How much do phlebotomists make?

Phlebotomist salary 2026 · BLS occupation: Phlebotomists (SOC 31-9097) · Updated October 28, 2026

Answer

Phlebotomists in the US earned a median of $45,230 a year ($21.75 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned $38,190 to $48,930.

Median annual pay: $45,230; Mean $45,520
Median hourly pay: $21.75; Mean $21.88
Typical range (10th–90th): $35.8K–$58.8K; $35,780 to $58,780
US jobs: 143,540; +6.8% projected, 2025–35

BLS OEWS, May 2025, released April 30, 2026. Wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses but not overtime premiums, shift differentials, other bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers are not included. Methodology

How to become a phlebotomist: steps, years and cost · Best-paying state after cost of living: North Dakota

Phlebotomist pay range

Annual wages, May 2025

10th percentile$35,780
25th percentile$38,190
Median$45,230
75th percentile$48,930
90th percentile$58,780

Half of all phlebotomists earned more than $45,230 and half earned less. The lowest-paid 10% made under $35,780; the top 10% made over $58,780. The middle 50%, from the 25th to the 75th percentile, ran from $38,190 to $48,930.

These percentiles describe everyone in the occupation at one time. They are not pay steps by years of experience: they mix new and senior workers, different states, employers and hours. Pay generally rises with experience, credentials and specialization, but BLS does not publish pay by experience.

Percentile	Annual	Hourly	Monthly
10th	$35,780	$17.20	$2,982
25th	$38,190	$18.36	$3,183
Median (50th)	$45,230	$21.75	$3,769
75th	$48,930	$23.53	$4,078
90th	$58,780	$28.26	$4,898
Mean (average)	$45,520	$21.88	$3,793

Phlebotomist salary by state

Median annual pay; cost of living from BEA regional price parities 2024

Median annual pay for phlebotomists by state. Darker tiles pay more.

Highest-paying states

1. California $56,040
2. District of Columbia $51,980
3. New York $50,530
4. Massachusetts $50,170
5. Oregon $49,160

Lowest-paying states

51. Louisiana $36,120
50. Mississippi $36,290
49. Alabama $37,220
48. Arkansas $37,450
47. Wyoming $38,180

Best after cost of living: North Dakota. Its median of $47,430 is worth about $53,317 at national-average prices, more than in California once prices are counted.


