Compare local college and private-school options by cost, hours, schedule and clinicals
How long does it take to become a phlebotomist in Fort Worth? Most students finish a short certificate or diploma program in 4 to 16 weeks (40 to 200 hours), then sit a national exam such as the NHA CPT or ASCP PBT. Tarrant County College's program runs 90 hours over six weeks.
The real decision is practical. The class has to be a workable commute from Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie, Weatherford or Mansfield. Confirmed local prices run from $995 to $3,000, depending on what the fee includes.
Texas does not license phlebotomists, but area hospitals and labs expect certification, and the metro median wage sits at $46,480. See the Fort Worth program list →
The setting you choose shapes your daily schedule more than almost anything else in a phlebotomy career: hospital draw rounds start before dawn, reference-lab patient service centers keep steadier daytime hours, and blood centers run on donor appointments and mobile drives. Fort Worth has all three within commuting distance, which is why many local students weigh a program partly on where its clinical rotation happens.
Cook Children's Medical Center in Fort Worth is the most specific 2026 example: its certified lab phlebotomist posting asked for ASCP certification in phlebotomy plus either three years of phlebotomy experience, including two in a diagnostic setting, or one year in a pediatric facility.1 Hospital work here often means early-morning inpatient rounds, and pediatric settings expect a comfort level with small veins and young patients. JPS Health Network, Texas Health Resources and Baylor Scott & White also anchor the region's hospital hiring, though the postings reviewed did not spell out their certification stance.
Quest Diagnostics listed Fort Worth phlebotomist openings at 855 Montgomery St. and 6844 Harris Pkwy., plus a Phlebotomist III territory role,2 with a high school diploma as the minimum and certification listed as preferred rather than required in Texas.3 Its Dallas postings sit farther east, a longer haul from most of Tarrant County.4 Labcorp also advertised Fort Worth and Dallas phlebotomist roles, though those listings were no longer active when checked.5 Carter BloodCare is the regional blood center for donor-care and mobile-drive work, which trades fixed clinic walls for community sites and blood drives.
The practical takeaway: requirements vary by employer, so choose a program that prepares you for a national exam such as the NHA CPT or ASCP PBT. Certification is voluntary in Texas but commonly expected, and a credential keeps more doors open when you apply.
Tarrant County College's Certified Phlebotomy Technician program runs 90 hours over six weeks, five days a week, among the shorter public options within commuting distance of Fort Worth.
Dallas College, another public option, publishes 216 contact hours: 96 hours of phlebotomy coursework plus 120 clinical hours.1 Its catalog entry does not state tuition or calendar weeks.1
Private career schools around Fort Worth, Arlington and the wider DFW area tend to market shorter, career-focused cohorts with more frequent start dates. Verified 2026 tuition, total hours and fee inclusions are not published for every private center, so treat any advertised price as a starting question rather than a final total. Ask what the fee covers and whether clinical placement is arranged for you or self-sourced.
A student paying out of pocket and able to wait for the next college cohort usually gets the lower sticker price through a public continuing-education program. A student who needs to start within weeks, or who wants one bundled price covering exam and supplies, may lean toward a private center, provided the total cost and clinical placement are confirmed in writing before enrolling.
Confirmed prices for Fort Worth-area phlebotomy classes run from $995 to $3,000. The total depends on the provider and on what the price bundles.
Finlay's price includes a uniform, student ID, books and lab supplies. TCC's CPT listing does not say whether its $3,000 covers anything beyond instruction, so ask before you assume. Plan for these items with any program:
TCC's current CPT cohorts share the same price and session count but meet at different times:
Phlebotomy Training Specialists advertises day, evening and weekend sessions but does not publish specific start dates or meeting times. Finlay lists an 8-week format without posted evening or weekend times.
Start dates shift with each cohort, and seats fill. Call or email the program to confirm the next start, the meeting schedule and your full out-of-pocket total before you pay a deposit.
The only reliable source for clinical hours and stick counts is the school you are considering, so call before you pay a deposit. Published materials do not give a numeric externship total, a required number of venipunctures or skin punctures, or a named Fort Worth clinical site for any program here.
Tarrant County College lists a 168-hour Phlebotomy Technician certificate with clinical rotations at external facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and partner sites. Entry to the clinical course requires PLAB-1023 Basic Phlebotomy with a final grade of at least 80%, a negative drug test, and a satisfactory background check. Admitted students also need health insurance, immunization records, and TB screening. A Fort Worth-area directory lists Phlebotomy Training Specialists with 40 didactic hours, but that figure covers classroom time only.
Contact TCC and each private DFW school directly, and ask for answers in writing:
Treat vague claims about working with hospitals or national labs as marketing until the school names a site.
