Phlebotomists Salary
The median pay for a phlebotomists in Cleveland, OH is $39,750/year ($19.11/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $49K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.92), which stretches that salary to about $42,323 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,279/month, about 47.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $40K actually covers in Cleveland, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cleveland’s Regional Price Parity (93.92). 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 Cleveland
Pay for phlebotomists in Cleveland 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 $1,279/month, which is 45.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.92 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 Cleveland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati | $43K | $45K |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $40K | $43K |
| Columbus | $41K | $43K |
| Toledo | $39K | $43K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cleveland, OH
Entry-level phlebotomists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $40K. Top earners bring in $49K or more, a $10K 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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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a phlebotomist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cleveland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $40K, rent takes 45.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,279/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 Cleveland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new phlebotomists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,705/month. At HUD’s $1,279/month FMR, rent would take 47% 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 Cleveland?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $40K here vs. $45K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cleveland compare to the national average for phlebotomists?
Cleveland pays $40K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.92), the purchasing-power equivalent is $42K — below the national median.
How much do phlebotomists make in Cleveland, OH?
The median is $39,750 a year, that works out to about $19 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,280, and experienced phlebotomists can clear $48,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $40K enough to live in Cleveland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,799/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,279/month, which eats 45.7% 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 Cleveland?
Cleveland has a Regional Price Parity of 93.92 (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 $42,323 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.