Alabama	$37,220	49	$41,904	42	$17.89	2,350	1.11
Alaska	$45,900	20	$44,842	28	$22.07	210	0.65
Arizona	$46,260	16	$45,949	19	$22.24	3,430	1.06
Arkansas	$37,450	48	$43,077	38	$18.01	1,100	0.84
California	$56,040	1	$50,614	2	$26.94	13,520	0.74
Colorado	$47,180	12	$45,783	22	$22.69	2,420	0.84
Connecticut	$45,820	22	$44,224	32	$22.03	1,630	0.96
Delaware	$48,110	9	$48,203	4	$23.13	430	0.88
District of Columbia	$51,980	2	$47,297	10	$24.99	180	0.26
Florida	$40,230	35	$38,902	51	$19.34	10,220	1.03
Georgia	$45,840	21	$47,605	6	$22.04	5,280	1.08
Hawaii	$47,750	10	$43,428	36	$22.96	110	0.17
Idaho	$43,400	28	$45,448	25	$20.87	1,010	1.17
Illinois	$46,010	17	$46,029	18	$22.12	7,910	1.30
Indiana	$39,250	40	$42,056	40	$18.87	2,410	0.75
Iowa	$38,240	46	$43,572	35	$18.38	1,100	0.70
Kansas	$39,100	42	$43,412	37	$18.80	1,120	0.78
Kentucky	$42,480	32	$47,117	11	$20.42	2,500	1.25
Louisiana	$36,120	51	$40,949	50	$17.36	3,410	1.76
Maine	$45,640	24	$47,027	12	$21.94	500	0.78
Maryland	$43,480	27	$41,426	47	$20.91	2,040	0.74
Massachusetts	$50,170	4	$47,439	9	$24.12	2,580	0.71
Michigan	$39,860	36	$41,427	46	$19.16	3,540	0.80
Minnesota	$46,000	18	$46,643	16	$22.12	2,090	0.71
Mississippi	$36,290	50	$41,735	43	$17.45	1,200	1.03
Missouri	$43,120	30	$47,480	8	$20.73	1,890	0.64
Montana	$45,470	25	$48,043	5	$21.86	370	0.72
Nebraska	$39,540	39	$43,883	33	$19.01	920	0.90
Nevada	$45,760	23	$45,770	23	$22.00	1,300	0.84
New Hampshire	$48,660	7	$46,714	15	$23.40	630	0.93
New Jersey	$48,650	8	$44,713	29	$23.39	5,230	1.22
New Mexico	$42,910	31	$46,534	17	$20.63	760	0.88
New York	$50,530	3	$46,821	14	$24.29	6,400	0.66
North Carolina	$43,330	29	$45,936	20	$20.83	5,410	1.09
North Dakota	$47,430	11	$53,317	1	$22.81	220	0.50
Ohio	$39,770	37	$42,868	39	$19.12	5,120	0.92
Oklahoma	$39,030	43	$44,432	31	$18.76	1,670	0.97
Oregon	$49,160	5	$47,561	7	$23.63	1,800	0.92
Pennsylvania	$43,910	26	$45,003	27	$21.11	5,510	0.91
Rhode Island	$46,380	14	$45,346	26	$22.30	970	1.94
South Carolina	$39,010	44	$41,611	45	$18.76	2,760	1.20
South Dakota	$39,560	38	$44,657	30	$19.02	320	0.71
Tennessee	$38,550	45	$41,961	41	$18.53	3,520	1.07
Texas	$40,450	34	$41,677	44	$19.45	12,820	0.91
Utah	$40,630	33	$41,097	49	$19.54	1,680	0.97
Vermont	$46,000	19	$46,959	13	$22.12	200	0.65
Virginia	$46,340	15	$45,834	21	$22.28	3,600	0.88
Washington	$48,880	6	$45,677	24	$23.50	2,820	0.79
West Virginia	$39,250	41	$43,856	34	$18.87	1,530	2.18
Wisconsin	$46,470	13	$49,386	3	$22.34	3,610	1.23
Wyoming	$38,180	47	$41,191	48	$18.36	190	0.67

BLS OEWS, May 2025, state estimates. Adjusted pay = median ÷ (state price level ÷ 100), using BEA regional price parities for 2024; it ignores taxes. Figures for states with few workers in the occupation have larger survey errors and can change sharply from one year to the next. “—” means BLS did not publish the figure. State names link to each state’s highest-paying jobs.

Best-paying metro areas for phlebotomists

322 metro areas with published pay

Highest median pay
Metro area	Median	Adjusted	Jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA	$62,350	$57,847	100
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA	$60,600	$54,880	350
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA	$60,290	$55,415	190
Vallejo, CA	$59,920	$55,236	140
Napa, CA	$59,840	$53,166	30
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA	$59,800	$54,415	50
Redding, CA	$59,320	$58,917	90
Chico, CA	$59,100	$58,401	100
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$58,900	$50,946	1,410
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA	$58,170	$51,990	1,300

Most jobs
Metro area	Jobs	Median	Adjusted
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ	7,390	$49,980	$44,402
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN	5,310	$47,190	$45,552
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA	4,720	$52,940	$46,616
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX	3,840	$46,480	$45,087
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL	3,360	$45,210	$39,604
Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ	2,940	$46,260	$44,775
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD	2,880	$47,370	$46,190
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA	2,790	$49,370	$49,341
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX	2,620	$45,540	$46,173
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	1,900	$49,030	$45,030

BLS OEWS, May 2025, metropolitan statistical areas; adjusted with BEA metro price parities (2024).

What moves phlebotomist pay: employers and settings

Phlebotomy pay sits in a fairly tight band. The 25th percentile is $38,190, and the 75th is $48,930, with a median of $45,230, so setting and location matter more than titles.

Work setting moves pay a little. Outpatient care centers pay a median of $48,030 and staffing agencies $47,490 while medical and diagnostic labs pay $46,670. Hospitals, the largest employer, pay $44,100 and physicians' offices $44,500. Other ambulatory services, a group that includes blood donation centers, pay less at $39,930. Local government jobs pay a median of $38,630 and state government $46,980.

