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Phlebotomists: Job Description
Draw blood for tests, transfusions, donations, or research. May explain the procedure to patients and assist in the recovery of patients with adverse reactions.
What Do Phlebotomists Take On?
The core tasks performed by phlebotomists include:
- Dispose of contaminated sharps, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, and policies.
- Organize or clean blood-drawing trays, ensuring that all instruments are sterile and all needles, syringes, or related items are of first-time use.
- Draw blood from veins by vacuum tube, syringe, or butterfly venipuncture methods.
- Match laboratory requisition forms to specimen tubes.
- Dispose of blood or other biohazard fluids or tissue, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, or policies.
- Conduct standards tests, such as blood alcohol, blood culture, oral glucose tolerance, glucose screening, blood smears, or peak and trough drug levels tests.
- Collect specimens at specific time intervals for tests, such as those assessing therapeutic drug levels.
- Process blood or other fluid samples for further analysis by other medical professionals.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful phlebotomists rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Phlebotomists Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Certified Phlebotomist
- Certified Phlebotomy Technician
- Clinical Phlebotomist
- Collections Technician
- Lab Liaison Technician
- Laboratory Phlebotomist
- Long Term Care Phlebotomist
- Mobile Examiner
Job Outlook
There are about 1,451,053 phlebotomists working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +5.9% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Phlebotomists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $28,271 |
| Hourly median | $13.59 |
| 10th percentile | $20,000 |
| 25th percentile | $23,172 |
| 75th percentile | $33,370 |
| 90th percentile | $38,468 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Phlebotomists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $55,460 |
| New York | $49,080 |
| Massachusetts | $48,270 |
| Washington | $47,700 |
| Rhode Island | $47,650 |
| Oregon | $47,510 |
| District of Columbia | $47,110 |
| Maryland | $47,100 |
| Colorado | $47,020 |
| New Jersey | $46,840 |
| North Dakota | $46,720 |
| New Hampshire | $46,460 |
| Delaware | $46,340 |
| Connecticut | $46,260 |
| Alaska | $46,110 |
| Montana | $46,040 |
| Virginia | $45,720 |
| Illinois | $45,620 |
| Hawaii | $45,510 |
| Wisconsin | $45,230 |
| Minnesota | $44,880 |
| Georgia | $43,340 |
| Arizona | $42,830 |
| Maine | $40,940 |
| Pennsylvania | $40,140 |
| Nevada | $40,050 |
| Texas | $39,770 |
| Missouri | $39,770 |
| Michigan | $39,760 |
| Idaho | $39,720 |
| Vermont | $39,530 |
| North Carolina | $39,410 |
| Ohio | $38,830 |
| West Virginia | $38,830 |
| Utah | $38,730 |
| Florida | $38,570 |
| South Carolina | $38,490 |
| New Mexico | $38,480 |
| Tennessee | $38,440 |
| Kansas | $38,330 |
| Indiana | $38,200 |
| Iowa | $38,040 |
| Kentucky | $38,000 |
| Oklahoma | $37,920 |
| South Dakota | $37,860 |
| Wyoming | $37,390 |
| Arkansas | $36,870 |
| Nebraska | $36,750 |
| Alabama | $35,970 |
| Louisiana | $35,650 |
| Mississippi | $34,900 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,950 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for phlebotomists vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $52,492 | 13.7% | 0.83 |
| New England | $46,544 | 4.9% | 1.07 |
| Middle Atlantic | $45,525 | 12.2% | 0.86 |
| Rocky Mountains | $43,357 | 3.5% | 0.88 |
| Great Lakes | $42,432 | 15.4% | 1.16 |
| Plains States | $40,675 | 5.9% | 0.87 |
| Southwest | $40,099 | 14.2% | 1.13 |
| Southeast | $39,299 | 29.6% | 1.23 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Phlebotomists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $61,350 | 250 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $60,810 | 460 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $59,850 | 1,350 |
| Redding, CA | CA | $58,400 | 90 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $58,270 | 120 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $57,460 | 40 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $56,870 | 4,380 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $56,650 | 110 |
Top Industries Employing Phlebotomists
Most phlebotomists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 132,900 | $43,660 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,870 | $44,450 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,250 | $38,290 |
| Educational Services | 610 | $42,510 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 290 | $62,180 |
| Wholesale Trade | 230 | $38,240 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 50 | $48,780 |
| Manufacturing | 30 | $35,280 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Phlebotomists Use
- Web platform development software: JavaScript (hot technology)
- Medical software: MEDITECH software (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for phlebotomists reflects the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Telephone Conversations
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level phlebotomists positions require some college, no degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Nurse Anesthetists (Supplemental)
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists (Primary-Short)
- Cytotechnologists (Supplemental)
- Histotechnologists (Primary-Short)
- Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Histology Technicians (Primary-Long)
- Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Students preparing for phlebotomists often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 31-9097.00 (Phlebotomists).
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