Phlebotomists
Phlebotomists (SOC 31-9097) earn a median $45,230 a year ($21.75 an hour) in the United States, with 143,540 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is California.
What phlebotomists do
Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, donations or research, and the SOC says they may explain the procedure to patients and help patients who have adverse reactions. They draw blood from veins by vacuum tube, syringe or butterfly venipuncture methods, match laboratory requisition forms to specimen tubes, and collect specimens at specific time intervals for tests such as therapeutic drug levels. They organize or clean blood-drawing trays so instruments are sterile and needles and syringes are of first-time use, and they dispose of contaminated sharps and of blood or other biohazard fluids or tissue in accordance with applicable laws, standards and policies. Their listed tasks also include standard tests such as blood alcohol, blood culture, oral glucose tolerance, glucose screening, blood smears, and peak and trough drug levels. They process blood or other fluid samples for further analysis by other medical professionals. About 45 percent of respondents report a postsecondary certificate, 32 percent a high school diploma and 14 percent some college courses. Familiar titles for it include certified phlebotomy technician, mobile phlebotomist, outpatient phlebotomist and long-term care phlebotomist.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a postsecondary certificate as the typical level of education for this occupation (45 percent).
Also called: Certified Phlebotomist, Certified Phlebotomy Technician, Clinical Phlebotomist, Collections Technician, Lab Liaison Technician.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $17.20 | $18.36 | $21.75 | $23.53 | $28.26 | $21.88 | 143,540 |
| Annual | $35,780 | $38,190 | $45,230 | $48,930 | $58,780 | $45,520 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where phlebotomists earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.87 | $22.98 | $26.94 | $30.19 | $35.74 | $27.21 | 13,520 | 0.74 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $45,490 | $47,800 | $56,040 | $62,790 | $74,340 | $56,600 | ||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $22.12 | $22.26 | $24.99 | $27.16 | $27.52 | $25.03 | 180 | 0.26 | 0.28 |
| Annual | $46,010 | $46,290 | $51,980 | $56,500 | $57,250 | $52,070 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.23 | $21.63 | $24.29 | $29.00 | $30.32 | $24.92 | 6,400 | 0.66 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $37,930 | $44,990 | $50,530 | $60,320 | $63,070 | $51,830 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $20.65 | $22.72 | $24.12 | $27.87 | $29.98 | $25.26 | 2,580 | 0.71 | 0.77 |
| Annual | $42,950 | $47,260 | $50,170 | $57,960 | $62,350 | $52,540 | ||||
| Oregon | Hourly | $19.26 | $22.05 | $23.63 | $28.06 | $29.94 | $24.55 | 1,800 | 0.92 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $40,060 | $45,860 | $49,160 | $58,370 | $62,280 | $51,060 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.87 | $22.98 | $26.94 | $30.19 | $35.74 | $27.21 | 13,520 | 0.74 | 0.80 |
| Annual | $45,490 | $47,800 | $56,040 | $62,790 | $74,340 | $56,600 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $15.66 | $17.58 | $19.45 | $22.93 | $25.75 | $20.50 | 12,820 | 0.91 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $32,570 | $36,560 | $40,450 | $47,690 | $53,560 | $42,630 | ||||
| Florida | Hourly | $17.09 | $17.91 | $19.34 | $22.03 | $23.17 | $20.19 | 10,220 | 1.03 | 1.12 |
| Annual | $35,560 | $37,250 | $40,230 | $45,820 | $48,190 | $41,990 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $17.97 | $19.09 | $22.12 | $23.90 | $26.40 | $22.05 | 7,910 | 1.30 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $37,370 | $39,710 | $46,010 | $49,720 | $54,920 | $45,860 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $18.23 | $21.63 | $24.29 | $29.00 | $30.32 | $24.92 | 6,400 | 0.66 | 0.72 |
| Annual | $37,930 | $44,990 | $50,530 | $60,320 | $63,070 | $51,830 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | Hourly | $23.47 | $25.30 | $29.98 | $34.70 | $38.16 | $29.95 | 100 | 0.49 | 0.53 |
