Job Overview

• The job of a phlebotomist is to collect and test blood samples in hospitals and health clinics. Phlebotomists use medical equipment such as tourniquets and needles to draw blood from patients, and keep detailed records of patients and samples. A college degree is usually not required for individuals who wish to become phlebotomists. Many hospitals provide classroom and clinical training directly to people in this profession, and issue training certificates to qualified phlebotomists.
  
  

Typical Salary

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) classifies phlebotomists as "clinical laboratory technicians" and tracks salaries for this occupation. According to the American Society of Clinical Pathology as reported by the BLS, the national median pay for all U.S. phlebotomists varied between $12.50 and $13.00 per hour, depending on the sector of employment as of 2007. Within the state of Indiana, the median salary for a clinical laboratory technician was $37,090 per year. Factors such as location, education and experience can affect the actual salary earned by a technician. Phlebotomists who are new to the profession usually earn less than technicians who have more experience.
  
  

Salary Variations

• Phlebotomists earn different salaries depending on the geographic location within Indiana. In Indianapolis, the median hourly wage for a clinical laboratory technician was $16.95 per hour as of 2007. This amount dropped to a median wage of $14.77 in Lafayette, however. Technicians in Bloomington earned a median income of $15.82 hourly.
  
  

Career Outlook

• The BLS reports that employment and salaries for phlebotomists and all other medical technicians are expected to increase significantly in the foreseeable future. Specifically, employment is projected to grow by 14 percent between 2008 and 2018. This expansion is driven by an increase in the use of laboratory blood testing. The aging population of the United States is also expected to cause the use of health clinics and hospitals to increase.