Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Postsecondary nondegree award
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These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
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Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Phlebotomists collect blood and play a hands-on role in healthcare settings. This career combines technical skill with frequent patient interaction, making it a good fit for people who are detail oriented, comfortable with science, and interested in direct service. Nationally, there are about 140,000 phlebotomists, indicating a substantial workforce. The projected employment growth of 5.6% and 18,000 annual openings suggest an ongoing need for new workers entering and advancing in this field. Typical preparation is a postsecondary nondegree award, allowing entry without a full college degree. Success in this career relies on fine motor skills, physical strength and stamina, and strong interpersonal and customer service abilities for working with patients and colleagues. For people exploring healthcare roles that do not require an advanced degree, phlebotomy offers a clearly defined path with measurable job opportunities across multiple states and metro areas, along with room to apply leadership, adaptability, and technology skills on the job.
Phlebotomists earn a national median annual salary of $43,660. Within that national picture, there are notable differences by location. At the state level, California stands out with a median salary of $56,040, while Massachusetts, New York, Washington, and Colorado offer median salaries between roughly $47,000 and just over $50,000. At the metro level, pay can be even higher. The San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA metro reports a median salary of $60,600, and the San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, CA metro shows $58,900. Several large metros, including New York–Newark–Jersey City and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, offer median salaries near or above $50,000. These figures illustrate that earnings for phlebotomists can vary significantly by region, with certain states and metros providing higher median pay than the national median.
Phlebotomists have a national employment level of 140,000, reflecting a sizeable presence in the healthcare workforce. Employment for this occupation is projected to grow by 5.6%. This projected growth, combined with 18,000 annual openings, indicates that positions are expected to open regularly through both growth and turnover. The same 5.6% growth rate appears across the highlighted top states and metro areas, suggesting consistency between national and selected regional projections. For individuals planning a training path and job search, the combination of an established employment base, measurable projected growth, and a clear annual openings figure points to a career with ongoing hiring needs. While demand can vary by specific location, the data show that phlebotomists can expect continued opportunities nationally and in key states and metro regions identified as having strong opportunity scores.
Location plays a meaningful role in phlebotomy careers. Among states, California ranks highest by opportunity score (67.38), with a median salary of $56,040 and employment of 13,520. Massachusetts and New York follow with opportunity scores around 66, median salaries slightly above $50,000, and smaller but notable employment levels. Washington and Colorado also appear among the top states, with median salaries between about $47,000 and $49,000 and opportunity scores in the mid-50s. At the metro level, differences become even clearer. The San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, CA metro has the highest opportunity score (77.42) and the highest listed median salary at $60,600, though its employment level is 350. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro combines the highest metro employment (7,390) with a strong opportunity score of 77.27. Other metros such as San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton offer mid-to-high $40,000s to high $50,000s median salaries with solid opportunity scores.
Phlebotomists typically enter the field with a postsecondary nondegree award. This means formal training beyond high school is expected, but not a full college degree. Alongside the credential, a specific mix of skills is especially relevant. Strong detail orientation supports accurate work. Interpersonal and customer service skills help in working directly with patients and other healthcare staff. Science knowledge underpins understanding of procedures and related concepts. Physical strength and stamina, along with fine motor skills, are important for the hands-on nature of the work. Adaptability and leadership can be valuable as responsibilities or work environments change. Skills in project management and computers and information technology support organizing tasks and working with digital systems. Taken together, the education requirement and skill profile indicate a career that blends technical training with people skills, organization, and comfort with technology.
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