Phlebotomists Salary
The median pay for a phlebotomists in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC is $47,690/year ($22.93/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $56K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.57), that's roughly $48,878 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,711/month, about 51.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Durham-Chapel Hill?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Durham-Chapel Hill’s Regional Price Parity (97.57). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Durham-Chapel Hill
Phlebotomists pay in Durham-Chapel Hill tracks closely to the national median, $48K locally vs. $45K nationwide, a 5% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,711/month, which is 53.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.57) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for phlebotomists in metros near Durham-Chapel Hill, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $45K | $46K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $46K | $47K |
| Winston-Salem | $45K | $49K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $45K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
Entry-level phlebotomists (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $56K or more, a $18K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Durham-Chapel Hill numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare Support
Frequently asked questions
Can a phlebotomist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Durham-Chapel Hill?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 53.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,711/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for phlebotomists in Durham-Chapel Hill?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new phlebotomists typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,290/month. At HUD’s $1,711/month FMR, rent would take 75% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $48K locally vs. $45K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Durham-Chapel Hill compare to the national average for phlebotomists?
Durham-Chapel Hill pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $45K — that’s +5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do phlebotomists make in Durham-Chapel Hill, NC?
The median is $47,690 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,170, and experienced phlebotomists can clear $56,010. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Durham-Chapel Hill?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,184/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,711/month, which eats 53.7% 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 Durham-Chapel Hill?
Durham-Chapel Hill has a Regional Price Parity of 97.57 (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 $48,878 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.