Phlebotomists Salary
The median pay for a phlebotomists in Ames, IA is $38,240/year ($18.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.83), which stretches that salary to about $43,049 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,153/month, about 44.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $38K get you in Ames?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ames’s Regional Price Parity (88.83). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About phlebotomists
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What this looks like in Ames
Pay for phlebotomists in Ames runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,153/month, which is 44.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.83 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for phlebotomistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for phlebotomists in metros near Ames, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $38K | $42K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $45K | $50K |
| Cedar Rapids | $37K | $42K |
| Iowa City | $38K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ames, IA
Entry-level phlebotomists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $38K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $8K spread from bottom to top.
Phlebotomists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Phlebotomists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $56K | +24% | 13,520 |
| District of Columbia | $52K | +15% | 180 |
| New York | $51K | +12% | 6,400 |
| Massachusetts | $50K | +11% | 2,580 |
| Oregon | $49K | +9% | 1,800 |
| Washington | $49K | +8% | 2,820 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | +8% | 630 |
| New Jersey | $49K | +8% | 5,230 |
| Delaware | $48K | +6% | 430 |
| Hawaii | $48K | +6% | 110 |
| North Dakota | $47K | +5% | 220 |
| Colorado | $47K | +4% | 2,420 |
| Wisconsin | $46K | +3% | 3,610 |
| Rhode Island | $46K | +3% | 970 |
| Virginia | $46K | +2% | 3,600 |
| Arizona | $46K | +2% | 3,430 |
| Illinois | $46K | +2% | 7,910 |
| Vermont | $46K | +2% | 200 |
| Minnesota | $46K | +2% | 2,090 |
| Alaska | $46K | +1% | 210 |
| Georgia | $46K | +1% | 5,280 |
| Connecticut | $46K | +1% | 1,630 |
| Nevada | $46K | +1% | 1,300 |
| Maine | $46K | +1% | 500 |
| Montana | $45K | +1% | 370 |
| Pennsylvania | $44K | -3% | 5,510 |
| Maryland | $43K | -4% | 2,040 |
| Idaho | $43K | -4% | 1,010 |
| North Carolina | $43K | -4% | 5,410 |
| Missouri | $43K | -5% | 1,890 |
| New Mexico | $43K | -5% | 760 |
| Kentucky | $42K | -6% | 2,500 |
| Utah | $41K | -10% | 1,680 |
| Texas | $40K | -11% | 12,820 |
| Florida | $40K | -11% | 10,220 |
| Michigan | $40K | -12% | 3,540 |
| Ohio | $40K | -12% | 5,120 |
| South Dakota | $40K | -13% | 320 |
| Nebraska | $40K | -13% | 920 |
| Indiana | $39K | -13% | 2,410 |
| West Virginia | $39K | -13% | 1,530 |
| Kansas | $39K | -14% | 1,120 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | -14% | 1,670 |
| South Carolina | $39K | -14% | 2,760 |
| Tennessee | $39K | -15% | 3,520 |
| Iowa | $38K | -15% | 1,100 |
| Wyoming | $38K | -16% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $37K | -17% | 1,100 |
| Alabama | $37K | -18% | 2,350 |
| Mississippi | $36K | -20% | 1,200 |
| Louisiana | $36K | -20% | 3,410 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track phlebotomists salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a phlebotomist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ames?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $38K, rent takes 44.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for phlebotomists in Ames?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new phlebotomists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,253/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 51% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is phlebotomist a high-paying job in Ames?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $38K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ames compare to the national average for phlebotomists?
Ames pays $38K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.83), the purchasing-power equivalent is $43K — below the national median.
How much do phlebotomists make in Ames, IA?
The median is $38,240 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,550, and experienced phlebotomists can clear $45,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $38K enough to live in Ames?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,584/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 44.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a phlebotomists salary go in Ames?
Ames has a Regional Price Parity of 88.83 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median phlebotomists salary is worth about $43,049 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do phlebotomists get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.