AI exposure by occupation, O*NET 31-9097.00

Will AI replace Phlebotomists?

Phlebotomists: AI can already handle 1 of 23 tasks; the work mostly needs an efficient-tier model.

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Every task, scored

The 23 tasks O*NET 30.3 lists for Phlebotomists, from most to least exposed. 1 reach 60 or more, the level at which AI already handles a task.

Task AI exposure Evidence Model tier Importance
Collect specimens at specific time intervals for tests, such as those assessing therapeutic drug levels. 65 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Train other medical personnel in phlebotomy or laboratory techniques. 35 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Dispose of contaminated sharps, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, and policies. 30 Estimated Efficient 5.0
Organize or clean blood-drawing trays, ensuring that all instruments are sterile and all needles, syringes, or related items are of first-time use. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.9
Match laboratory requisition forms to specimen tubes. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.8
Dispose of blood or other biohazard fluids or tissue, in accordance with applicable laws, standards, or policies. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Conduct standards tests, such as blood alcohol, blood culture, oral glucose tolerance, glucose screening, blood smears, or peak and trough drug levels tests. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Process blood or other fluid samples for further analysis by other medical professionals. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.7
Provide sample analysis results to physicians to assist diagnosis. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Administer subcutaneous or intramuscular injects, in accordance with licensing restrictions. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.5
Enter patient, specimen, insurance, or billing information into computer. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Document route of specimens from collection to laboratory analysis and diagnosis. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Draw blood from capillaries by dermal puncture, such as heel or finger stick methods. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Draw blood from arteries, using arterial collection techniques. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Monitor blood or plasma donors during and after procedures to ensure health, safety, and comfort. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.4
Conduct hemoglobin tests to ensure donor iron levels are normal. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Transport specimens or fluid samples from collection sites to laboratories. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.3
Collect fluid or tissue samples, using appropriate collection procedures. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Determine donor suitability, according to interview results, vital signs, and medical history. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Explain fluid or tissue collection procedures to patients. 30 Estimated Efficient 4.1
Serve refreshments to donors to ensure absorption of sugar into their systems. 30 Estimated Efficient 3.7
Calibrate or maintain machines, such as those used for plasma collection. 20 Estimated Efficient 4.2
Draw blood from veins by vacuum tube, syringe, or butterfly venipuncture methods. 12 Estimated No tier 4.8

Observed: scored from AI use recorded in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), 0 of 23 tasks. Estimated: scored from the task's O*NET 30.3 work activity, 23 of 23. Importance is O*NET's 1 to 5 rating of how central the task is. Model tier is the lowest tier that can do the task under the published rubric; "No tier" marks hands-on work.

The model tier this role needs

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 95% of the role's importance-weighted task work. 95% of the work is something AI can address at some tier, and 5% is hands-on.

Efficient, standard and frontier tiers come from the JobRoute model tier reference. The recommended tier is the lowest one that covers 80% of the work AI can address. How the method works.

Wages, employment and outlook

US employment
143,540
Median annual wage
$45,230
Middle half of earners
$38,190 to $48,930
Projected change, 2024 to 2034
+5.6%

Employment and wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, national. Projection: BLS Employment Projections 2024 to 2034.

Adjacent roles

The occupations that reuse the most of this role's skills, with the usual time to move. These are the first places to look when you plan to redeploy or retrain people in this role.

Skill overlap and transition time from the JobRoute role adjacency graph on O*NET 30.3 skills.

Questions about Phlebotomists and AI

Will AI replace Phlebotomists?

AI already handles 1 of the 23 tasks O*NET lists for this occupation, at a task exposure of 60 or more, and the role's importance-weighted exposure is 31 out of 100. JobRoute scores tasks, not whole jobs, so the score shows how much of the work changes rather than whether the job disappears. BLS projects employment to change by +5.6% from 2024 to 2034.

What is the AI exposure of Phlebotomists?

31 out of 100 on JobRoute's task exposure measure, the importance-weighted average of the role's O*NET task scores. Higher means more of the work is AI-doable today. 0 of the 23 task scores are observed in the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026 release), and the other 23 are estimated from each task's O*NET work activity.

Which Phlebotomists tasks can AI already do?

The tasks with the highest exposure are: Collect specimens at specific time intervals for tests, such as those assessing therapeutic drug levels. It is the only task that reach 60 or more.

What AI model tier does this role need?

An efficient-tier model or lower covers 95% of the role's importance-weighted task work. JobRoute assigns each task the lowest tier that can do it under a published rubric and recommends the lowest tier that covers 80% of the work AI can address.

How many people work as Phlebotomists, and what do they earn?

143,540 people in the United States, with a median annual wage of $45,230 (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025). BLS Employment Projections expect a change of +5.6% from 2024 to 2034.

How to cite

Data version 2026-11-02, JobRoute method v1.0.0. Download all occupations or this occupation as JSON. Methodology.

JobRoute (2026). AI exposure: Phlebotomists. Data version 2026-11-02, method v1.0.0. Built on O*NET 30.3, BLS OEWS May 2025 and the Anthropic Economic Index (June 2026). CC BY 4.0. https://www.jobroute.ai/jobs/phlebotomists

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