Location counts more. California has the highest median at $56,040, and California is also one of the few states that certifies phlebotomists. Next come the District of Columbia at $51,980, New York at $50,530, Massachusetts at $50,170, and Oregon at $49,160. Louisiana's median is $36,120.

Within a job, people often earn more by working night shifts, taking hard-stick or pediatric draws, adding specimen processing or moving to mobile or travel roles. The 90th percentile is $58,780, which reflects setting and role, not just time on the job.

Where phlebotomists work
Industry	Share of jobs	Median pay
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals	34.5%	$44,100
Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories	33.2%	$46,670
Other Ambulatory Health Care Services	16.7%	$39,930
Offices of Physicians	8.5%	$44,500
Outpatient Care Centers	1.8%	$48,030
Employment Services	1.5%	$47,490

Private employers and government
Employer type	Jobs	Median pay
Private employers	134,720	$45,360
State government (incl. schools and hospitals)	2,520	$46,980
Local government (incl. schools and hospitals)	6,300	$38,630

BLS OEWS, May 2025, national industry-specific and ownership estimates (4-digit NAICS).

Phlebotomist pay over time

Median annual pay, 2015–2025

$45.2K $31.6K

2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025

Nominal median (dollars of each year)In May 2025 dollars (adjusted with CPI-U)

The median rose from $31,630 in 2015 to $45,230 in 2025, up 43% in nominal dollars. After inflation, the 2015 median is worth $42,757 in May 2025 dollars, so real pay grew 6% over the period.

BLS OEWS, May 2025 and earlier May releases; inflation from the CPI-U, US city average, May of each year.

What phlebotomists do

A phlebotomist draws blood. Doctors order the tests; the phlebotomy tech is the person who confirms the patient's identity, picks the right tubes, finds a vein, collects the sample and labels it so the lab can trust the result. Most draws use a needle and vacuum tubes or a butterfly set, and some are finger or heel sticks. Phlebotomists also collect blood at timed intervals for glucose tolerance or drug-level tests, take samples for blood cultures, and sometimes collect donations.

The work splits almost evenly between hospitals and medical and diagnostic laboratories, which together employ about two-thirds of phlebotomists in our data. Others work at blood and organ donation centers and other ambulatory services, physicians' offices and outpatient clinics. Hospital techs make rounds on the floors, often starting before dawn so results are back for morning rounds. Lab patient service centers handle a steady line of walk-in outpatients. In every setting, you calm nervous patients, handle the occasional fainting spell, and follow strict rules for sharps and biohazard disposal.

A typical day

Check two identifiers on every patient and match them to the lab order before drawing
Choose the right tubes and draw order, then find a vein and collect the sample
Do finger and heel sticks for patients with hard veins, children and newborns
Label, spin down and package specimens so they reach the lab intact and on time
Draw timed samples for glucose tolerance and drug-level tests
Help patients who feel faint and keep pressure on draw sites until bleeding stops
Throw away needles in sharps containers and clean and restock the draw station

Also called: phlebotomy, phlebotomy tech, phlebotomy technician, lab liaison technician, mobile examiner, patient service technician (pst), phlebotomist lab assistant (phlebotomist laboratory assistant), phlebotomy technician (phlebotomy tech).

How to become a phlebotomist

Full guide

To become a phlebotomist, you finish a phlebotomy training program, usually in less than a year, and most people then pass a national certification exam such as NHA's CPT or AMT's RPT. California also requires a state phlebotomy certificate.

Typical time: Under 1 year; Fastest: A few months
Minimum education: High school diploma or equivalent plus a postsecondary phlebotomy certificate program
License: Required in a few states, including California (state certificate); not licensed in most states, where certification is preferred by employers
Typical training cost: $2.6K–$5.0K; See the guide for what it includes

Read the step-by-step guide to becoming a phlebotomist: each step with its time and cost, education options, exams, licensing and advancement.

