$Who Earns What

How much does a blood draw technician make?

US Phlebotomists

Answer: A typical blood draw technician in the United States makes $45,230 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$45,230

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 144,000 people work in this job. About the same as the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$35,780
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$45,230
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$58,780
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

51 of 100
more than half

Blood draw technician pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Blood draw technician pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$35,780$45,230$58,780about 144,000
States where blood draw technicians earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
California$56,040about 14,000
New York$50,530about 6,000
Massachusetts$50,170about 3,000
Oregon$49,160about 2,000
Washington$48,880about 3,000

Why does pay differ?

In the US, earnings can differ with experience, certification, workplace, and location. BLS data show pay varies by work setting; hospital and lab jobs may include nights, weekends, or holidays, so hours and shifts can change total earnings.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$45,230
California$56,040
New York$50,530
Massachusetts$50,170
Oregon$49,160
Washington$48,880
Alabama$37,220
Mississippi$36,290
Louisiana$36,120

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a blood draw technician do?

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's a typical day like?

They greet patients, check each person's identity, explain the draw, and collect blood. Then they label tubes, record details, clean equipment, and send samples for testing; some also collect urine.

How to get this job

Most US phlebotomists complete a certificate course after high school, usually in under a year; some employers train high-school graduates. Certification is often preferred, and state licensing rules vary.

Vocational school or a few years' experience (preparation level 3 of 5)

Good for people who like building and doing and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

In US labs, blood samples can look alike, so phlebotomists carefully check whose blood it is and label each tube to keep samples from getting mixed up.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY