Phlebotomy Salary by State (and Other Factors)
By: Shelby Gruber | October 2026
Two phlebotomists can spend their shifts doing nearly identical work: confirming who the patient is, drawing blood, and matching each tube to the right lab order. However, one is in California and the other in Louisiana, and their typical earnings are about $20,000 apart. In May 2025, California's median annual salary was $56,040, compared with $36,120 in Louisiana.
Nationally, phlebotomists earned a median annual salary of $45,230 a year, or $21.75 an hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). So, if you’re thinking about a career in phlebotomy, where you live (or plan to live) is worth considering.
But geography is only part of the picture. Your workplace, experience, and local area also affect your earnings.
How much do phlebotomists make?
That $45,230 figure is a median — meaning half of phlebotomists earned more and half earned less. Unlike an average, the median isn't as easily affected by unusually high or low salaries, making it a useful measure of typical earnings.
BLS tracks phlebotomists as a separate occupation (code 31-9097), so these figures don't include medical assistants or other workers who may also draw blood.
Here's how phlebotomist wages varied in May 2025, based on O*NET’s national wage table:
- Lowest-paid 10%: less than $35,780
- Middle 50%: $38,190 to $48,930
- Highest-paid 10%: more than $58,780
The top 10% is simply the highest-earning group in the survey. It doesn't mean you'll earn that much after several years. These figures also don’t include overtime or shift differentials, so that extra pay isn't reflected in the numbers.
Phlebotomy salary by state
Find your state below and compare it with the $45,230 national median. Twenty-four states and D.C. came in above that mark, while 26 fell below it.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), via O*NET OnLine. Figures are median wages and are not adjusted for cost of living.
Montana, Maine, Nevada, and Connecticut were each less than $600 above the national median.
States with the highest phlebotomy pay
California stands well apart, with a median about $4,000 higher than the District of Columbia’s. After that, the medians bunch together:
- California: $56,040
- District of Columbia: $51,980
- New York: $50,530
- Massachusetts: $50,170
- Oregon: $49,160
- Washington: $48,880
New York and Massachusetts are only $360 apart, and Oregon edges out Washington by $280. Two of these states, California and Washington, also have their own rules for phlebotomists.
Where you work affects pay
Hospitals, laboratories, and outpatient care centers don't all pay the same. BLS reports medians for several work settings, and the difference between the highest and lowest is about $8,100.
| Work setting |
Median annual wage (May 2025) |
Share of phlebotomist jobs (2025) |
| Outpatient care centers |
$48,030
|
2%
|
| Medical and diagnostic laboratories |
$46,670
|
33%
|
| Offices of physicians |
$44,500
|
9%
|
| Hospitals |
$44,220
|
36%
|
| All other ambulatory healthcare services |
$39,930
|
16%
|
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Hospitals include state, local and private facilities.
Outpatient care centers have the highest median among the work settings listed, but only about 2% of phlebotomists work there. Hospitals and labs employ far more, accounting for nearly seven in 10 phlebotomy jobs combined. Between those two, labs had the higher median: $46,670, compared with $44,220 at hospitals.
Does your state regulate phlebotomy?
Before you choose a school, find out what your state expects. California, Washington, Nevada, and Louisiana have specific requirements or exemptions worth knowing about: