Licensed Practical Nurse vs Phlebotomist
If you're a Licensed Practical Nurse weighing whether to go for Phlebotomist, the usual advice is 'always worth it.' The data is more nuanced — here's the honest trade-off.
Licensed Practical Nurses earn more — a $64,400 national median vs $45,230 for phlebotomists, a $19,170/yr gap.
What the day actually looks like
A Licensed Practical Nurse's shift involves broad patient care under an RN's direction: administering medications, monitoring vital signs, changing dressings, and assisting with daily activities. They manage care for several patients over an 8-12 hour shift. A Phlebotomist's role is more focused, centering on the technical task of venipuncture. Their day consists of verifying patient information, drawing blood samples, correctly labeling vials, and ensuring specimens are transported for lab analysis.
Where each role is actually hiring
Demand for LPNs is highest in long-term care, skilled nursing facilities, and home health agencies; these settings employ the majority of the workforce. Hospitals and government facilities also hire LPNs, but outpatient and residential care represent the core job market. Phlebotomists are primarily hired by hospitals, diagnostic laboratories, and blood donor centers where high-volume blood collection is central to operations.
If you start as a Phlebotomist today
Phlebotomy is a common entry point into nursing. After completing a short 4-12 week certificate program, a Phlebotomist can gain hands-on clinical experience while preparing for a longer LPN program, which typically takes one to two years. This path allows you to enter the healthcare field quickly and confirm it's a good fit before investing in a full nursing license. An LPN transitioning to Phlebotomist is uncommon, as LPNs already have a broader scope.
Sources cited (15)
payments Salary
Who earns more?
Licensed Practical Nurses earn $19,170 more per year at the median. That's roughly $1,598/month before taxes — a gap that compounds over a career but needs to be weighed against any difference in training time or upfront costs.
State-by-state pay
| State | Licensed Practical Nurse | Phlebotomist | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $79,750 | $56,040 | +23,710 |
| Washington | $83,150 | $48,880 | +34,270 |
| Massachusetts | $80,220 | $50,170 | +30,050 |
| Oregon | $80,470 | $49,160 | +31,310 |
| District of Columbia | $75,740 | $51,980 | +23,760 |
| Alaska | $80,800 | $45,900 | +34,900 |
| Rhode Island | $80,090 | $46,380 | +33,710 |
| New Hampshire | $77,110 | $48,660 | +28,450 |
| New Jersey | $75,160 | $48,650 | +26,510 |
| Arizona | $77,070 | $46,260 | +30,810 |
checklist Requirements at a glance
| Factor | Licensed Practical Nurse | Phlebotomist |
|---|---|---|
| Typical time | 1-2 years | 4-8 months |
| Est. total cost | — | $800 |
| Exam | NCLEX-PN | National certification exams (e.g., NHA CPT, ASCP PBT, AMT RPT, NCCT NCPT, NPCE CPT) |
| License required | Most states | Some states |
| Education | Completion of a state-approved practical nursing program | High school diploma or GED and completion of a state-approved phlebotomy training program. |
| CE hours / cycle | 22 hrs | 12 hrs |
Barrier to entry
Timeline differs: Licensed Practical Nurse typically takes 1-2 years, while Phlebotomist takes 4-8 months. Licensed Practical Nurse licensing is more universal — required in 100% of states versus 10% for Phlebotomist.
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Market outlook
Growth projections are similar — Licensed Practical Nurse at +2.6% and Phlebotomist at +5.6%. If market size matters to you, Licensed Practical Nurse is the larger field: about 54,400 openings annually against 18,400. That gap shows up most clearly in smaller metro areas where the narrower profession may have zero open positions in a given month. Licensed Practical Nurse carries lower AI automation risk, which matters for long-term career stability.
flag Bottom line
Nationally, Licensed Practical Nurse pulls in roughly $19,170 more per year than Phlebotomist. Whether that's enough to justify a different training path depends on your state's specific labor market and how your own earnings scale with experience.
Licensed Practical Nurse is 1-2 years of training; Phlebotomist is 4-8 months. The opportunity cost of the extra school time is often larger than people estimate, especially if you're already working.
Frequently asked questions
Who makes more, licensed practical nurse or phlebotomist? expand_more
Which is harder to get into, licensed practical nurse or phlebotomist? expand_more
Is it common to transition from licensed practical nurse to phlebotomist? expand_more
Which has better job prospects, licensed practical nurse or phlebotomist? expand_more
Which states require licenses for licensed practical nurse vs. phlebotomist? expand_more
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source Sources
- Wage data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), most recent annual release.
- Career outlook and annual openings: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
- Licensing requirements: compiled per-state from primary state licensing boards; per-state sources are cited on each Licensed Practical Nurse and Phlebotomist state page.
See our full methodology for data refresh schedule and known limitations. Updated 2026.