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Phlebotomy Schools

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Medical technology continues to advance, and as a result, people are living longer. There are several careers to provide for the concurrent rise in demand for medical services. Among these professions is phlebotomy, or the medical science of puncturing a vein to draw blood or introduce fluids.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2022) predicts that there will be a 10 percent jump in this career between 2021 and 2031, much higher than the average projected increase for all occupations (5 percent). These medical technicians serve an invaluable function to society by drawing blood from patients for transfusions, donations, research, and various types of medical assessments.

There are various phlebotomy schools to prepare candidates for their certification exams and a rewarding job in this medical field. To work effectively, these professionals must be uniquely trained in not only the technical aspects of the occupation but in communicating with patients and medical staff as well.

Phlebotomy schools offer programs for these aspiring professionals, which typically take less than one year to complete. The phlebotomy classes can vary in length depending on the electives offered, the state where the program is completed, and the accrediting body. Community colleges, technical schools, or vocational schools offer many programs. These postsecondary programs normally involve both classroom and laboratory portions, with courses such as anatomy, physiology, and medical terminology. Completing a supervised externship in a medical setting is also common.

Several organizations offer certifications for phlebotomy technicians, which are covered below. Candidates generally need to complete an accredited program from a phlebotomy school and have some clinical experience (e.g., externship) as well. After completing these prerequisites, individuals may be qualified to take a certification exam. These tests normally involve a written portion and a practical component to demonstrate the candidate’s efficacy at drawing blood.

Phlebotomist fast facts
Projected Jobs Created13,900
Projected Job Growth10%
Average Salary$37,380
Low Salary$28,990
Median Salary$37,380
High Salary$48,490
Entry-Level EDU Certification
Source: BLS 2022

Accredited Phlebotomy Degree & Certificate Programs

There is a range of phlebotomy schools that can help get a candidate prepared for certification and a career in this growing field. These programs are generally offered through community colleges and technical schools, but there are other options as well. While there are no programs that can be taken exclusively online due to the necessity of a lab component, a number of phlebotomy schools offer flexible options for their students where many of the courses can be taken remotely.

Finally, most phlebotomy schools have a few requirements for interested candidates. Prospective students typically must have the following:

  • High school diploma or GED
  • CPR certification
  • Immunizations

It’s important to check the varied requirements of phlebotomy schools prior to completing the application.

O*NET offers a tool to help individuals find programs within their state.

Here is a sampling of accredited programs taken from the three states with the highest employment levels in this occupation: California, Texas, and Florida.

California Phlebotomy Programs

According to the BLS (May 2022), California has the highest level of employment for phlebotomists at 13,870. This is one of four states that requires its phlebotomists to have a special state certification before practicing the profession.

Long Beach City College

The Long Beach City College, a public two-year institution, offers a phlebotomy technician certificate of achievement as part of their medical assisting associate’s degree. It generally takes two academic years to complete.

In California, Certified Phlebotomy Technician 1 (CPT 1) is the official job title for these professionals. This program is approved by the state and involves two courses in addition to a clinical portion. The first course, AH220, is a hands-on class involving the drawing of blood from a practice mannequin and later from one’s classmates. It teaches safe procedures for the withdrawal, usage, and disposal of blood. The final course, AH220AD, offers students the opportunity to use their new blood-drawing skills under the supervision of licensed phlebotomists and clinical laboratory scientists.

Students are required to spend at least 50 hours in a supervised medical center before completing the program.

  • Location: Long Beach, CA
  • Duration: 24 months
  • Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
  • Tuition: Contact the college for details

Texas Phlebotomy Programs

Texas has the second-highest number of phlebotomists at 13,150.

Lone Star College

Lone Star College offers a hybrid phlebotomist certificate preparing students for the national phlebotomy exam which is required by the National Healthcare Association. Comprising 144 clock hours, this certificate program also prepares students for 1 of 2 national exams at the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) or National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).

  • Location: Kingwood, TX; Conroe, TX; Cypress, TX; Houston, TX; Tomball, TX
  • Duration: One year
  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Tuition: $96 per credit (residents); $257 per credit (non-residents)

Florida Phlebotomy Programs

Florida ranks third in the employment of phlebotomists at 8,510.

Eastern Florida State College

Eastern Florida State College, a public four-year institution, has a 16-week program for phlebotomy technicians. The first six weeks involve a “minimester” course with a lab, and the program finishes with a ten-week supervised hospital externship involving 105 hours of clinical experience. After completing this program, students can take one of the national certification exams.

In order to gain admittance, students must be at least 18 years old. The program requires 165 clock-hours.

  • Location: Cocoa, FL
  • Duration: 16 weeks
  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Tuition: $1,480.41 total

Other Phlebotomy Programs of Note

Bucks County Community College

Bucks County Community College, a public two-year school, prepares students for the range of employment responsibilities including drawing blood and processing the specimens.

Students in this program will be prepared to work as phlebotomists at several health care settings such as commercial laboratories, medical clinics, hospitals, and other settings where blood is collected from patients. The program also includes an externship that offers students 120 hours of practice in a clinical off-site facility. During this externship, students will be required to perform 100 successful unaided blood draws.

Comprising 17 credits, the program includes courses in medical terminology; basic human anatomy; medical law and ethics; and phlebotomy procedures and techniques. Following the completion of the phlebotomy classes and externship, students are eligible to sit for the certification exam.

  • Location: Newtown, PA
  • Duration: 15 weeks
  • Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
  • Tuition: $165 per credit (Buck County residents); $330 per credit (out-of-county residents); $495 (out-of-state residents)

Columbus State Community College

Columbus State Community College’s phlebotomy certificate program is a NAACLS approved program that offers two courses to teach blood collection, handling procedures, and basic equipment usage. Additionally, these classes teach students about safety, medical ethics, and professional standards. Students will also be exposed to a clinical experience where students will complete 100 clinical hours and 100 venipunctures.

Graduates of this 9-credit program will be eligible to take the certification exam through the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

  • Location: Columbus, OH
  • Duration: Two semesters
  • Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Tuition: $172.93 per credit); $353.70 (non-residents)

In sum, most phlebotomy schools offer one-year programs comprising two courses. These combine both theoretical and clinical aspects of drawing blood. They traditionally involve both coursework and an externship where the students can practice their techniques on mannequins and finally live subjects, normally their classmates, in order to prepare them for the certification exams.

SELECT * FROM `mts_online_offline_data` WHERE `page_url` = '/phlebotomist' AND ( `table_type` = 'Offline' OR `table_type` = 'BOTH (Online + Offline)' ) ORDER BY `grads` DESC

List of Phlebotomist Schools

Filter by state :
School City State Website grads (2021)
Contra Costa Medical Career College Antioch California https://www.ccmcc.edu 306
Northwest Career College Las Vegas Nevada https://www.northwestcareercollege.edu 291
Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis Indiana https://www.ivytech.edu 217
Midwest Technical Institute-Illinois Springfield Illinois https://www.midwesttech.edu 158
Bates Technical College Tacoma Washington https://www.batestech.edu 116
Pima Medical Institute-Phoenix Phoenix Arizona https://pmi.edu 116
Bell-Brown Medical Institute Florissant Missouri https://bbmi.edu 106
Davis Technical College Kaysville Utah https://www.davistech.edu 99
Mountainland Technical College Lehi Utah https://mtec.edu 90
Front Range Community College Westminster Colorado https://www.frontrange.edu 89
Healthcare Career College Paramount California https://healthcarecareercollege.edu 87
MTI College Sacramento California https://mticollege.edu 85
Pima Medical Institute-Renton Renton Washington https://pmi.edu 82
Cuesta College San Luis Obispo California https://www.cuesta.edu 78
GateWay Community College-Central City Phoenix Arizona https://www.gatewaycc.edu/about-gateway/central-city 72
Pima Medical Institute-East Valley Mesa Arizona https://pmi.edu 72
City Colleges of Chicago-Malcolm X College Chicago Illinois https://www.ccc.edu/colleges/malcolm-x 67
Louisiana Delta Community College Monroe Louisiana https://www.ladelta.edu 66
Erwin Technical College Tampa Florida https://www.hillsboroughschools.org/erwin 65
Miami Dade College Miami Florida https://www.mdc.edu 65
Las Vegas College Las Vegas Nevada https://lvcollege.edu 64
Riverside County Office of Education-School of Career Education Riverside California https://riversidesce.org 64
Southeastern College-Charlotte Charlotte North Carolina https://www.sec.edu 64
Arkansas State University-Newport Newport Arkansas https://www.asun.edu 63
Clovis Community College Clovis New Mexico https://www.clovis.edu 62
American Institute of Medical Sciences & Education Piscataway New Jersey https://aimseducation.edu 61
Southern Crescent Technical College Griffin Georgia https://www.sctech.edu 61
Orange Technical College-Winter Park Campus Winter Park Florida https://www.orangetechcollege.net/campuses/east_campus 60
Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and Science Rochester Minnesota https://college.mayo.edu 57
Regional Center for Border Health Somerton Arizona https://www.rcbh.edu/index.html 53
Madison Area Technical College Madison Wisconsin https://madisoncollege.edu 51
Bridgerland Technical College Logan Utah https://btech.edu 50
High Desert Medical College Lancaster California https://hdmc.edu 49
National Career Education Citrus Heights California https://nce.edu 49
Eastern Arizona College Thatcher Arizona https://www.eac.edu 47
Osceola Technical College Kissimmee Florida https://www.osceolaschools.net/otech 45
Central New Mexico Community College Albuquerque New Mexico https://www.cnm.edu 43
Lansing Community College Lansing Michigan https://www.lcc.edu 43
Weatherford College Weatherford Texas https://www.wc.edu 43
Pima Medical Institute-Houston Houston Texas https://pmi.edu 42
Dixie Technical College Saint George Utah https://dixietech.edu 41
Lively Technical College Tallahassee Florida https://www.livelytech.com 41
Pima Medical Institute-San Antonio San Antonio Texas https://pmi.edu 41
Brookline College-Phoenix Phoenix Arizona https://www.brooklinecollege.edu 40
Southwestern Illinois College Belleville Illinois https://www.swic.edu 40
Community College of Rhode Island Warwick Rhode Island https://www.ccri.edu 39
Pima Medical Institute-Tucson Tucson Arizona https://pmi.edu 39
Allied Health Careers Institute Murfreesboro Tennessee https://ahci.edu 38
Lanier Technical College Gainesville Georgia https://www.laniertech.edu 38
Sheridan Technical College Hollywood Florida https://www.sheridantechnicalcollege.edu 38
Tennessee College of Applied Technology-Elizabethton Elizabethton Tennessee https://tcatelizabethton.edu 38
Daytona State College Daytona Beach Florida https://www.daytonastate.edu 37
Moraine Valley Community College Palos Hills Illinois https://www.morainevalley.edu 37
Black River Technical College Pocahontas Arkansas https://blackrivertech.edu 36
Pima Medical Institute-San Marcos San Marcos California https://pmi.edu 36
Washburn Institute of Technology Topeka Kansas https://www.washburntech.edu 36
Academy of Allied Health Careers Chattanooga Tennessee https://aahctn.edu 35
Coastal Pines Technical College Waycross Georgia https://coastalpines.edu 35
Clark College Vancouver Washington https://www.clark.edu 34
Community College of Allegheny County Pittsburgh Pennsylvania https://www.ccac.edu 34
Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway South Carolina https://www.hgtc.edu 34
Lorenzo Walker Technical College Naples Florida https://www.collierschools.com/lwtc 34
Rio Grande Valley College Pharr Texas https://www.rgvcollege.edu 34
Vista Adult School Vista California https://www.vistaadultschool.org 34
Academy of Careers and Technology Beckley West Virginia https://www.wvact.net 33
Northeastern Technical College Cheraw South Carolina http://netc.edu 33
Wiregrass Georgia Technical College Valdosta Georgia https://www.wiregrass.edu 33
Butler Technology and Career Development Schools Monroe Ohio https://www.butlertech.org 32
College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas Nevada https://www.csn.edu 32
Edmonds College Lynnwood Washington https://www.edmonds.edu 32
Emily Griffith Technical College Denver Colorado https://www.emilygriffith.edu 32
Southeast Arkansas College Pine Bluff Arkansas https://www.seark.edu 32
Central Georgia Technical College Warner Robins Georgia https://www.centralgatech.edu 31
Emerald Coast Technical College DeFuniak Springs Florida https://www.ectc.edu 31
Monroe 2 Orleans BOCES-Center for Workforce Development Rochester New York https://www.monroe2boces.org/cwd.aspx 31
Community College of Aurora Aurora Colorado https://ccaurora.edu 30
Yakima Valley College Yakima Washington https://www.yvcc.edu 30
Apollo Career Center Lima Ohio https://www.apollocareercenter.com/adult-education 29
Marion Technical College Ocala Florida https://mariontc.edu 29
Midwest Technical Institute-Missouri Springfield Missouri https://www.midwesttech.edu 29
Florida Gateway College Lake City Florida https://www.fgc.edu 28
Wake Technical Community College Raleigh North Carolina https://www.waketech.edu 28
Central Coast College Salinas California https://centralcoastcollege.edu 27
Clover Park Technical College Lakewood Washington https://www.cptc.edu 27
Institute for Business and Technology Santa Clara California https://ibt.edu 27
Kankakee Community College Kankakee Illinois https://www.kcc.edu 27
Phoenix College Phoenix Arizona https://www.phoenixcollege.edu 27
Red Rocks Community College Lakewood Colorado https://www.rrcc.edu 27
De Anza College Cupertino California https://www.deanza.edu 26
Edison State Community College Piqua Ohio https://www.edisonohio.edu 26
Northcentral Technical College Wausau Wisconsin https://www.ntc.edu 26
Pikes Peak Community College Colorado Springs Colorado https://www.pikespeak.edu 26
Bucks County Community College Newtown Pennsylvania https://www.bucks.edu 25
Des Moines Area Community College Ankeny Iowa https://www.dmacc.edu 25
Mohave Community College Kingman Arizona https://www.mohave.edu 25
Dixie State University Saint George Utah https://utahtech.edu 24
Erie 1 BOCES West Seneca New York https://www.e1b.org 24
Lake Technical College Eustis Florida https://www.laketech.org 24
Walla Walla Community College Walla Walla Washington https://www.wwcc.edu 24
Waubonsee Community College Sugar Grove Illinois https://www.waubonsee.edu 24
William Rainey Harper College Palatine Illinois https://www.harpercollege.edu 24
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College Asheville North Carolina https://abtech.edu 23
Cleveland Community College Shelby North Carolina https://clevelandcc.edu 23
Dutchess Community College Poughkeepsie New York https://www.sunydutchess.edu 23
Lake Superior College Duluth Minnesota https://www.lsc.edu 23
Aims Community College Greeley Colorado https://www.aims.edu 22
Pensacola State College Pensacola Florida https://www.pensacolastate.edu 22
South Florida State College Avon Park Florida https://www.southflorida.edu 22
Southeastern Community College Whiteville North Carolina https://www.sccnc.edu 22
West Georgia Technical College Waco Georgia https://www.westgatech.edu 22
Cuyahoga Community College District Cleveland Ohio https://www.tri-c.edu 21
Eastern Florida State College Cocoa Florida https://www.easternflorida.edu 21
Fortis Institute-Forty Fort Forty Fort Pennsylvania https://www.fortisinstitute.edu 21
Infinity College Lafayette Louisiana https://infinitycollege.edu 21
South Arkansas Community College El Dorado Arkansas https://www.southark.edu 21
Arkansas State University-Mountain Home Mountain Home Arkansas https://asumh.edu 20
Belmont College St Clairsville Ohio https://belmontcollege.edu 20
Ben Franklin Career Center Charleston West Virginia https://gcc.kana.k12.wv.us 20
Laurel Technical Institute Hermitage Pennsylvania https://www.laurel.edu 20
Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont West Virginia https://www.pierpont.edu 20
Renton Technical College Renton Washington https://www.rtc.edu 20
Sinclair Community College Dayton Ohio https://www.sinclair.edu 20
Treasure Coast Technical College Vero Beach Florida https://tctc.indianriverschools.org 20
Western Dakota Technical College Rapid City South Dakota https://www.wdt.edu 20
Arkansas State University Mid-South West Memphis Arkansas https://www.asumidsouth.edu 19
Bakersfield College Bakersfield California https://www.bakersfieldcollege.edu 19
Butte County Regional Occupational Program Chico California https://cte.bcoe.org 19
Indian River State College Fort Pierce Florida https://irsc.edu 19
Saint Paul College Saint Paul Minnesota https://www.saintpaul.edu 19
Southern University at Shreveport Shreveport Louisiana https://www.susla.edu 19
Southwest Technical College Cedar City Utah https://stech.edu 19
Westmoreland County Community College Youngwood Pennsylvania https://westmoreland.edu 19
Yavapai College Prescott Arizona https://www.yc.edu 19
Athena Career Academy Toledo Ohio https://www.athenacareers.edu 18
Gaston College Dallas North Carolina https://www.gaston.edu 18
Lindsey Hopkins Technical College Miami Florida https://www.lindseyhopkins.edu 18
Pickaway Ross Joint Vocational School District Chillicothe Ohio https://www.pickawayross.com 18
Pima Medical Institute-El Paso El Paso Texas https://pmi.edu 18
Tooele Technical College Tooele Utah https://tooeletech.edu 18
Universal Healthcare Careers College Los Angeles California https://uhcc.edu 18
Waukesha County Technical College Pewaukee Wisconsin https://www.wctc.edu 18
Brookline College-Tucson Tucson Arizona https://www.brooklinecollege.edu 17
College of Lake County Grayslake Illinois https://www.clcillinois.edu 17
Greater Altoona Career & Technology Center Altoona Pennsylvania https://www.gactc.edu 17
Healthcare Training Institute Kenner Louisiana http://healthcaretraininginstitutenola.net 17
Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby Illinois https://www.ivcc.edu 17
Laurel Business Institute Uniontown Pennsylvania https://www.laurel.edu 17
Mid-State Technical College Wisconsin Rapids Wisconsin https://www.mstc.edu 17
South Dade Technical College-South Dade Skills Center Campus HOMESTEAD Florida https://www.southdadetech.edu 17
Arkansas Northeastern College Blytheville Arkansas https://www.anc.edu 16
Coffeyville Community College Coffeyville Kansas https://www.coffeyville.edu 16
Middlesex Community College Bedford Massachusetts https://www.middlesex.mass.edu 16
Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee Wisconsin https://www.matc.edu 16
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena Arkansas https://www.pccua.edu 16
Southeast Technical College Sioux Falls South Dakota https://www.southeasttech.edu 16
Warren County Career Center Lebanon Ohio https://www.mywccc.org 16
Western Nevada College Carson City Nevada https://wnc.edu 16
Brown & Clermont Adult Career Campuses Bethel Ohio https://www.grantcareer.com 15
Delgado Community College New Orleans Louisiana https://www.dcc.edu 15
Empire College Santa Rosa California https://empcol.edu 15
Florida Panhandle Technical College Chipley Florida https://www.fptc.edu 15
Miller-Motte College-McCann-Allentown Allentown Pennsylvania https://www.mccann.edu 15
Richland Community College Decatur Illinois https://www.richland.edu 15
Schoolcraft College Livonia Michigan https://www.schoolcraft.edu 15
Southeastern College-West Palm Beach West Palm Beach Florida https://www.sec.edu 15
Washington County Career Center-Adult Technical Training Marietta Ohio https://www.thecareercenter.net 15
Alaska Career College Anchorage Alaska https://www.alaskacareercollege.edu 14
Athens Technical College Athens Georgia https://www.athenstech.edu 14
Cape Cod Community College West Barnstable Massachusetts https://www.capecod.edu 14
Central Penn College Summerdale Pennsylvania https://www.centralpenn.edu 14
Columbus Technical College Columbus Georgia https://www.columbustech.edu 14
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University Baton Rouge Louisiana https://franu.edu 14
Hagerstown Community College Hagerstown Maryland https://www.hagerstowncc.edu 14
Northeast Technology Center Pryor Oklahoma https://www.netech.edu 14
Atlanta Technical College Atlanta Georgia https://atlantatech.edu 13
Best Care College East Orange New Jersey https://www.bestcarecollege.edu 13
Cabrillo College Aptos California https://www.cabrillo.edu 13
Columbus State Community College Columbus Ohio https://www.cscc.edu 13
Fletcher Technical Community College Schriever Louisiana https://www.fletcher.edu 13
Minnesota State College Southeast Winona Minnesota https://www.southeastmn.edu 13
New Mexico State University-Alamogordo Alamogordo New Mexico https://alamogordo.nmsu.edu 13
Quinsigamond Community College Worcester Massachusetts https://www.qcc.edu 13
Riveroak Technical College Live Oak Florida https://rtc.suwannee.k12.fl.us 13
Central Ohio Technical College Newark Ohio https://www.cotc.edu 12
Everett Community College Everett Washington https://www.everettcc.edu 12
Halifax Community College Weldon North Carolina https://www.halifaxcc.edu 12
Kennebec Valley Community College Fairfield Maine https://www.kvcc.me.edu 12
Montgomery County Community College Blue Bell Pennsylvania https://www.mc3.edu 12
Pontotoc Technology Center Ada Oklahoma https://www.pontotoctech.edu 12
Rend Lake College Ina Illinois https://www.rlc.edu 12
Casper College Casper Wyoming https://www.caspercollege.edu 11
Colorado Mountain College Glenwood Springs Colorado https://coloradomtn.edu 11
Georgia Northwestern Technical College Rome Georgia https://www.gntc.edu 11
Madison Adult Career Center Mansfield Ohio https://www.mlsd.net/adultcareercenter_home.aspx 11
Massasoit Community College Brockton Massachusetts https://massasoit.edu 11
Oakton Community College Des Plaines Illinois https://www.oakton.edu 11
Southeast New Mexico College Carlsbad New Mexico https://senmc.edu 11
University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello Arkansas https://www.uamont.edu 11
Central Lakes College-Brainerd Brainerd Minnesota https://www.clcmn.edu 10
Columbia Basin College Pasco Washington https://www.columbiabasin.edu 10
High Plains Technology Center Woodward Oklahoma https://www.hptc.edu 10
Lakeland Community College Kirtland Ohio https://www.lakelandcc.edu 10
Manhattan Area Technical College Manhattan Kansas https://manhattantech.edu 10
Pasco-Hernando State College New Port Richey Florida https://www.phsc.edu 10
Pike County Joint Vocational School District Piketon Ohio https://www.pikectc.org 10
Pueblo Community College Pueblo Colorado https://pueblocc.edu 10
SUNY Broome Community College Binghamton New York https://www.sunybroome.edu 10
Monroe County Community College Monroe Michigan https://www.monroeccc.edu 9
Pioneer Career and Technology Center Shelby Ohio https://www.pctc.k12.oh.us 9
South Georgia Technical College Americus Georgia https://www.southgatech.edu 9
Williamsburg Technical College Kingstree South Carolina https://www.wiltech.edu 9
Arkansas Tech University Russellville Arkansas https://www.atu.edu 8
Barton County Community College Great Bend Kansas https://www.bartonccc.edu 8
Centralia College Centralia Washington https://www.centralia.edu 8
Cuyahoga Valley Career Center Brecksville Ohio https://cvccworks.edu 8
Flagler Technical College Palm Coast Florida https://www.flaglertech.edu 8
Frontier Community College Fairfield Illinois https://iecc.edu/fcc 8
Heartland Community College Normal Illinois https://www.heartland.edu 8
Hutchinson Community College Hutchinson Kansas https://www.hutchcc.edu 8
Lamar State College-Orange Orange Texas https://www.lsco.edu 8
McLennan Community College Waco Texas https://www.mclennan.edu 8
National Polytechnic College Lakewood California https://npcollege.edu 8
