Phlebotomist Salary Guide

Phlebotomist technicians are an important part of a medical team. They work every day with people who might be terrified of needles, children who cry before they even set foot in the room, and spend long hours on their feet.

It is not an easy job to do, but it is an easy one to get into which can sometimes make the salaries a bit lower than other jobs.

But, you can make a good living wage as a phlebotomist. It is also a career path that is growing with an expected 10% increase in jobs through 2031.

If you have already read our article on how to become a phlebotomist and are now curious about the types of salaries you can earn in this field, then read on. You should also check out the pros and cons of being a phlebotomist so you understand what you might experience if you decide to go into this field.

How Much Does A Phlebotomist Make In The US?

We will be digging into a variety of sources to get a realistic view of salary expectations by state, but as a general guide, the median annual salary for all phlebotomists in the United States is below.

Phlebotomist Salary Annually (Median)

Phlebotomist Salary Per Hour (Median)

The salaries come from the Bureau of Labor Services and come from surveys that are done so they are fairly accurate, but there are still a lot of variations that can make your pay higher or lower.

Below are the median annual wages segmented by the different industries that employ phlebotomists.

Working nights, weekends, or holidays can offer higher wages so that is something to consider if making more money is important to you.

Phlebotomists Salary By State

The data below comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics and is current as of 2021. It shows the median annual wages as well as the lowest earning 10% and the highest earning 90% of phlebotomists.

Median wages reflect a halfway mark, meaning 50% of those employed as a phlebotomist might make more – or less than what is listed here as the median wage.

Phlebotomist Benefits

Phlebotomists do often receive additional benefits that can be worth quite a bit depending on where you work.

Employment in hospitals can bring some of the greatest benefits packages. When you are job hunting, it is important to know which benefits are important to you so you can find jobs that offer what you need. Not all jobs offer all benefits noted below.

Below are some of the benefits you might receive:

• Health Insurance. Most employers of phlebotomists will offer some kind of health insurance. This might include medical, dental, and vision plans. This is a considerable portion of your overall earnings package, but will still cost you a bit that will come out of your paycheck. Many employers will cover a large portion of health insurance costs but have to have employees cover a portion of it. How much you have to contribute will depend on where you work.
• 401K. A 401K, or retirement plan is offered at many employers and allows you to contribute a portion of your earnings to it to be held in a fund until you retire. Some employers will also contribute a percentage to match your portion.
• Tuition Assistance. Employers will often offer tuition assistance to allow workers to improve their skills and take additional courses. If working as a phlebotomist you may need to take continuing education units to keep your certification up to date, so tuition assistance can help with that cost. You can also choose to take classes to learn a new job, like nursing!
• Paid Time Off. Vacation time, holidays, sick days, and other paid time off are all additional benefits many employers provide.

What Affects A Phlebotomist’s Salary?

Now that you know the basics, let’s dig into some of the factors that might affect how much you make.

Location

First, where you live and work will make a big difference. Some states have much higher wages than others. But keep in mind, that this is often because the cost of living can be so much higher in some states and the wages need to be adjusted for that.

Below is a visual of the earnings by state. You can see California leads the way for the highest phlebotomy salaries, while West Virginia and Alabama are some of the lowest paying states.

Experience

As with any job the more experience you have the more opportunity there is to make more money. Skilled phlebotomists are in demand and having good previous employer references can really help you earn the most you can!

Education

Just because there is minimal education needed for phlebotomy, it does not mean you should not continue your education! Every course or certification you obtain can help improve your value and definitely earn you more money.