Phlebotomy Salaries

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One of the biggest worries people have about whether a phlebotomy career is right for them concerns salary. Indeed, many people are under the misconception that phlebotomists are not paid very well. Interestingly enough, however, considering how little time it takes to actually become a phlebotomist, it is actually a surprisingly lucrative career option.

In essence, the salaries of phlebotomists work pretty much the same way as the salaries of other employees do. To wit, if you’re a phlebotomist, you start from the bottom – usually at about $10 per hour -- and work your way up the ladder to about $13 an hour in about five years’ time, depending on your level of experience and where you happen to be located. In that regard, your salary as a phlebotomist will generally be lower if you work at smaller facilities like private practices, and higher if you are employed at larger hospitals with a staff of thousands.

In any event, your annual starting salary is about $25,000, whereas you may end up with a salary as high as $40,000 or more. You can train to be a phlebotomist at a part-time program, by taking courses at a community college or by enrolling in phlebotomy classes at a vocational or trade school. Among the things you will learn in a phlebotomy training course include basic blood drawing, first aid and lessons in human anatomy.

And, since many employers require it, you might also be taught cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It should be noted that traveling phlebotomists who collect samples from one location and deliver them to the laboratory by whom they are employed can earn a significantly higher salary than their more stationary counterparts.

This is largely due to the fact that traveling phlebotomists can work more hours – perhaps as many as 60 or more hours a week. And since the average salary for phlebotomists can range from $11 to $15 per hour, traveling phlebotomists can add a considerable amount to their annual salaries by working a lot of overtime. We’ve already mentioned that greater pay is given to more experienced phlebotomists.

Many phlebotomists who become very comfortable collecting blood samples and performing other laboratory functions often move on to earn associate’s degrees as medical laboratory technicians whose starting salaries can range anywhere from $17.00-$19.00 an hour.

Phlebotomists who are also medical laboratory technicians who work for the state or federal government can expect to earn about $37,000 per year. If you’re a phlebotomy supervisor, the highest level you can possibly attain as a phlebotomist, you can earn anywhere from $39,000-$44,000 annually, particularly if you’re employed by a hospital or some other large institution. Yet greater experience is not the only way to achieve a higher salary grade in the field of phlebotomy, for you could also acquire more skills.

For instance, you might try to get certified as an EKG technician. You might also want to join some management classes or simply take on more responsibilities to increase your pay range. In short, phlebotomy is one of the most lucrative careers in the field of medicine. Not only is the job fun and rewarding, it is also extremely challenging and demanding. And even if you yourself may want something more than simple phlebotomy, it is a great stepping stone to other career possibilities in the medical arena.