Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between phlebotomists and laboratory assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a phlebotomist, becoming a laboratory assistant takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, a laboratory assistant has an average salary of $34,168, which is higher than the $33,713 average annual salary of a phlebotomist.
The top three skills for a phlebotomist include patients, customer service and blood samples. The most important skills for a laboratory assistant are patients, phlebotomy, and customer service.
| Phlebotomist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $33,713 | $34,168 |
| Hourly rate | $16.21 | $16.43 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 9% |
| Number of jobs | 11,707 | 50,853 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 22% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Phlebotomists are workers in the medical field who specialize in drawing blood from patients. They ensure that patients are prepared by explaining the procedure to them, showing them tools they will use and where their blood will be stored, and answering any questions the patients may have. Phlebotomists then draw blood from the patient, patch up the area where the blood was drawn, and store the blood samples in properly labeled vials or blood bags. After the procedure, they send the blood samples to the laboratory for testing, transfusion, or any other use that there may be.
Laboratory assistants work for researchers, scientists, or professors in the laboratory setting. They are expected to have a solid background in the field of study of the laboratory they are assigned to. They do a variety of tasks in the laboratory, such as setting up equipment, observing experiments, analyzing results, creating reports, and recommending improvements to the testing. They may also be assigned to clean and sanitize laboratory equipment as needed. Laboratory assistants should have good research skills, analytical skills, and organizational skills.
Phlebotomists and laboratory assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Phlebotomist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average salary | $33,713 | $34,168 |
| Salary range | Between $26,000 And $42,000 | Between $26,000 And $44,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | California | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | University of California, Berkeley | UST Global |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Manufacturing |
There are a few differences between a phlebotomist and a laboratory assistant in terms of educational background:
| Phlebotomist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 22% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Medical Assisting Services | Biology |
| Most common college | - | New York University |
Here are the differences between phlebotomists' and laboratory assistants' demographics:
| Phlebotomist | Laboratory Assistant | |
| Average age | 41 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 16.7% Female, 83.3% | Male, 43.6% Female, 56.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 55.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% | Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.0% Asian, 13.9% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |