Salaries are relatively high for phlebotomists in Philadelphia.
When you need blood drawn for health screening, a phlebotomist is likely to do the work. Phlebotomists also are on the scene if you decide to donate blood. Phlebotomists have the training to collect blood quickly, safely and painlessly. The state of Pennsylvania does not require formal education or professional certification for these health care workers, but job listings indicate that some Pennsylvania employers do have these requirements. The average salary of a phlebotomist in Pennsylvania varies by location.
Comparisons
Salaries for phlebotomy technicians are generally lower in western Pennsylvania than in the eastern side, as illustrated by data at Salary.com. Phlebotomists in Sharon were earning a median annual salary of $27,348 as of February 2011, in Altoona $27,666, in Pittsburgh $28,315 and in Erie $28,398. In contrast, the median annual salary in Lancaster was $28,710, in Harrisburg $28,995, in Bethlehem $29,119 and in Reading, $29,701. The median salary in Reading was closest to the nationwide median salary for phlebotomy techs, at $29,407. The median salary for phlebotomists was significantly higher in Philadelphia, at $31,400 per year.
Salary Range
The middle 50 percent of phlebotomists in this grouping of Pennsylvania cities were earning $24,620 to $34,772 per year as of February 2011. The nationwide middle 50 percent was a bit higher, at $26,473 to $32,564, but all the Pennsylvania cities in this grouping were still ranked in the national middle 50 percent. The top 10 percent of phlebotomists in Philadelphia were earning at least $37,841 per year, higher than the top 10 percent nationwide at a minimum of $35,438.
Job Openings
The job search website Simply Hired listed over 200 job openings for phlebotomists throughout Pennsylvania in March 2011. Positions were available with the American Red Cross, a children's hospital, general hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, medical centers and a private correctional health care organization. Full-time and part-time positions were available, as well as unusual schedules such as 4 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Some require rotating shifts, and some are on a per diem, or as-needed, basis. Some Pennsylvania phlebotomist jobs require traveling to different facilities, such as nursing homes and outpatient clinics, and transporting the specimens to a lab or medical facility. The job listings generally do not provide salary information, although one employer offered a $1,000 sign-on bonus.
Qualifications
Some employers in the Simply Hired job listings were looking for someone to work as a phlebotomist as well as an administrative assistant, clerk or medical assistant. A high school diploma or equivalent is the standard requirement for entry-level phlebotomists, and some employers prefer applicants who have certification in cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. Many Pennsylvania employers want candidates with professional certification as a phlebotomist from the American Society for Clinical Pathology.
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