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What is Phlebotomy?

Phlebotomy is used to withdraw blood for testing, donation, sampling or research. Individuals working in this field will be responsible for extracting small quantities of blood from a variety of patients on a daily basis. As blood can be hazardous, individuals are trained to follow safety precaution and perform the procedure with as little invasiveness as possible. Additionally, an understanding of human physiology is required, allowing the phlebotomist to find arteries or veins that will most easily allow drawing of blood on a case by case basis.

Phlebotomy Technicians must be accurate, personable, and be able to work under pressure.  Being a great communicator is an important skill to ensure information is understood and relayed to appropriate parties accordingly.  Phlebotomy Techs must also maintain strict confidence to protect patient privacy and utilize discretion and diplomacy at all times.

Career Summary

MEDIAN SALARY

$33,750

PERCENT ABOVE NATIONAL
INCOME AVERAGE

-9.86%

TOTAL SECTOR EMPLOYMENT

120,970

Degree Median Salary vs Adjacent Degree Types

Source: BLS, US Census, and IPEDS

2024 Best Phlebotomy Training

While the need for health care continues to grow, so does the need for professional phlebotomists, and that is the reason why St. Luke’s College offers a Certificate in Phlebotomy. In this program, students are taught how to play the role of a phlebotomist: collecting and transporting patient’s specimens for laboratory analysis. They will be trained so that they can function properly as they assist physicians and nurses by focusing on data entry, specimen processing and blood collection. The program is designed to impart to students the phlebotomy theory, principles and techniques through classroom lectures and supervised clinical performance at UnityPoint Health at St. Luke’s as well as in other health care facilities in the area. 

Acceptance Rate

29.03

Student to Faculty Ratio

6:1

At Career Training Solutions you can become a Certified Phlebotomy Technician in as little as three months. Their Phlebotomy Technician degree program trains students to draw blood samples from patients in a clinical laboratory or public health setting. To that end, their students are able to produce quality results at the same time gain the trust and confidence of their patients. Students are guaranteed to receive hands-on training in capillary draws, non-blood specimens, venipuncture, and heel sticks. 

Acceptance Rate

63.89

Tuition

$31,479 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

5:1

Laurel Business institute offers a 15-week Phlebotomy Technician course. They help students become prepared for their field with hours of practice and certifications required in entering this career field. This program can also be a stepping-stone to other careers in health care such as medical laboratory technician or medical assisting. The Phlebotomy Training Classes that they offer are all comprehensive and give emphasis on a “hands-on” method. 

Acceptance Rate

91.45

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

The Phlebotomy degree program at Laurel Technical Institute consists of 80 hours of classroom instruction and 100 hours of a clinical internship. This also includes CPR training and certification. During the Phlebotomy Technician Program, students can expect to learn many skills like Anatomy and Physiology, Venipuncture, Centrifuging and processing, CPR and first aid, and Phlebotomy just to name a few. Just like what you might already know, Phlebotomy can be a stepping-stone to other careers in health care such as Medical Clinical Assisting, a field that is currently in high demand since it offers a healthy mix of administrative and clinical skill under the direction of a physician. 

Acceptance Rate

91.86

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

The College of Health Professions at Davenport University is offering a Medical Assisting with a Phlebotomy degree program.  They make sure that each student who chooses to take one of their Health Professions Degree Program will be able to demonstrate the Davenport University excellence System. They will be able to utilize appropriate written and verbal communication skills. They teach their students how to synthesize managerial, clinical and technology skills needed to analyze, evaluate, assess, and apply health care situations. 

Acceptance Rate

81.93

Student to Faculty Ratio

15:1

ECPI University is currently offering a Phlebotomy Technician major. This is designed to present to students a detailed knowledge of how to collect blood and other body fluid specimens that are used in urinalysis, stool guaiac, and throat cultures, and it will also teach students how to prepare samples for testing in a lab. Students can expect to receive an overview of the physiology and anatomy of the various systems which require specimen collection, processing and handling of specimens as well as laboratory operations. Through the use of practical skills, demonstration and hands-on learning, their students are able to learn effectively. 

Acceptance Rate

73.81

Student to Faculty Ratio

11:1

In as little as nine months, Central Penn College can help you work in the healthcare field through their Phlebotomy Technician program. This 18-credit Phlebotomy Technician certificate program is devoted in preparing students for this high-demand career. Completion of this program can lead the way in becoming a Certified Phlebotomy Technician. This program will teach students how to perform blood collection, conduct CLIA-waived laboratory tests and verify patient identity. 