| Annual | $48,820 | $52,620 | $62,350 | $72,180 | $79,380 | $62,300 | ||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $26.13 | $27.73 | $29.13 | $37.50 | $45.54 | $33.17 | 350 | 0.31 | 0.34 |
| Annual | $54,350 | $57,670 | $60,600 | $77,990 | $94,720 | $69,000 | ||||
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | Hourly | $24.84 | $25.02 | $28.98 | $30.73 | $35.61 | $28.70 | 190 | 0.93 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $51,660 | $52,040 | $60,290 | $63,910 | $74,070 | $59,700 | ||||
| Vallejo, CA | Hourly | $23.13 | $24.10 | $28.81 | $37.13 | $37.13 | $30.26 | 140 | 0.99 | 1.07 |
| Annual | $48,100 | $50,120 | $59,920 | $77,230 | $77,230 | $62,950 | ||||
| Napa, CA | Hourly | $23.88 | $24.97 | $28.77 | $34.23 | $37.86 | $29.27 | 30 | 0.44 | 0.48 |
| Annual | $49,670 | $51,930 | $59,840 | $71,200 | $78,760 | $60,880 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $20.80 | $22.95 | $24.03 | $29.00 | $30.34 | $25.58 | 7,390 | 0.78 | 0.84 |
| Annual | $43,270 | $47,740 | $49,980 | $60,320 | $63,110 | $53,200 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $18.34 | $20.26 | $22.69 | $25.42 | $27.02 | $22.80 | 5,310 | 1.18 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $38,150 | $42,130 | $47,190 | $52,860 | $56,200 | $47,420 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $21.87 | $22.89 | $25.45 | $30.19 | $34.69 | $26.71 | 4,720 | 0.75 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $45,490 | $47,610 | $52,940 | $62,780 | $72,150 | $55,550 | ||||
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | Hourly | $18.03 | $18.85 | $22.34 | $23.48 | $27.03 | $21.96 | 3,840 | 0.95 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $37,490 | $39,210 | $46,480 | $48,830 | $56,220 | $45,680 | ||||
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | Hourly | $17.28 | $18.20 | $21.74 | $22.18 | $22.94 | $20.70 | 3,360 | 1.19 | 1.29 |
| Annual | $35,940 | $37,860 | $45,210 | $46,140 | $47,720 | $43,050 | ||||
Top industries employing phlebotomists
General Medical and Surgical Hospitals employ 34.5% of phlebotomists nationally (49,550 jobs) at a median $44,100 a year ($21.20 an hour), followed by Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories (33.2%) and Other Ambulatory Health Care Services (16.7%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals NAICS 622100 | 49,550 | 34.5% | $44,100 | $21.20 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories NAICS 621500 | 47,610 | 33.2% | $46,670 | $22.44 |
| Other Ambulatory Health Care Services NAICS 621900 | 23,920 | 16.7% | $39,930 | $19.20 |
| Offices of Physicians NAICS 621100 | 12,270 | 8.5% | $44,500 | $21.40 |
| Outpatient Care Centers NAICS 621400 | 2,520 | 1.8% | $48,030 | $23.09 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (143,540). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $37,380 for phlebotomists in May 2021 and $45,230 in May 2025, with employment of 132,750 and 143,540.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $37,380 | $17.97 | 132,750 |
| May 2022 | $38,530 | $18.53 | 137,090 |
| May 2023 | $41,810 | $20.10 | 137,080 |
| May 2024 | $43,660 | $20.99 | 138,880 |
| May 2025 | $45,230 | $21.75 | 143,540 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California profile | $26.94 | $56,040 | $45,490 | $74,340 | 13,520 | 0.74 | 0.80 |
| 2 | District of Columbia profile | $24.99 | $51,980 | $46,010 | $57,250 | 180 | 0.26 | 0.28 |
| 3 | New York profile | $24.29 | $50,530 | $37,930 | $63,070 | 6,400 | 0.66 | 0.72 |
| 4 | Massachusetts profile | $24.12 | $50,170 | $42,950 | $62,350 | 2,580 | 0.71 | 0.77 |
| 5 | Oregon profile | $23.63 | $49,160 | $40,060 | $62,280 | 1,800 | 0.92 | 0.99 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $23.50 | $48,880 | $39,410 | $64,080 | 2,820 | 0.79 | 0.86 |
| 7 | New Hampshire profile | $23.40 | $48,660 | $40,640 | $58,780 | 630 | 0.93 | 1.00 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $23.39 | $48,650 | $39,730 | $58,520 | 5,230 | 1.22 | 1.32 |
