Accredited Phlebotomy Schools - Degrees & Certification (2023)

Accredited Phlebotomy Degree & Certificate Programs

There is a range of phlebotomy schools that can help get a candidate prepared for certification and a career in this growing field. These programs are generally offered through community colleges and technical schools, but there are other options as well. While there are no programs that can be taken exclusively online due to the necessity of a lab component, a number of phlebotomy schools offer flexible options for their students where many of the courses can be taken remotely.

Finally, most phlebotomy schools have a few requirements for interested candidates. Prospective students typically must have the following:

• High school diploma or GED
• CPR certification
• Immunizations

It’s important to check the varied requirements of phlebotomy schools prior to completing the application.

O*NET offers a tool to help individuals find programs within their state.

Here is a sampling of accredited programs taken from the five states with the high employment levels in this occupation: California, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio.

California Phlebotomy Programs

According to the BLS (May 2021), California has the highest level of employment for phlebotomists at 12,690. This is one of four states that requires its phlebotomists to have a special state certification before practicing the profession.

Long Beach City College

The Long Beach City College, a public two-year institution, offers a phlebotomy technician certificate of achievement as part of their medical assisting associate’s degree. It generally takes two academic years to complete.

In California, Certified Phlebotomy Technician 1 (CPT 1) is the official job title for these professionals. This program is approved by the state and involves two courses in addition to a clinical portion. The first course, AH220, is a hands-on class involving the drawing of blood from a practice mannequin and later from one’s classmates. It teaches safe procedures for the withdrawal, usage, and disposal of blood. The final course, AH220AD, offers students the opportunity to use their new blood-drawing skills under the supervision of licensed phlebotomists and clinical laboratory scientists.

Students are required to spend at least 50 hours in a supervised medical center before completing the program.

• Location: Long Beach, CA
• Accreditation: Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
• Estimated Tuition: Contact the college for details

Texas Phlebotomy Programs

Texas has the second-highest number of phlebotomists at 12,100.

Lone Star College

Lone Star College offers a hybrid phlebotomist certificate preparing students for the national phlebotomy exam which is required by the National Healthcare Association. Comprising 144 clock hours, this certificate program also prepares students for 1 of 2 national exams at the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) or National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT).

• Location: Kingwood, TX; Conroe, TX; Cypress, TX; Houston, TX; Tomball, TX
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Expected Time to Completion: within a year
• Estimated Tuition: In-district ($90 per credit); out-of-district ($202 per credit); out-of-state ($257 per credit)

Florida Phlebotomy Programs

Florida ranks third in the employment of phlebotomists at 7,840.

Eastern Florida State College

Eastern Florida State College, a public four-year institution, has a 16-week program for phlebotomy technicians. The first six weeks involve a “minimester” course with a lab, and the program finishes with a ten-week supervised hospital externship involving 105 hours of clinical experience. After completing this program, students can take one of the national certification exams.

In order to gain admittance, students must be at least 18 years old. The program requires 165 clock-hours.

• Location: Cocoa, FL
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Expected Time to Completion: 16 weeks
• Estimated Tuition: $2.56 per clock-hour

Other Phlebotomy Programs of Note

Columbus State Community College

Columbus State Community College’s phlebotomy certificate program is a NAACLS approved program that offers two courses to teach blood collection, handling procedures, and basic equipment usage. Additionally, these classes teach students about safety, medical ethics, and professional standards. Students will also be exposed to a clinical experience where students will complete 100 clinical hours and 100 venipunctures.

Graduates of this 9-credit program will be eligible to take the certification exam through the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP).

• Location: Columbus, OH
• Accreditation: The Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Two semesters
• Estimated Tuition: Ohio residents ($167.93 per credit); non-Ohio, U.S. residents ($343.47 per credit)

Bucks County Community College

Bucks County Community College, a public two-year school, prepares students for the range of employment responsibilities including drawing blood and processing the specimens.

Students in this program will be prepared to work as phlebotomists at several health care settings such as commercial laboratories, medical clinics, hospitals, and other settings where blood is collected from patients. The program also includes an externship that offers students 120 hours of practice in a clinical off-site facility. During this externship, students will be required to perform 100 successful unaided blood draws.

Comprising 17 credits, the program includes courses in medical terminology; basic human anatomy; medical law and ethics; and phlebotomy procedures and techniques. Following the completion of the phlebotomy classes and externship, students are eligible to sit for the certification exam.

• Location: Newtown, PA
• Accreditation: Middle States Commission on Higher Education
• Expected Time to Completion: 15 weeks
• Estimated Tuition: Residents of Bucks county ($165 per credit); out-of-county residents ($330 per credit); out-of-state residents ($495 per credit)

In sum, most phlebotomy schools offer one-year programs comprising two courses. These combine both theoretical and clinical aspects of drawing blood. They traditionally involve both coursework and an externship where the students can practice their techniques on mannequins and finally live subjects, normally their classmates, in order to prepare them for the certification exams.

List of Phlebotomist Schools

2017-2018 School Data from IPEDS (Sourced in November, 2019)

Hybrid & Online Phlebotomy Programs

Phlebotomy schools offer a number of options for students seeking flexibility in their course schedules. Although programs require students’ presence during the clinical, laboratory, or externship portions of their programs, some schools offer the opportunity to complete their coursework remotely.

CLIMB Program at Portland Community College

For example, the CLIMB Program at Portland Community College (Oregon) offers a hybrid format combining 40 hours of clinical experience with five hours of self-directed study. This format can be ideal for people with families, full-time jobs, or other time-constraining circumstances.