North Seattle College Seattle Washington https://www.northseattle.edu 8
Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls Minnesota https://www.northlandcollege.edu 8
Northwest State Community College Archbold Ohio https://northweststate.edu 8
Nunez Community College Chalmette Louisiana https://www.nunez.edu 8
Pima Community College Tucson Arizona https://www.pima.edu 8
Quinebaug Valley Community College Danielson Connecticut https://qvcc.edu 8
Rock Valley College Rockford Illinois https://www.rockvalleycollege.edu 8
St Luke's College Sioux City Iowa https://www.stlukescollege.edu 8
University of New Mexico-Valencia County Campus Los Lunas New Mexico https://valencia.unm.edu 8
Agape College of Business and Science Fresno California https://www.acbscollege.org 7
Alexandria Technical & Community College Alexandria Minnesota https://www.alextech.edu 7
Asnuntuck Community College Enfield Connecticut https://asnuntuck.edu 7
Big Bend Technical College Perry Florida https://www.bbtc.edu 7
Central Texas College Killeen Texas https://www.ctcd.edu 7
Glen Oaks Community College Centreville Michigan https://www.glenoaks.edu 7
Indian Hills Community College Ottumwa Iowa https://www.indianhills.edu 7
Lorain County Joint Vocational School District Oberlin Ohio https://www.lcjvs.com/careerdevelopmentprograms 7
Manchester Community College Manchester New Hampshire https://www.mccnh.edu 7
Nicolet Area Technical College Rhinelander Wisconsin https://www.nicoletcollege.edu 7
Southern Regional Technical College Thomasville Georgia https://southernregional.edu 7
Wayne County Community College District Detroit Michigan https://www.wcccd.edu 7
Bellevue College Bellevue Washington https://www.bellevuecollege.edu 6
Community College of Denver Denver Colorado https://www.ccd.edu 6
Knox County Career Center Mount Vernon Ohio https://www.knoxtechnicalcenter.com 6
Massachusetts Bay Community College Wellesley Hills Massachusetts https://www.massbay.edu 6
North Central Michigan College Petoskey Michigan https://www.ncmich.edu 6
Oakland Community College Bloomfield Hills Michigan https://www.oaklandcc.edu 6
Ridgewater College Willmar Minnesota https://ridgewater.edu 6
San Juan College Farmington New Mexico https://www.sanjuancollege.edu 6
South Central College North Mankato Minnesota https://southcentral.edu 6
South Suburban College South Holland Illinois https://www.ssc.edu 6
Blackhawk Technical College Janesville Wisconsin https://www.blackhawk.edu 5
Delta Technical College-Mississippi Horn Lake Mississippi https://www.deltatechnicalcollege.com 5
Elgin Community College Elgin Illinois https://www.elgin.edu 5
Goodwin University East Hartford Connecticut https://www.goodwin.edu 5
Laurel Technical Institute MEADVILLE Pennsylvania https://www.laurel.edu 5
Polytech Adult Education Woodside Delaware https://polytechworks.com 5
River Valley Community College Claremont New Hampshire https://www.rivervalley.edu 5
Spoon River College Canton Illinois https://www.src.edu 5
Turtle Mountain Community College Belcourt North Dakota https://www.tm.edu 5
EHOVE Career Center Milan Ohio https://www.ehove.net 4
Lake Michigan College Benton Harbor Michigan https://www.lakemichigancollege.edu 4
Manatee Technical College Bradenton Florida https://www.manateetech.edu 4
Minnesota State Community and Technical College Fergus Falls Minnesota https://www.minnesota.edu 4
Minnesota West Community and Technical College Granite Falls Minnesota https://www.mnwest.edu 4
Polaris Career Center Middleburg Heights Ohio https://www.polaris.edu 4
Quincy College Quincy Massachusetts https://www.quincycollege.edu 4
Southwestern Community College Sylva North Carolina https://www.southwesterncc.edu 4
Long Beach City College Long Beach California https://www.lbcc.edu 3
Midwestern Career College Chicago Illinois https://mccollege.edu 3
Miles Community College Miles City Montana https://www.milescc.edu 3
Neosho County Community College Chanute Kansas https://www.neosho.edu 3
North Georgia Technical College Clarkesville Georgia https://northgatech.edu 3
Piedmont Technical College Greenwood South Carolina https://www.ptc.edu 3
Santa Fe Community College Santa Fe New Mexico https://www.sfcc.edu 3
University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain Mena Arkansas https://www.uarichmountain.edu 3
Georgia Piedmont Technical College Clarkston Georgia https://www.gptc.edu 2
Joliet Junior College Joliet Illinois https://jjc.edu 2
Lorain County Community College Elyria Ohio https://www.lorainccc.edu 2
North Central State College Mansfield Ohio https://ncstatecollege.edu 2
Otero Junior College La Junta Colorado https://www.otero.edu 2
Riverland Community College Austin Minnesota https://www.riverland.edu 2
Seward County Community College Liberal Kansas https://sccc.edu 2
Southern State Community College Hillsboro Ohio https://www.sscc.edu 2
Sullivan University Louisville Kentucky https://www.sullivan.edu 2
Texas Healthtech Institute Beaumont Texas https://www.txinstitute.edu 2
University of Alaska Anchorage Anchorage Alaska https://www.uaa.alaska.edu 2
Washington County Community College Calais Maine https://www.wccc.me.edu 2
Albany Technical College Albany Georgia https://www.albanytech.edu 1
Green River College Auburn Washington https://www.greenriver.edu 1
Illinois Central College East Peoria Illinois https://icc.edu 1
North Arkansas College Harrison Arkansas https://www.northark.edu 1
Olney Central College Olney Illinois https://iecc.edu/occ 1
Saddleback College Mission Viejo California https://www.saddleback.edu 1
Stark State College North Canton Ohio https://www.starkstate.edu 1
2020-2021 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in September, 2023)

