Phlebotomists collect blood samples from patients and may perform basic laboratory tests. Phlebotomists in Ohio typically earn a higher average salary that than the rest of the country. The cost of living in Ohio is lower than in many other places, as well, so being a phlebotomist there means you can get more for your money.

National Average Salary

The average annual salary of a phlebotomist in the United States is $37,860, or $18.20 per hour, according to a 2009 salary survey by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). The 25th percentile earns $27,770 per year, or $13.83 per hour. The 75th percentile brings in $45,420 per year, or $21.84 per hour, while the 90th percentile earns $55,210 each year, or $26.55 per hour.

Ohio Average

In Ohio, phlebotomists earn an average annual salary of $38,420, or $18.47 per hour, more than the national average by $560. According to CityRating.com as of May 2011, the average cost of living in Ohio is less than the national average. The annual salary for all professions in Ohio averages $30,470, while the average salary in the U.S. is $34,868. A phlebotomist’s salary in Ohio can go further than in many other states.

Cincinnati and Dayton

Cincinnati phlebotomists earn an average annual salary of $35,060, or $16.86 per hour. The city’s cost of living there is 15 percent lower than the rest of the country, according to CityRating.com as of May 2011. Phlebotomists in Dayton make $40,350 per year on average, or $19.40 per hour, but its cost of living is 23.3 percent lower than the rest of the country. Your salary will go further in Dayton as a phlebotomist than in Cincinnati.

Columbus, Cleveland and Akron

Other cities in Ohio also have a relatively low cost of living. Columbus phlebotomists bring in $38,120 every year on average, or $18.33 per hour. The cost of living in there is 14.6 percent lower than the national average. Phlebotomists in Cleveland earn $38,350 each year on average, or $18.44 per hour. Cleveland’s cost of living is 19.3 percent lower than the rest of the country. Akron phlebotomists earn an average of $40,740, or $19.58 per hour. Akron’s cost of living is 24.8 percent lower than the rest of the nation, making it a very good place to be a phlebotomist.