| 9 | Delaware profile | $23.13 | $48,110 | $38,720 | $58,520 | 430 | 0.88 | 0.95 |
| 10 | Hawaii profile | $22.96 | $47,750 | $41,600 | $59,760 | 110 | 0.17 | 0.19 |
| 11 | North Dakota profile | $22.81 | $47,430 | $33,840 | $58,290 | 220 | 0.50 | 0.54 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $22.69 | $47,180 | $39,400 | $59,540 | 2,420 | 0.84 | 0.91 |
| 13 | Wisconsin profile | $22.34 | $46,470 | $37,680 | $51,950 | 3,610 | 1.23 | 1.33 |
| 14 | Rhode Island profile | $22.30 | $46,380 | $36,830 | $58,290 | 970 | 1.94 | 2.10 |
| 15 | Virginia profile | $22.28 | $46,340 | $37,370 | $58,470 | 3,600 | 0.88 | 0.95 |
| 16 | Arizona profile | $22.24 | $46,260 | $38,090 | $60,820 | 3,430 | 1.06 | 1.15 |
| 17 | Illinois profile | $22.12 | $46,010 | $37,370 | $54,920 | 7,910 | 1.30 | 1.40 |
| 18 | Minnesota profile | $22.12 | $46,000 | $38,740 | $58,920 | 2,090 | 0.71 | 0.77 |
| 19 | Vermont profile | $22.12 | $46,000 | $38,630 | $58,960 | 200 | 0.65 | 0.70 |
| 20 | Alaska profile | $22.07 | $45,900 | $40,300 | $59,780 | 210 | 0.65 | 0.71 |
| 21 | Georgia profile | $22.04 | $45,840 | $34,600 | $55,850 | 5,280 | 1.08 | 1.17 |
| 22 | Connecticut profile | $22.03 | $45,820 | $38,360 | $59,730 | 1,630 | 0.96 | 1.04 |
| 23 | Nevada profile | $22.00 | $45,760 | $37,280 | $59,480 | 1,300 | 0.84 | 0.91 |
| 24 | Maine profile | $21.94 | $45,640 | $37,810 | $50,740 | 500 | 0.78 | 0.85 |
| 25 | Montana profile | $21.86 | $45,470 | $36,950 | $52,590 | 370 | 0.72 | 0.78 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania profile | $21.11 | $43,910 | $37,010 | $50,060 | 5,510 | 0.91 | 0.98 |
| 27 | Maryland profile | $20.91 | $43,480 | $35,320 | $58,180 | 2,040 | 0.74 | 0.80 |
| 28 | Idaho profile | $20.87 | $43,400 | $35,490 | $47,340 | 1,010 | 1.17 | 1.27 |
| 29 | North Carolina profile | $20.83 | $43,330 | $35,210 | $49,450 | 5,410 | 1.10 | 1.19 |
| 30 | Missouri profile | $20.73 | $43,120 | $34,070 | $51,390 | 1,890 | 0.64 | 0.70 |
| 31 | New Mexico profile | $20.63 | $42,910 | $32,400 | $48,350 | 760 | 0.88 | 0.95 |
| 32 | Kentucky profile | $20.42 | $42,480 | $35,230 | $48,820 | 2,500 | 1.25 | 1.35 |
| 33 | Utah profile | $19.54 | $40,630 | $35,800 | $47,420 | 1,680 | 0.97 | 1.05 |
| 34 | Texas profile | $19.45 | $40,450 | $32,570 | $53,560 | 12,820 | 0.91 | 0.99 |
| 35 | Florida profile | $19.34 | $40,230 | $35,560 | $48,190 | 10,220 | 1.03 | 1.12 |
| 36 | Michigan profile | $19.16 | $39,860 | $36,850 | $48,890 | 3,540 | 0.80 | 0.87 |
| 37 | Ohio profile | $19.12 | $39,770 | $36,190 | $48,680 | 5,120 | 0.92 | 1.00 |
| 38 | South Dakota profile | $19.02 | $39,560 | $31,360 | $45,240 | 320 | 0.71 | 0.77 |
| 39 | Nebraska profile | $19.01 | $39,540 | $35,660 | $48,900 | 920 | 0.90 | 0.98 |
| 40 | Indiana profile | $18.87 | $39,250 | $35,870 | $48,290 | 2,410 | 0.75 | 0.81 |
| 41 | West Virginia profile | $18.87 | $39,250 | $30,570 | $46,130 | 1,530 | 2.18 | 2.36 |
| 42 | Kansas profile | $18.80 | $39,100 | $34,410 | $50,350 | 1,120 | 0.78 | 0.85 |
| 43 | Oklahoma profile | $18.76 | $39,030 | $33,570 | $49,200 | 1,670 | 0.98 | 1.06 |
| 44 | South Carolina profile | $18.76 | $39,010 | $35,760 | $47,060 | 2,760 | 1.20 | 1.30 |
| 45 | Tennessee profile | $18.53 | $38,550 | $35,010 | $47,630 | 3,520 | 1.07 | 1.16 |
| 46 | Iowa profile | $18.38 | $38,240 | $35,970 | $46,570 | 1,100 | 0.70 | 0.76 |
| 47 | Wyoming profile | $18.36 | $38,180 | $31,500 | $60,590 | 190 | 0.67 | 0.72 |
| 48 | Arkansas profile | $18.01 | $37,450 | $30,870 | $44,280 | 1,100 | 0.84 | 0.91 |
| 49 | Alabama profile | $17.89 | $37,220 | $30,440 | $45,710 | 2,350 | 1.11 | 1.21 |
| 50 | Mississippi profile | $17.45 | $36,290 | $27,730 | $47,980 | 1,200 | 1.03 | 1.12 |
| 51 | Louisiana profile | $17.36 | $36,120 | $29,770 | $47,120 | 3,410 | 1.76 | 1.91 |
Related occupations
Occupations in the same SOC broad group (31-9090), with their national median annual wage.
Part of Healthcare Support Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 31-9097 Phlebotomists.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 31-9097, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 31-9097.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.