The practical instruction involves training in venipuncture, specimen collection, and blood-borne pathogens. This program may be especially useful for those with some experience in a medical environment who are looking for more clinical experience and didactic training in venipuncture, skin punctures (e.g., finger sticks, heel sticks, etc.), and point of care testing.

Please note, however, that some experience in a medical facility is necessary for this program, which calls for 100+ supervised blood draws. This is part of the crucial training for the American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Phlebotomy Technician National Registry Examination administered by the Board of Certification (BOC).

• Location: Portland, OR
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Expected Time to Completion: 45 hours
• Estimated Tuition: Resident ($123 per credit); non-resident ($258 per credit)

South Central College of Minnesota

Also, the South Central College of Minnesota provides a hybrid phlebotomy program. It offers a significant portion of the technical instruction online which can be completed before the laboratory work. Candidates for certification must work for at least one year as technicians in an accredited laboratory prior to taking the ASCP exam. This work must be at least 35 hours weekly involving both venipuncture and microtechniques.

Consisting of 16 credits, the program includes courses such as introduction to phlebotomy; phlebotomy skills; phlebotomy internship; medical terminology; and interpersonal communication.

• Location: Faribault, MN
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Expected Time to Completion: Within a year
• Estimated Tuition: $3,175

Alvin Community College

Finally, at Alvin Community College (ACC), applicants must meet the following criteria prior to admission: have a high school diploma or GED; pass a criminal background check; complete the online application; show proof of specific immunizations and submit a completed health form documenting a physical examination; and have valid CPR certification.

This one-semester program also has a hybrid format with online classes and hands-on lab experience. There are a number of skills that are taught in this phlebotomy school including capillary skin punctures, specimen collection at different ages, patient identification, specimen labeling, ethics, and medical terminology. Most of the assignments and tests at ACC can be completed from home.

• Location: Alvin, TX
• Accreditation: Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
• Expected Time to Completion: one-semester
• Estimated Tuition: In-district ($1,838.52); out-of-district ($1,908.52)

Phlebotomy Curriculum - Core & Elective Courses

Phlebotomy schools have an array of formats, but most follow a familiar pattern. A majority of programs comprise a one-year (or less) curriculum to prepare students for the following responsibilities:

• Draw blood from hospital patients or blood donors
• Assist people through the process
• Identify patients
• Label specimens correctly
• Enter samples into the organizational database
• Clean and maintain laboratory equipment (e.g., test tubes, needles, vials, etc.)

Here are some of the most common phlebotomy classes in accredited programs:

• CPR and first aid (note: some programs require CPR certification prior to acceptance)
• Anatomy and physiology
• Phlebotomy (e.g., venipuncture, centrifuging and processing, etc.)
• Urinalysis
• Study skills
• Medical terminology
• Introduction to laboratory practices
• Communication
• Blood and cell composition
• Blood sampling procedures
• Medical law and bioethics
• Diseases of the human body

These courses are generally completed in addition to clinical supervision or externship training.

Additionally, there are a number of online resources that can serve as refresher courses in phlebotomy practices. The University of Utah, for example, offers an online review of venipuncture and specimen handling procedures.

It should be noted that phlebotomy can be a stepping stone for careers in medical technology, medical assistance, and other related professions. Depending on one’s professional ambitions, it’s essential to check the program and course offerings at institutions prior to enrolling.

Phlebotomy Program Accreditation

Oftentimes, programs can be accredited by multiple overlapping bodies since there are a variety of regional, subject-specific, and distance-education accreditations.

The National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Science (NAACLS) is one qualified organization that provides phlebotomy schools with accreditation. The process typically takes into account the curriculum, the faculty, and other standards of evaluation. A comprehensive list of the NAACLS criteria can be found on their website.

Before applying to a phlebotomy school, it’s important that students take into consideration the standards of their state. In California, for example, a special state certification is necessary in order to practice phlebotomy. There is a list of accredited phlebotomy programs provided on the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) website.

Career Outlook

Phlebotomists work mainly in hospitals, medical and diagnostic laboratories, blood donor centers, and doctor’s offices.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS 2021) projects that the phlebotomy profession will grow 22 percent between 2020 and 2030, much faster than the average increase expected for all occupations (8 percent). That amounts to a projected 28,800 jobs.

There have been several reasons proposed for this increase in demand, including an aging population, an expansion of access to healthcare with the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and the improvement of preventative care and medical monitoring.

The BLS (May 2021) reports the following annual salary data for phlebotomists:

Phlebotomy Licensing & Certification

As mentioned above, there are four states which require phlebotomists to be state-certified: California, Louisiana, Washington, and Nevada.

In California, for example, there are only six approved agencies for state licensing and certification:

• American Certification Agency (ACA)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)
• American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP)
• National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT/MMCI)
• National Credentialing Agency for Clinical Laboratory Service (NCACLS)
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

Other states tend to have less strict criteria and accept certification from numerous national certification organizations. In order to ensure practice across a number of states, applicants can consider applying for licensure and certification through one of the above organizations.

There are various resources online to prepare students for national certification exams. The American Society of Clinical Pathology (ASCP) offers a reading list including the following volumes:

• Garza, D. & Becan-McBride, K. (2018). Phlebotomy Simplified
• McCall, R.E. (2020). Phlebotomy Essentials, Enhanced Edition
• McCall, R.E. (2020). Phlebotomy Essentials Exam Review, Enhanced Edition
• Garza, D. & Becan-McBride, K. (2018). Phlebotomy Handbook: Blood Specimen Collection from Basic to Advanced
• Phelan, S. (2018). BOC Study Guide: Phlebotomy Certification Examinations
• Warekois, R.S., Robinson, R., & Primrose, P.B. (2020). Phlebotomy: Worktext and Procedures Manual