Salary of a Licensed Phlebotomist

Wages

Phlebotomists are part of the Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians employment category, according to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics. Annual wages for all laboratory technicians at all levels of experience, certification, and licensure from across the United States ranged from less than $23,850 to more than $55,210. The middle 50 percent of technicians earned between $28,770 and $28,770 per year with a median annual income of $36,030.

Certification and licensing is optional for phlebotomists in most states, according to the BLS, but many employers prefer to hire phlebotomists who are certified by independent, nongovernmental credentialing organizations such as the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Certification may significantly impact a phlebotomist's income potential. Wages for certified phlebotomists were at least 10 percent higher than wages earned by non-certified phlebotomists as of March 2011, according to the ASCP. The average hourly wage for licensed and certified phebotomists in California were $23.36 while the average hourly wage for phlebotomists in Ohio where licensure in not required was $12.10.

Experience can play a significant role in determining a licensed phlebotomist's income. Staff phlebotomists with an average of 8.69 years earned an average wage of $13.50 per hour, or $28,080 per year, according to the American Society for Clinical Pathology. Phlebotomists in supervisory positions typically had 10.48 years of experience and earned an average wage of $20.08 per hour, or $41,766 per year.

The BLS expects growth in new job opportunities for phlebotomists and other clinical laboratory technicians to increase by 14 percent between 2008 and 2018. Most jobs will be in general medical and surgical hospitals, but private doctors' offices and diagnostic laboratories should also provide a significant source of employment for licensed phlebotomists. Demand for licensed phlebotomists is likely to vary geographically, so those with the ability and willingness to relocate should have the best employment opportunities.