy, you might consider joining a professional association or taking an online course to expand your knowledge and skill set. The National Phlebotomy Association offers many benefits for professional development, including a job board and a schedule of events for phlebotomists and those interested in entering the career field.The University of Pennsylvania's Vital Signs: Understanding What the Body Is Telling Us explores the anatomy and physiology underlying vital signs in just 14 hours.

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This content has been made available for informational purposes only. Learners are advised to conduct additional research to ensure that courses and other credentials pursued meet their personal, professional, and financial goals.

How Much Do Phlebotomists Make? 2023 Salary Guide (2024)

FAQs

How Much Do Phlebotomists Make? 2023 Salary Guide? ›

The best Phlebotomist jobs can pay up to $70,000 per year.

As a Phlebotomist, you need to cross-check all your labels to make sure they are accurate and match the patient.

What is the highest pay for a phlebotomist? ›

The best Phlebotomist jobs can pay up to $70,000 per year.

As a Phlebotomist, you need to cross-check all your labels to make sure they are accurate and match the patient.

What can a phlebotomist do to make more money? ›

  1. ‍Years of experience. Working longer as a phlebotomist can result in a higher salary. ...
  2. What type of facility you work in. Certain workplace environments tended to compensate their phlebotomists with higher salaries. ...
  3. What location you work in.

What is the pass rate for the phlebotomy exam? ›

The CPT exam has the highest passing rate. NHA exam statistics show that the passing rate for the CPT exam was 77.31% in 2022. At that time, there were 113,275 active CPT certifications in the United States. For reference, graduates of our program at Stepful have a pass rate of 90% on the CPT exam.

How much do phlebotomists make in California in 2023? ›

Phlebotomist Salary in California
Annual SalaryHourly Wage
Top Earners$50,332$24
75th Percentile$41,900$20
Average$37,525$18
25th Percentile$33,600$16

What is the top paying phlebotomy? ›

Top paying companies in Healthcare for Phlebotomist are Labcorp, Quest Diagnostics, and One Medical.
  • Labcorp$50,150/yr.
  • Quest Diagnostics$49,711/yr.
  • One Medical$49,072/yr.
Jun 2, 2024

What is the next career above a phlebotomist? ›

The role of a phlebotomist offers several avenues for advancement, including specializations, managerial roles, transition to nursing, lab technician roles, or becoming a physician's assistant.

Can you make 6 figures as a phlebotomist? ›

According to the BLS, the top 5 states where you can earn the most money as a phlebotomist are: California: $24.27 per hour; $50,470 annually. Texas: $17.81 per hour; $37,040 annually. Florida: $18.07 per hour; $37,580 annually.

What is the biggest mistake a phlebotomist can make? ›

Drawing Blood From the Wrong Patient

This is one of the rarest but arguably most costly mistakes a phlebotomy technician can make.

Which state pays phlebotomists the most? ›

California offers phlebotomists the highest average salary in the U.S. at $48,070, above the national average of $37,380 but below the average for all other occupations in the state of $68,510. The top 10% of phlebotomists in California earn a yearly salary of $61,060.

Is phlebotomy easier than CNA? ›

Phlebotomy has better working conditions. It's not quite as emotionally and physically draining as CNAs or some other medical careers. Phlebotomists also do less manual labor, since phlebotomy is focused on drawing blood. CNAs, in comparison, are on their feet all the time and may have to lift heavy patients.

What is a good phlebotomy score? ›

NHA assigns a value to each question on the test based on difficulty. With this scaled scoring system, the ranges fall between a low 200 to a perfect score of 500. The NHA phlebotomy exam passing score is 390.

Is phlebotomy harder than medical assistant? ›

Phlebotomists typically have more training in blood collection. Phlebotomists get more specialized training in blood collection techniques than medical assistants because collecting blood is their primary responsibility. As a result, phlebotomists are typically more experienced in this area.

How old are most phlebotomists? ›

The average phlebotomist age is 40 years old. The most common ethnicity of phlebotomists is White (55.7%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (20.7%), Asian (9.3%) and Black or African American (9.1%).

What is the future outlook for a phlebotomist? ›

Demand for phlebotomists is growing rapidly

Phlebotomy, by all indications, is set to grow rapidly between now and 2031. The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that this field will grow 10 percent by the new decade. That growth translates into about 21,500 job openings every year.

How much does a phlebotomy supervisor earn in California? ›

The average phlebotomy supervisor salary in California is $89,739 per year or $43.14 per hour.

What is the highest level of a Phlebotomist? ›

Certified phlebotomy technician II– This is the highest level of phlebotomy technicians. Certified phlebotomy technicians II received the most intense training for phlebotomist. They are capable of performing all punctures including arterial punctures- which are in the arteries.

How much does a certified Phlebotomist make in Oregon? ›

Phlebotomist in Oregon earn an average of $41,350 per year (or $19.88 per hour).

How much does phlebotomy pay in Ohio? ›

Phlebotomist in Ohio earn an average of $35,770 per year (or $17.20 per hour).

How much does a certified Phlebotomist make an hour in Florida? ›

As of Jun 30, 2024, the average hourly pay for a Phlebotomist in Florida is $13.19 an hour.

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