Is it worth it? Training cost against pay

Compare careers

Training time: Under 1 year; Typical path in our guide
Training cost: $2.6K–$5.0K; Tuition and exam fees, before aid
Median pay: $45,230; $5,750 below the all-jobs median ($50,980)
Cost vs. one year's pay: 6–11%; Training cost as a share of a year at the median

The median for phlebotomists is below the median for all US jobs, so the case for training rests on the work itself, entry speed and local pay rather than a pay premium. This is a rough guide: it ignores taxes, financial aid, interest, earnings given up while training and how pay changes over a career. How we calculate ROI.

Job outlook for phlebotomists

BLS Employment Projections 2025–35

Projected growth: +6.8%; All occupations +3.5%
Jobs in 2025: 143,900; 153,700 projected for 2035
Openings each year: 18,000; New jobs plus replacements
Self-employed: —; Not in the pay figures above

BLS projects phlebotomist jobs to rise from 143,900 to 153,700 between 2025 and 2035, a 6.8% increase that is close to double the 3.5% average for all occupations. That means about 18,000 openings a year, most of them from people moving to other occupations or leaving the workforce. Demand comes from a steady stream of lab work: hospitals, diagnostic labs and blood donation centers all need people who can draw blood safely, and an older population needs more routine testing. Because most openings come from replacing people who leave, entry-level jobs open up regularly.

Related careers and their pay

Related occupations from O*NET 31.0; median annual pay from BLS OEWS, May 2025.

Phlebotomist salary FAQ

How much do phlebotomists make an hour?

The median hourly wage for phlebotomists was $21.75 in May 2025. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $17.20 an hour and the highest-paid 10% more than $28.26. Hourly figures are BLS estimates for all workers in the occupation, full-time and part-time.

Which state pays phlebotomists the most?

California has the highest median pay for phlebotomists, $56,040 a year, followed by District of Columbia ($51,980) and New York ($50,530). After adjusting for each state's price level, North Dakota comes out ahead at about $53,317 in national-average dollars.

Do phlebotomists make six figures?

Few do: based on the BLS percentiles, fewer than 10% of phlebotomists earn more than $100,000 a year. The median is $45,230, and the top 10% earn more than $58,780. Pay generally rises with experience, specialization and location.

Do you need to be certified to be a phlebotomist?

It depends on the state. California requires a state Certified Phlebotomy Technician I certificate to draw blood by venipuncture, which includes passing a national exam. Most other states have no phlebotomy license, but BLS notes that many employers look for certified candidates anyway. National credentials include NHA's Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT), AMT's Registered Phlebotomy Technician (RPT) and ASCP's Phlebotomy Technician (PBT).

Is phlebotomy a good stepping stone to nursing?

Many people use it that way. Phlebotomy training is short, and the job puts you in hospitals and clinics talking with patients, handling infection control and working alongside nurses. That experience helps on nursing and physician assistant applications and makes clinical rotations less intimidating. It does not count as credit toward a nursing degree, though, so you still complete the full program and licensing exam for those careers.

What is the hardest part of being a phlebotomist?

Most phlebotomists point to difficult draws and difficult moments. Veins can be hard to find in older, dehydrated or very ill patients, and in small children. Some patients are scared of needles or faint. You also stand much of the day, start early on hospital shifts and must never mix up a label, because a wrong-patient sample can lead to a wrong diagnosis or a dangerous transfusion.

Sources

Data updated October 28, 2026 · Text checked against its sources October 28, 2026

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates, released April 30, 2026, SOC 31-9097
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–2035, released September 2026
O*NET 31.0 Database (31-9097.00), U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0; tasks rewritten by Careers and Salaries
U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state and metro area, 2024
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), US city average, May values
U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study and institution data, most recent cohorts, released 2026-10-15
Phlebotomists, Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · checked October 28, 2026
Phlebotomy Technician I (CPT I) Certificate, California Department of Public Health, Laboratory Field Services · checked October 28, 2026
Certified Phlebotomy Technician (CPT) Eligibility Update, National Healthcareer Association · checked October 28, 2026
Get Certified: RPT Eligibility and Fees, American Medical Technologists · checked October 28, 2026
License Finder, CareerOneStop, U.S. Department of Labor · checked October 28, 2026
Limited Phlebotomy Technician (LPT) Certificate, California Department of Public Health, Laboratory Field Services · checked October 28, 2026

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