California phlebotomist pay by percentile
California phlebotomists at the median earn $56,040, and the middle half earn $47,800 to $62,790.[onet_phleb][oews] The state is #1 in the country, and even its 10th percentile ($45,490) is above the national median of $45,230. That floor is unusual among allied health jobs; for medical assistants, California's 10th percentile is close to the national one.
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45,490 | $21.87 | $38,731 |
| 25th | $47,800 | $22.98 | $40,587 |
| Median (50th) | $56,040 | $26.94 | $47,208 |
| 75th | $62,790 | $30.19 | $52,632 |
| 90th | $74,340 | $35.74 | $61,128 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Phlebotomist hourly pay in California
Phlebotomist hourly pay in California is $26.94 at the median, $21.87 at the 10th percentile and $35.74 at the 90th.[onet_phleb] The figures are straight-time pay divided over a 2,080-hour year, so overtime and night differentials come on top.[oews_faq]
Phlebotomist salary by California metro area
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA has the highest phlebotomist median in California at $62,350. Los Angeles is $52,940, San Diego $58,170 and the Riverside-San Bernardino (Inland Empire) area $51,490; El Centro, CA is lowest at $46,910.[onet_phleb]
| Area | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $62,350 | $29.98 | $48,820 | $79,380 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $61,580 | $29.61 | $46,780 | $76,560 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $60,600 | $29.13 | $54,350 | $94,720 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $60,290 | $28.99 | $51,660 | $74,070 |
| Vallejo, CA | $59,920 | $28.81 | $48,100 | $77,230 |
| Napa, CA | $59,840 | $28.77 | $49,670 | $78,760 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $59,800 | $28.75 | $47,670 | $95,820 |
| Redding, CA | $59,320 | $28.52 | $44,560 | $78,050 |
| Chico, CA | $59,100 | $28.41 | $47,370 | $61,620 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $58,900 | $28.32 | $45,610 | $77,910 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $58,700 | $28.22 | $47,350 | $70,430 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $58,170 | $27.97 | $43,730 | $75,360 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $55,740 | $26.80 | $46,140 | $73,480 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $53,770 | $25.85 | $46,800 | $70,220 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $53,560 | $25.75 | $47,190 | $64,420 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $52,940 | $25.45 | $45,490 | $72,150 |
| Salinas, CA | $52,940 | $25.45 | $47,170 | $70,250 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $52,560 | $25.27 | $38,290 | $77,070 |
| Modesto, CA | $51,960 | $24.98 | $47,660 | $74,330 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $51,490 | $24.75 | $45,770 | $71,920 |
| Merced, CA | $51,180 | $24.61 | $45,020 | $72,160 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $50,770 | $24.41 | $46,490 | $76,570 |
| Fresno, CA | $49,570 | $23.83 | $44,220 | $62,200 |
| Visalia, CA | $49,390 | $23.75 | $45,400 | $61,140 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $47,200 | $22.69 | $44,430 | $65,270 |
| El Centro, CA | $46,910 | $22.55 | $43,960 | $61,050 |
California CPT 1 certification
California CPT I certification is required for anyone who is not otherwise licensed to draw blood: since April 9, 2003, such workers must hold a California phlebotomy certificate from the Department of Public Health's Laboratory Field Services.[cdph_faq] The route depends on how much paid phlebotomy experience you already have:[cdph_cpt1]
| Item | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Training, no or under 40 hours of experience | 40 hours of classroom instruction plus 40 hours of practical training, with at least 50 venipunctures, 10 skin punctures and observation of arterial punctures |
| Experience routes | Shorter training for 40–1,039 hours, and a separate route for 1,040 or more hours, of on-the-job phlebotomy in the last 5 years |
| National exam | A CDPH-approved phlebotomy exam: ACA, AMCA, AMT, ASCP, NCCT/MMCI or NHA |
| State application fee | $100, non-refundable |
| Renewal | Annual, with 3 contact hours of continuing education |
The renewal and continuing-education rule is on the CDPH renewal page.[cdph_renew] Washington is the other West Coast state with its own phlebotomy credential, a Medical Assistant–Phlebotomist certification from the Department of Health.[wa_doh_ma] The national exams and their fees, which you need for the California certificate too, are covered on how to become a phlebotomist.
Does California phlebotomy training pay off?
Phlebotomy training is short, so the payback period depends mostly on how much your pay rises. Try your own numbers below: the defaults assume a $3,000 total cost (program, exam and the $100 state fee), three months of training while keeping half of a $38,000 job, and the California 25th percentile as a first salary.
Replace the defaults with your program's published cost and your current pay.
School payback · 2026 tax on the raise
1.0 years after graduation
Break-even about 15 months after the first class · 10-year gain after costs $70,993
| Tuition, fees, books, exams | $3,000 |
|---|---|
| Pay given up while in school | $4,750 |
| Loan interest | $0 |
| Total cost | $7,750 |
| Raise after tax, per year | $7,874 |
After-tax share of the raise: 80.4% (single filer, federal + FICA). Nominal dollars, no discounting.
Estimate, not a pay offer. Arithmetic on your inputs. Raise is taxed with 2026 federal income tax and FICA for a single filer.
National pay by state is ranked on phlebotomist salary, and phlebotomists can be compared with medical assistants and five other careers on the allied health salary overview.
Frequently asked questions
How much do phlebotomists make in California?
$56,040 a year at the California median (BLS, May 2025), the highest state median in the country.
How much do phlebotomists make an hour in California?
$26.94 at the median, from $21.87 at the 10th percentile to $35.74 at the 90th.
Do you need a license to be a phlebotomist in California?
Yes, unless you hold another license that covers blood draws. You need a CDPH phlebotomy certificate (CPT I for most phlebotomists).
How much does the California CPT 1 application cost?
The CDPH application fee is $100 and non-refundable. Training and the national exam fee are separate.
Sources
- Local Wages: 31-9097.00 Phlebotomists (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Phlebotomy Certificate FAQ
- Certified Phlebotomy Technician I (CPT I) requirements
- Personnel License and Certificate Renewal (continuing education)
- Medical Assistant credentialing requirements (including Medical Assistant–Phlebotomist)
- Interest Rates for Federal Direct Loans First Disbursed Between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027 (undergraduate 6.52%)