Best National Phlebotomy Certification Agencies

Obtaining your certification is a giant step forward in furthering your career as a phlebotomist and increasing your salary.

And if you live in California, Nevada, or Louisiana, certification is required before you can even become a practicing phlebotomist.

There are many phlebotomy certification organizations out there, however, they are not all created equal.

So, to ensure you don't waste your time or money on a useless certification, check out our list of the 7 best and most reputable phlebotomy certification agencies below.

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Phlebotomy Certification Agencies

American Certification Agency (ACA)

The American Certification Agency for Healthcare Professionals is a national certification organization designed to recognize healthcare professionals who have achieved a standard of knowledge through education and/or experience.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED
• Applicants must meet at least one of the following requirements: at least one year of work experience using phlebotomy skills, completion of a formal phlebotomy related program OR have a current certification from an ACA approved agency
• Application must be received 15 days prior to the scheduled exam
• The exam fee must accompany the application

Additional Information

American Medical Technologists (AMT)

American Medical Technologists is a nationally and internationally recognized certification organization based out of Illinois. Their certification exams are created using state-of-the-art testing methodologies using only the highest industry standards.

Requirements

You may be eligible to take the AMT Certification exam by meeting the requirements for at least one of the two routes:

• Route 1: Graduated from an academic course in phlebotomy with a minimum of 120 didactic hours.
• Route 2: Completed at least 1,040 hours of phlebotomy work in an approved facility in the past 3 years.

In addition to meeting the requirements for one of the two routes above, the applicant must have completed at least 50 venipunctures and 10 skin punctures from a human source.

Additional Information

American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)

The American Society for Clinical Pathology is the largest professional organization for laboratory professionals in the world. Founded in 1922, the ASCP has grown to over 100,000 members while providing top-notch education and certification.

Requirements

The ASCP requires applicants to meet the requirements for at least one of the following 7 routes:

• Route 1: High school graduation (or GED) PLUS completion of a NAACLS accredited phlebotomy program in the last 5 years.
• Route 2: High school graduation (or GED) PLUS completion of a two-part phlebotomy program consisting of 40 clock hours of classroom training and 100 hours of clinical training in an accredited lab. Also a minimum of 100 successful blood draws.
• Route 3: High school graduation (or GED) PLUS at least one full year (35 hours a week) of phlebotomy technician experience in an accredited laboratory in the last 5 years.
• Route 4: High school graduation (or GED) PLUS completion of RN, LPN, or other allied healthcare professional that includes phlebotomy training.
• Route 5: MT/MLS/MLT certification through ASCP
• Route 6: DPT certification with at least 100 non-donor blood collections in the last 5 years
• Route 7: High school graduation (or GED) PLUS completion of a phlebotomy course that has been approved by the California Department of Public Health in the last 5 years.

Additional Information

American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT)

The American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians provides certification to trained phlebotomists, continuing education, newsletters, cross-training programs and more! The ASPT is the second oldest certifying organization having been founded in 1983.

Requirements

• One year experience as a part-time phlebotomist or 6 months as a full-time phlebotomist
• A letter from a healthcare supervisor stating that you regularly take blood samples
• Completion of an accredited phlebotomy training program with at least 75 venipunctures and 5 skin punctures
• Current ASPT membership

Additional Information

National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)

Founded in 1989, the National Center for Competency Testing is an independent certification organization for healthcare professionals and instructors. They offer NCPT certification for phlebotomy technicians.

Requirements

You must meet the requirements of at least one of the 3 routes the NCCT has outlined below:

• Route 1A: Current student in an NCCT authorized phlebotomy program
• Route 1B: Completed an NCCT authorized phlebotomy program in the last 5 years
• Route 2: One year experience as a phlebotomy technician within the last 5 years
• Route 3: Completed phlebotomy technician training in the U.S. Military in the last 5 years

Additional Information

National Healthcareer Association (NHA)

The National Healthcareer Association has certified over 500,000 health professionals since its inception over 25 years ago. The NHA offers nationally recognized certifications and is itself accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).

Requirements

• Possess a High school diploma or equivalent
• Completion of a phlebotomy related program and at least one year experience in the field
• Performed at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks on human sources

Additional Information

National Phlebotomy Association (NPA)

The National Phlebotomy Association was founded by Diane Crawford in 1978 to help establish a standard and code of ethics for health care professionals. They provide excellent continuing education classes, accreditation, certification, and much more.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Pass a physical and drug screen
• Must 18 years or older by the class date
• Must have a personal interview with the program director before the start of class

Additional Information

National Performance Specialists (NPS)

The National Performance Specialists (NPS) is a certification agency that provides in-depth competency evaluations to increase healthcare industry standards.

NPS is a member of the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE), the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Science, and is a P.A.C.E. accredited provider of continuing education.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Completion of a phlebotomy related program or recent experience in the field
• Performed at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks on human sources

Additional Information

Phlebotomy Certification FAQ's

How long does it take to become a certified phlebotomist?

It takes on average 4 to 8 months to become a certified phlebotomist. This includes your phlebotomy training and passing your certification exam.

Of course, the exact amount of time it takes will come down to the training program you enroll in plus the amount of time it takes to meet the minimum requirements to take the phlebotomy certification exam.

How much does a phlebotomist make an hour?

Salary.com reports that the average phlebotomist salary is $35,227 per year as of November 20th, 2020. That equates to roughly $17.61 per hour.

Check out our phlebotomist salary guide for tips on how to double this pay!

How do you become a certified phlebotomist?

Once you've completed your phlebotomy training program and have met the requirements of your chosen certification organization, you will need to take an exam to get your phlebotomy certification.

See the phlebotomy certification agencies above for exact steps to get your certification. The requirements will vary per organization.

Which phlebotomy certification is best?

The best phlebotomy certification agencies include:

• American Certification Agency (ACA)
• American Medical Technologists (AMT)
• American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP)
• American Society of Phlebotomy Technicians (ASPT)
• National Center for Competency Testing (NCCT)
• National Healthcareer Association (NHA)
• National Phlebotomy Association (NPA)

There are many certification agencies out there, but these are 7 of the most well-known and respected agencies to get certified in phlebotomy.