Phlebotomist Salary by Metro Area: Top 25 Cities 2026
State averages mask significant city-to-city variation. San Jose phlebotomists earn $60,840/yr, while San Antonio averages $40,340/yr. Here are the 25 largest metro areas ranked by phlebotomist salary.
Highest-Paying Metro Areas
Full 25-Metro Salary Table
| Metro Area | Annual Mean | Hourly Mean | Employment | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,840 | $29.25 | 620 | +39.3% |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA | $59,210 | $28.47 | 1,940 | +35.6% |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $53,480 | $25.71 | 7,830 | +22.5% |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $52,970 | $25.47 | 1,820 | +21.3% |
| Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | $52,640 | $25.31 | 2,410 | +20.6% |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $52,120 | $25.06 | 5,680 | +19.4% |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $51,280 | $24.65 | 2,350 | +17.5% |
| Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown, CT | $50,830 | $24.44 | 610 | +16.4% |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $49,860 | $23.97 | 1,120 | +14.2% |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $49,540 | $23.82 | 890 | +13.5% |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $49,120 | $23.62 | 1,430 | +12.5% |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $48,720 | $23.42 | 1,850 | +11.6% |
| Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO | $48,310 | $23.23 | 1,340 | +10.7% |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $47,650 | $22.91 | 3,490 | +9.1% |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $46,890 | $22.54 | 2,680 | +7.4% |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $46,540 | $22.38 | 1,210 | +6.6% |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $44,320 | $21.31 | 1,650 | +1.5% |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL | $43,680 | $21.00 | 2,740 | +0.0% |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, GA | $43,210 | $20.77 | 2,180 | -1.0% |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $42,890 | $20.62 | 1,860 | -1.8% |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $42,560 | $20.46 | 2,910 | -2.5% |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $42,280 | $20.33 | 2,730 | -3.2% |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $41,520 | $19.96 | 1,340 | -4.9% |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $40,980 | $19.70 | 1,190 | -6.1% |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $40,340 | $19.39 | 920 | -7.6% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. MSA-level data for SOC 31-9097.
Best Value Metros for Phlebotomists
The highest-paying metros are not always the best value. When cost of living is factored in, some metros with above-average pay and below-average living costs offer the strongest real purchasing power for phlebotomists.
How to Use Metro Area Data
For Job Searches
Metro-level data is more accurate than state averages for setting salary expectations. If you are applying to jobs in a specific city, use the metro figure rather than the state average. For cities not listed, interpolate between the nearest metros shown.
For Salary Negotiations
Reference metro-level BLS data in salary negotiations. "The BLS reports the average phlebotomist in [metro area] earns $X per year" is a strong data point. Employers respect BLS-sourced figures because they come from employer-reported wage surveys.