Phlebotomists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Phlebotomists in the United States earn a median salary of $45,230 per year — about $22 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 140K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of the job is a highly tactile, physical procedure (venipuncture) performed on human patients in unpredictable clinical settings, which is resistant to AI automation. While AI can assist with peripheral tasks like data entry, sample tracking, and scheduling, the primary value of the role lies in manual dexterity and providing interpersonal emotional support to anxious patients.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redding, CABEST VALUE | $59,320 | Average (100.7) | $58,917 |
| Chico, CA | $59,100 | Average (101.2) | $58,401 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $62,350 | Above avg (107.8) | $57,847 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $60,290 | Above avg (108.8) | $55,415 |
| Vallejo, CA | $59,920 | Above avg (108.5) | $55,236 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,600 | Above avg (110.4) | $54,880 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $59,800 | Above avg (109.9) | $54,415 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $53,500 | Average (98.4) | $54,397 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $47,040 | Below avg (86.7) | $54,279 |
| Decatur, IL | $47,720 | Below avg (88.4) | $53,968 |
| Napa, CA | $59,840 | Above avg (112.6) | $53,166 |
| Bismarck, ND | $47,990 | Below avg (91.0) | $52,722 |
| Springfield, MA | $50,240 | Below avg (96.1) | $52,300 |
| Topeka, KS | $46,370 | Below avg (88.8) | $52,207 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $47,430 | Below avg (90.9) | $52,195 |