Hybrid & Online Phlebotomy Programs

Phlebotomy schools offer a number of options for students seeking flexibility in their course schedules. Although programs require students’ presence during the clinical, laboratory, or externship portions of their programs, some schools offer the opportunity to complete their coursework remotely.

Alvin Community College

Finally, at Alvin Community College (ACC), applicants must meet the following criteria prior to admission: have a high school diploma or GED; pass a criminal background check; complete the online application; show proof of specific immunizations and submit a completed health form documenting a physical examination; and have valid CPR certification.

This one-semester program also has a hybrid format with online classes and hands-on lab experience. There are a number of skills that are taught in this phlebotomy school including capillary skin punctures, specimen collection at different ages, patient identification, specimen labeling, ethics, and medical terminology. Most of the assignments and tests at ACC can be completed from home.

  • Location: Alvin, TX
  • Duration: One semester
  • Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
  • Tuition: $306 per credit (residents); $355 per credit (non-residents)

CLIMB Program at Portland Community College

For example, the CLIMB Program at Portland Community College (Oregon) offers a hybrid format combining 40 hours of clinical experience with five hours of self-directed study. This format can be ideal for people with families, full-time jobs, or other time-constraining circumstances.

The practical instruction involves training in venipuncture, specimen collection, and blood-borne pathogens. This program may be especially useful for those with some experience in a medical environment who are looking for more clinical experience and didactic training in venipuncture, skin punctures (e.g., finger sticks, heel sticks, etc.), and point of care testing.

Please note, however, that some experience in a medical facility is necessary for this program, which calls for 100+ supervised blood draws. This is part of the crucial training for the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Phlebotomy Technician National Registry Examination administered by the Board of Certification (BOC).

  • Location: Portland, OR
  • Duration: 45 hours
  • Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
  • Tuition: $128 per credit (residents); $268 per credit (non-residents)

South Central College of Minnesota

Also, the South Central College of Minnesota provides a hybrid phlebotomy program. It offers a significant portion of the technical instruction online which can be completed before the laboratory work. Candidates for certification must work for at least one year as technicians in an accredited laboratory prior to taking the ASCP exam. This work must be at least 35 hours weekly involving both venipuncture and microtechniques.

Consisting of 16 credits, the program includes courses such as introduction to phlebotomy; phlebotomy skills; phlebotomy internship; medical terminology; and interpersonal communication.

  • Location: Faribault, MN
  • Duration: One year
  • Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
  • Tuition: $237.03 per credit
School City State Website grads (2021)
American National University Salem Virginia https://www.an.edu/locations 42
Santa Fe College Gainesville Florida https://www.sfcollege.edu 27
Bossier Parish Community College Bossier City Louisiana https://www.bpcc.edu 16
Ultimate Medical Academy Clearwater Florida https://www.ultimatemedical.edu 10
Montgomery Community College Troy North Carolina https://www.montgomery.edu 3
2020-2021 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in September, 2023)

Phlebotomy Curriculum - Core & Elective Courses

Phlebotomy schools have an array of formats, but most follow a familiar pattern. A majority of programs comprise a one-year (or less) curriculum to prepare students for the following responsibilities:

  • Draw blood from hospital patients or blood donors
  • Assist people through the process
  • Identify patients
  • Label specimens correctly
  • Enter samples into the organizational database
  • Clean and maintain laboratory equipment (e.g., test tubes, needles, vials, etc.)

Here are some of the most common phlebotomy classes in accredited programs:

  • CPR and first aid (note: some programs require CPR certification prior to acceptance)
  • Anatomy and physiology
  • Phlebotomy (e.g., venipuncture, centrifuging and processing, etc.)
  • Urinalysis
  • Study skills
  • Medical terminology
  • Introduction to laboratory practices
  • Communication
  • Blood and cell composition
  • Blood sampling procedures
  • Medical law and bioethics
  • Diseases of the human body

These courses are generally completed in addition to clinical supervision or externship training.

Additionally, there are a number of online resources that can serve as refresher courses in phlebotomy practices. The University of Utah, for example, offers an online review of venipuncture and specimen handling procedures.

It should be noted that phlebotomy can be a stepping stone for careers in medical technology, medical assistance, and other related professions. Depending on one’s professional ambitions, it’s essential to check the program and course offerings at institutions prior to enrolling.

Phlebotomy Program Accreditation

Oftentimes, programs can be accredited by multiple overlapping bodies since there are a variety of regional, subject-specific, and distance-education accreditations.

The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) is one qualified organization that provides phlebotomy schools with accreditation. The process typically takes into account the curriculum, the faculty, and other standards of evaluation. A comprehensive list of the NAACLS criteria can be found on their website.

Before applying to a phlebotomy school, it’s important that students take into consideration the standards of their state. In California, for example, a special state certification is necessary in order to practice phlebotomy. There is a list of accredited phlebotomy programs provided on the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) website.

Career Outlook

Phlebotomists work mainly in hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, blood donor centers, and doctor’s offices.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2022) projects that the phlebotomy profession will grow 10 percent between 2021 and 2031, much faster than the average increase expected for all occupations (5 percent). That amounts to a projected 13,900 new jobs in the same decade.

There have been several reasons proposed for this increase in demand, including an aging population, an expansion of access to healthcare with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the improvement of preventative care and medical monitoring.

The BLS (May 2022) reports the following annual salary data for phlebotomists:

United States
Number of phlebotomists employed 137,090
Annual mean wage $40,580
10th percentile $30,250
25th percentile $35,020
50th percentile (median) $38,530
75th percentile $45,280
90th percentile $51,610
Career Facts Phlebotomist
Related CareersDental Assistant, Medical Assistant, Medical Lab Technician
Common Job TitlesPhlebotomist, Phlebotomy Technician
Technology & EquipmentAnatomical Human Mannequins, Blood Bank Refrigerators, Blood Collection Needle, Capillary Or Hematocrit Tubes, Non-Vacuum Blood Collection Tubes Or Containers, Phlebotomy Trays Or Accessories, Specimen Tube Holders, Unopette Equipment, Volumtric Pipettes, Medical Software (E.G., Donor Management System [Dms] Software, Latric Systems Mobilab Software, Meditech Blood Bank, Etc.), Spreadsheet And Word-Processing Software
Source: BLS 2022

Phlebotomy Licensing & Certification

As mentioned above, there are four states which require phlebotomists to be state-certified: California, Louisiana, Nevada, and Washington.

In California, for example, there are only six approved agencies for state licensing and certification:

  • American Certification Agency (ACA)
  • American Medical Technologists (AMT)
  • American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)
  • National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT/MMCI)
  • National Credentialing Agency for Clinical Laboratory Service (NCACLS)
  • National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Other states tend to have less strict criteria and accept certification from numerous national certification organizations. In order to ensure practice across a number of states, applicants can consider applying for licensure and certification through one of the above organizations.

There are various resources online to prepare students for national certification exams. The American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offers a reading list including the following volumes:

  • Garza, D. & Becan-McBride, K. (2018). Phlebotomy Simplified
  • McCall, R.E. (2020). Phlebotomy Essentials, Enhanced Edition
  • McCall, R.E. (2020). Phlebotomy Essentials Exam Review, Enhanced Edition
  • Garza, D. & Becan-McBride, K. (2018). Phlebotomy Handbook: Blood Specimen Collection from Basic to Advanced
  • Phelan, S. (2018). BOC Study Guide: Phlebotomy Certification Examinations
  • Warekois, R.S., Robinson, R., & Primrose, P.B. (2020). Phlebotomy: Worktext and Procedures Manual
Kimmy Gustafson
Kimmy Gustafson Writer

With her passion for uncovering the latest innovations and trends, Kimmy Gustafson has provided valuable insights and has interviewed experts to provide readers with the latest information in the rapidly evolving field of medical technology since 2019. Kimmy has been a freelance writer for more than a decade, writing hundreds of articles on a wide variety of topics such as startups, nonprofits, healthcare, kiteboarding, the outdoors, and higher education. She is passionate about seeing the world and has traveled to over 27 countries. She holds a bachelor’s degree in journalism from the University of Oregon. When not working she can be found outdoors, parenting, kiteboarding, or cooking.

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