Occupational Outlook Handbook – Phlebotomists

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Next classes start in January 2023

Quick Facts: Phlebotomists
2021 Median Pay	$37,380 per year $17.97 per hour
Typical Entry-Level Education	Postsecondary nondegree award
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	None
Number of Jobs, 2021	135,500
Job Outlook, 2021-31	10% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2021-31	13,900

What Phlebotomists Do

Phlebotomists draw blood for tests, transfusions, research, or blood donations.

Work Environment

Phlebotomists are employed in a variety of settings, including hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, blood donor centers, and doctors’ offices.

How to Become a Phlebotomist

Phlebotomists typically enter the occupation with a certificate from a postsecondary phlebotomy program, but some qualify with a high school diploma and on-the-job training. Employers may prefer to hire candidates who have earned professional certification.

Pay

The median annual wage for phlebotomists was $37,380 in May 2021.

Job Outlook

Employment of phlebotomists is projected to grow 10 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.

About 21,500 openings for phlebotomists are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.

State & Area Data

Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for phlebotomists.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of phlebotomists with similar occupations.

Pay Phlebotomists

The median annual wage for phlebotomists was $37,380 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $28,990, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $48,490.

In May 2021, the median annual wages for phlebotomists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:

Outpatient care centers	$38,220
Medical and diagnostic laboratories	38,040
Hospitals; state, local, and private	36,980
Offices of physicians	36,410
All other ambulatory healthcare services	35,360

Most phlebotomists work full time. Phlebotomists who work in hospitals and labs may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays.