Phlebotomists Salary
The median pay for a phlebotomists in Charleston-North Charleston, SC is $39,820/year ($19.15/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $48K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $39,441 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,787/month, about 65.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $40K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). 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 Charleston-North Charleston
Pay for phlebotomists in Charleston-North Charleston runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $45K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,787/month, which is 64.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. 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 Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $39K | $42K |
| Columbia | $40K | $43K |
| Spartanburg | $39K | $43K |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach | $39K | $41K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level phlebotomists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $48K or more, a $11K 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 Charleston-North Charleston?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 64.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/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 Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new phlebotomists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,252/month. At HUD’s $1,787/month FMR, rent would take 79% 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 Charleston-North Charleston?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for phlebotomists?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — below the national median.
How much do phlebotomists make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $39,820 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,540, and experienced phlebotomists can clear $48,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,759/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 64.8% 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 Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median phlebotomists salary is worth about $39,441 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.