Acceptance Rate

84.34

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

Arkansas Tech University is offering a certificate in Phlebotomy. They have received authorization from the Arkansas Higher Education Coordinating Board to offer this Certificate of Proficiency Program immediately. In this program, students should complete 15 credit hours to earn this credential. This program is created and designed to lead into more advanced credentials through Arkansas tech university. 

Acceptance Rate

94.74

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University is offering a Certificate in Phlebotomy. This program is designed to prepare students for employment in agencies where there is a demand to obtain blood specimens for laboratory examinations. This is a 13-week certificate program that consists of 80 classroom hours and 120 clinical hours. Students who complete the program will be eligible to sit for the National phlebotomy Certification exam. 

Acceptance Rate

56.68

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

University of Alaska Anchorage offers a Phlebotomy degree that is tailored to prepare students to seek work as a Phlebotomist. This program can be completed in two semesters of part-time enrollment and a distance-delivered option is available, contingent on approved clinical site. Students are guaranteed to develop skills in obtaining blood and other samples for laboratory testing. They will learn how to establish professional relationships with patients, collect and prepare specimens and perform record keeping duties. 

Acceptance Rate

82.96

Student to Faculty Ratio

14:1

A Phlebotomy Certificate program is currently offered at Mayo Medical School. They are known to offer the best approved training to become a Phlebotomist. Students here learn how to collect samples from patients and prepare them for testing. Through this nine-week program, they promise that each of their students will gain the knowledge and skills required to work in an outpatient clinic setting as well as in an inpatient setting. 

Acceptance Rate

29.52

Student to Faculty Ratio

8:1

Los Angeles ORT College – Los Angeles Campus is offering an AAS in Medical office Management Degree program. This is designed to help students who desire to work in a medical setting meet the needs of their dream job. This program will provide the skills required to work in the front or back office of healthcare institutions, clinics, medical offices, or health maintenance organizations. Students here acquire computer skills and applications, medical billing, medical records, medical terminology and clinical skills. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$23,700 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

A high area demand for trained phlebotomists is the reason why Washburn Institute of Technology created a Certificate Program in Phlebotomy. Completion of this one-semester, 11 credit-hour program will make one eligible to sit for the credentialing exam offered by the American Medical Technologist organization. This new program is designed to provide trained workforce to the medical community and replaces the current apprenticeship model of phlebotomy training. Since on-the-job training demands a significant amount of time and resources from the hiring agency which leads to a higher turnover, this new model required training to take place prior to employment. 

Acceptance Rate

50.35

Student to Faculty Ratio

17:1

Healthcare Career College offers a 6-week Phlebotomy Technician Program. Their goal is to help their students become eligible to obtain a State License as a Phlebotomy Technician to draw blood in medical labs or hospitals or work independently for life and medical insurance companies. This is very useful because being a qualified Phlebotomy Technician will permit you to expand your medical services and open up additional employment opportunities. That is why Phlebotomy training is surely an excellent way to expand one’s marketable healthcare skills at the same time improve employment opportunities without spending months in school. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$15,079 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Lex La – Ray Technical Center is committed to educating students in the skills, knowledge and attitudes that they need in order to build a successful career. To that end they offer a Phlebotomy Technician degree program featuring skilled and caring instructors and state-of-the-art equipment. This program splits into two parts. Part 1 is where students spend more than 80 hours in a traditional classroom and laboratory setting while Part 2 is requiring at least 100 hours of clinical experience and a minimum of 100 successful draws. 

Acceptance Rate

56.25

Tuition

$13,782 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

3:1

The Phlebotomy Tech degree program at Central Coast College is an ACCET accredited program.  A phlebotomist is a medical professional that draws blood from patients and is often seen as the face of the clinic.  The drawn blood is used for medical testing and provides a healthcare team an objective baseline of patient health.  Upon completion of the CCC phlebotomy program, students will be equipped to take the requisite examination to become a certified phlebotomist in the state.       

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$15,550 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

19:1

Washington – Holmes Technical Center now called Florida Panhandle Technical College is offering a Phlebotomy Program. They train students to become a qualified Phlebotomist by teaching them the proper way of drawing blood from patients in preparation for medical testing. Students here are taught how to work directly with patients and be capable to calm them. They instill in their students the significance of safety and that it is the key in preventing the transmission of infectious diseases. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$3,890 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Albany State University is offering a Phlebotomy Certificate Program. In this program, students are trained to be effective as they work directly with patients. They will learn how to perform collecting of blood samples from patients to be used for laboratory testing. They help their students become accurate all the time, communicate effectively and work well under pressure. 

Acceptance Rate

65.68

Student to Faculty Ratio

18:1

Manatee Technical Institute offers a blended face to face and online degree in Phlebotomy. Students in this program are required to attend a face-to-face class and complete assignments online. It is designed to provide knowledge and skills in capillary and venous specimen collection, perform routine diagnostic hematology tests, and handling specimens to OSHA regulations. Students who completed this course will be eligible to sit for the National Healthcare Phlebotomy Technician Certification. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$4,332 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education is offering a phlebotomy and specimen processing training through their Phlebotomy Technician course. This is designed to prepare students to work as a healthcare technician with specialization in phlebotomy and lab specimen processing.  So, students can expect to receive training in drawing blood and preparing it for lab testing as well as processing specimens for lab testing. Instructors in this program utilize hands-on training approach in all of these areas. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$32,250 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

12:1

At Madison Adult Career Center's Phlebotomy Program, students can prepare for certification while obtaining professional skills. They complete over 200 venipunctures, urinalysis/cultures, nasal swabs/cultures, capillary sticks, and blood cultures. Madison guarantees to provide a supportive learning environment. Their students gain valuable experience as they complete an 80-hour externship through local healthcare facilities. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$6,300 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

9:1

A top rated Phlebotomy degree is offered at Lorenzo Walker Institute of Technology. This provides hands-on experiences in the classroom lab. Students gain expertise in phlebotomy procedures as well as in specimen collection and processing. Graduates of this program can demonstrate communication, interpersonal and professional skills. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$5,242 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

Suwannee – Hamilton Technical Center is offering a Medical Administrative Specialist program. This provides a sequence of courses which gives coherent and rigorous content that is aligned with relevant technical knowledge and challenging academic standards. It is also designed to develop the skills needed to prepare for further education and careers as a front desk specialist, medical administrative specialist, medical technology specialist, and information technology assistant. Students can also expect to acquire technical skill proficiency. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$3,379 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

7:1

Warren County Career Center has made the list in our study this year for a top ranked Certified Phlebotomy Tech academic program.  The 170-hour program offers students a comprehensive academic pathway to learn the essential elements of phlebotomist, A&P, quality control, medical terminology, blood collection, confidentiality, and blood transport.  In addition to the essential academic elements, students will have hands-on requirements to complete prior to completion of the certificate.  Specifically, each student must have at least twenty-five dermal punctures and forty venipunctures.  

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$1,475 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

10:1

Angeles College is currently offering a Phlebotomy Technician degree. They are striving to be the center of academic excellence that is why they provide this educational program that is learner-centered, engaging, success-oriented and technologically responsive to a rapidly changing student population. They put earnest efforts in improving human health and welfare. They do this by educating students to provide managerial, educational and clinical services. 

Acceptance Rate

-

Tuition

$28,459 / year

Student to Faculty Ratio

20:1

College Requirements and Phlebotomist Certifications

A phlebotomy program can take between six months and two years to complete depending on the program and level of education required by the state for licensing/certification. An education in phlebotomy will teach students how blood flows through the body and which areas are best and least suited for drawing blood. Students will become acquainted with the various methods and tools used during the process, and how to maintain safety standards while conducting the procedure.

Certification in phlebotomy may also obtained by other healthcare professionals, such as medical assistants, who wish to increase the responsibilities and duties they may perform as part of their daily work routine. Certification courses are generally short, between six weeks and three months depending on the program, allowing the student to perform phlebotomy related duties upon completion. Some programs are offered through hospitals and given at a low cost to hospital employees while others are taken at career schools or community colleges with allied healthcare facilities.

Throughout the course of study phlebotomists will learn to:

  • Draw blood from patients and donors
  • Analyze patient information and communicate recommendations
  • Interview patients, testing blood samples and assessing vital signs
  • Properly store and label blood inventory
  • Assemble necessary medical equipment and tools (cotton, sterilization pads, blood vials, needles, tourniquet)
  • Accurately record patient information
  • Identify veins and arteries

What Do Phlebotomy Students Learn?

While classes in Phlebotomy Technology will vary from school to school, there are a core set of skills needed to succeed in the field. The list below represents the classes with the most overlap between colleges with practical, real-world classes coupled with an externship to help students link their academic work to field applications in a medical or clinical setting. The list of common classes for a phlebotomy student include:

  • CPR
  • First-Aid
  • Anatomy & Physiology
  • Medical Terminology
  • Laboratory Science
  • Phlebotomy
  • Externship

Is an Accredited Phlebotomy Program Important?

Aligning yourself with a nationally or regionally accredited college offering phlebotomy programs will serve you best.  An accredited college, trade school, vocational college, technical institute, or university has been put through the paces and their program scrutinized.  Having an independent, third-party audit a school’s program inside and out, will provide you and future employers the peace of mind knowing a set of rigorous standards have been met.  Accredited colleges and universities are known for quality degree and certification programs with a set of defined systems and processes to ensure a high level of quality can be repeated for all students.

Schools Other Students Requested Information From:

Employment Opportunities & Phlebotomy Licensure

Those seeking a career in phlebotomy should be able to find work easily as it is a rapidly growing field with more jobs available than actual phlebotomists. This is due to the nature of phlebotomy, and that some allied health professions include phlebotomy as part of their coursework. The demand for individuals with the skills necessary to perform phlebotomy related tasks is expected to rise as the population gets older and the need for blood to be drawn and tested increases.

An associate's degree or program certification along with internship hours are typically required and vary by state. State boards of occupational licensing and one's school of choice should be able to provide a student with state registration or licensing requirements. Phlebotomy programs are either accredited by the National Accrediting Agency of Clinical Laboratory Sciences or the American Society for Clinical Pathology.

Where to Phlebotomy Technicians Work?

A phlebotomy technician is needed in a variety of medical settings across various industries.  As such, you can find a phlebotomy tech in virtually any medical setting from a doctor’s office, diagnostic laboratories, home health agencies, medical labs, ambulatory health care organizations, research clinics, hospitals, blood banks, outpatient care centers, community health organizations, emergency rooms, urgent care centers, state government agencies, and federal government agencies.

Common Job Titles for a Phlebotomist

In an effort to help students better understand the medical industry that envelopes phlebotomist techs, we have assembled a list of common job titles you may see during your tenure.  Job titles and roles may vary slightly from region to region and from one medical institution to another but the core of the phlebotomy tech position will be quite similar.  Common job titles for a phlebotomy tech include:

  • Lab Assistant
  • Patient Service Technician PST
  • Phlebotomist
  • Phlebotomist Supervisor/Instructor
  • Phlebotomist, Medical Lab Assistant
  • Phlebotomy Director
  • Phlebotomy Program Coordinator
  • Phlebotomy Supervisor
  • Registered Phlebotomist
  • Blood Drawer
  • Patient Care Technician
  • Patient Care Aide
Top Job Responsibilities of a Phlebotomy Technician

In a recent survey performed by the Department of Labor, a large sample of phlebotomy technicians were asked about their daily activities.  Those wishing to pursue a career in phlebotomy must have/be able to:

  • Steady Hands
  • Good Hand-Eye Coordination
  • Perform Repetitive Actions
  • Stand on Their Feet for Long Periods

As phlebotomy requires the drawing of blood through a puncture made by a needle, individuals who are squeamish or prone to fainting may not be the best candidates for phlebotomy training. Additionally, because blood is being drawn and cataloged, certain safety precautions must be maintained at all times. Standard safety precautions are part of a phlebotomy curriculum, though clinics and hospitals may have their own additional regulations that must be adapted to and followed.

As such, we have gathered a list of the top 5 job responsibilities of a phlebotomy tech below:

  1. Prudently dispose of contaminated sharps per standards of practice and internal policies
  2. Acutely draw blood from veins by syringe, vacuum tube, or butterfly venipuncture methods
  3. Properly dispose of biohazard fluids and blood in accordance with applicable laws, guidelines, standards, or internal company policies
  4. Precisely match laboratory requisition forms to specimen tubes
  5. Draw blood from capillaries by dermal puncture, using common methods such as heel or finger stick.

Job Growth & Career Outlook

The median income for a phlebotomist is $32,710 per year with a projected growth rate of 25% according to the BLS. This rate of growth is nearly 4 times the national average expected job growth and is estimated to add 28,100 jobs for phlebotomist in the coming decade. With such rapid growth, jobs from coast to coast will be more readily available than sectors of employment with fewer opportunities.

States with the Highest Employment for Phlebotomists

  • California 12,610
  • Texas 9,210
  • Florida 7,570
  • New York 6,550
  • North Carolina 5,670

Top Paying States for a Phlebotomists

  1. California $41,360
  2. Alaska $40,670
  3. District of Columbia $40,600
  4. Rhode Island $39,160
  5. Connecticut $39,110

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