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Phlebotomists

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure Bright Outlook

What they 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.

Kinds of work

  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $45,230 Median per year · $21.75/hr Most earn $35,780–$58,780

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Confirm the identities of patients by verifying their personal information.
  • Draw blood from veins by vacuum tube, syringe, or butterfly venipuncture methods.
  • Enter patient, specimen, insurance, or billing information into computer.
  • Determine donor suitability, according to interview results, vital signs, and medical history.
  • Draw blood from arteries, using arterial collection techniques.
  • Transport specimens or fluid samples from collection sites to laboratories.

Job outlook

Bright Outlook Rapid Growth

United States
7% more jobs by 2035, faster than average · about 18,000 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • General medical and surgical hospitals34.6%
  • Medical and diagnostic laboratories33.1%
  • All other ambulatory healthcare services16.2%
  • Offices of physicians8.7%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 6 months to 1 year

Phlebotomy is one of the more accessible healthcare jobs. Most people start with a high school diploma or GED, then finish a short phlebotomy certificate or apprenticeship and can go straight into the job. Expect about 6 months to 1 year of training and related experience before you're working as a phlebotomist.

  1. High school diploma or GED

    4 years (high school)

    Take science and math classes such as biology and health to build the base you need for medical training courses.

  2. Phlebotomy certificate or apprenticeship

    6 months to 1 year

    Learn blood draw techniques, safety rules, infection control, and how to label and handle samples, usually with supervised practice on real patients.

  3. Phlebotomist

    Ongoing

    Draw blood for tests, transfusions, donations, or research, explain procedures to patients, and help patients who have reactions.

Where it can lead

  1. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technician

    1-3 years of experience first

    You move from collecting samples to running tests in the lab, which usually takes a certificate or associate degree and hands-on lab experience.

  2. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologist

    Several years in the lab of experience first

    You take on more complex testing, analysis, and quality checks, and this role usually requires a bachelor's degree in a lab science.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology and health science classesThese give you a foundation in how the body works and how labs and medical procedures fit together.
  • Get a customer service jobA part-time job at a store or restaurant helps you practice calm, friendly communication, which matters when someone is nervous about a needle.
  • Volunteer at a hospital, clinic, or nursing homeSeeing healthcare work up close shows you whether you like working with patients and gives you a reference for later jobs.
  • Learn basic first aid and CPRMany schools and community groups offer these courses, and they prepare you for emergencies around patients.

In college

  • Take anatomy, physiology, and microbiologyThese courses cover the body systems and infection control that phlebotomy training builds on.
  • Look for a healthcare campus job or volunteer roleWorking in a campus health center or blood drive helps you gain experience handling patients and supplies.
  • Join a pre-health or healthcare student clubClubs connect you with people in medicine and often share info about training programs and job openings.
  • Look into a phlebotomy certificate programA short certificate can prepare you for the job right away, and you can fit it around classes or a part-time job.

Tips for getting started

  • Ask a local hospital, clinic, or blood donation center whether they offer phlebotomy training or hire trainees. Working in a clinical setting shows employers you are ready.
  • Build strong people skills. Phlebotomists work with nervous patients every day, so practice explaining things calmly and clearly.
  • Check that any program you consider prepares you for a recognized certification exam, since many employers ask for one.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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