Check each school's website and course catalog first. Use BLS.gov for the phlebotomist occupation overview. ASCP, NHA, and ASCLS explain certification context. For comparison, the NHA CPT route asks for at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary sticks on live individuals, and ASCP Route 2 asks for 100 successful unaided collections. Those are exam benchmarks, not school requirements, so ask whether the program's clinical count meets the exam you plan to take.
Bureau of Labor Statistics occupational estimates put the median annual wage for phlebotomists in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington metro at $46,480, with about 3,840 phlebotomists employed across the region. That is above the national May 2024 median of $43,660, though BLS release years can differ and a Texas statewide figure is not reported here, so treat the comparison as a general guide. Moving toward the upper end of the local range usually comes from hospital night and weekend shift differentials, holding more than one national certification, and working in specialty settings such as blood centers or reference labs. These are cross-industry BLS wages for the occupation, not earnings reported for graduates of any specific Fort Worth program.
| Area | Phlebotomists Employed | 10th Percentile | 25th Percentile | Median Annual Wage | Mean Annual Wage | 75th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX metro (BLS OEWS) | 3,840 | N/A | $39,210 | $46,480 | $45,680 | $48,830 |
| United States (BLS OEWS, May 2024) | 138,880 | $34,860 | $37,540 | $43,660 | $44,390 | N/A |
Work through these points with each school before you pay a deposit.
Each step below lines up with a section above, from choosing a college certificate or private training center to completing clinical draws. Most Fort Worth students finish the training portion in 4 to 16 weeks, then sit a national exam before applying to DFW employers.
Below are the top phlebotomy programs serving Fort Worth students. The options run from a county college with city tuition assistance to a single-semester accredited program west of town, plus several Dallas-area campuses along I-30.
| Rank | School | Location | Net price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Tarrant County College District | Fort Worth, TX | $1,900 – $8,000/yr (est.) | Fort Worth residents using city tuition aid | |
Fort Worth's own community college runs a noncredit Phlebotomy Technician certificate at its Trinity River campus: two courses, 168 hours, including a clinical phase at area healthcare facilities. Average net price after aid is roughly $4,337 a year, and the school's overall graduation rate is 34%. Being inside the city makes it the easiest commute here, and Fort Worth residents may qualify for city tuition assistance for short-term training.
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| #2 | The University of Texas at Arlington | Arlington, TX | ~$14,000/yr (est.) | Working adults needing evening certificate classes | |
UT Arlington awards a noncredit certificate after 80 classroom hours plus a controlled skills lab, with externship placement set at orientation. Program tuition of $3,000 covers textbooks, scrubs, CPR training and one attempt at the national CPT exam, and sections meet Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6 to 10 p.m. The university's average net price after aid is about $13,951 and its overall graduation rate is 54%. Arlington sits roughly 12 miles east of downtown Fort Worth.
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| #3 | Weatherford College | Weatherford, TX | $10,000/yr (est. net price) | Career changers wanting supervised clinical placement | |
Weatherford College runs a one-semester, 16-credit hybrid certificate: eight weeks of on-campus lab, then eight weeks of clinical rotations with contracted site placement. It is one of the few NAACLS-accredited phlebotomy programs in Texas. Average net price after aid is about $9,967, the college's overall graduation rate is 35%, and federal data put median earnings for the certificate at about $17,977 one year after finishing. The campus is about 30 miles west of Fort Worth on I-20.
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| #4 | Concorde Career College-Dallas | Dallas, TX | $25,000 – $30,000/yr (est.) | ||
Concorde's Dallas campus delivers a three-month Phlebotomy Technician diploma, 5.5 credit hours, on campus two days a week from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Students log at least 30 venipunctures and 10 capillary punctures in lab, and Concorde covers the first certification exam fee. Average net price after aid is about $25,299 and the school's overall graduation rate is 60%. Dallas is roughly 35 miles east along I-30, so this one suits students already traveling that direction. Get Details →Sponsored
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| #5 | Concorde Career College-Grand Prairie | Grand Prairie, TX | ~$31,000/yr (est.) | ||
The Grand Prairie campus runs the same three-month Phlebotomy Technician diploma with preparation for the AMCA, NCCT and NHA exams, and Concorde covers one AMCA attempt. Credits apply toward the college's eight-month Medical Assistant diploma, and the class schedule is built to let students keep working. Average net price after aid is about $31,288 and the school's overall graduation rate is 55%. Grand Prairie sits about 20 miles east of Fort Worth, between the two cities on I-30. Get Details →Sponsored
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| #6 | Remington College-Fort Worth Campus | North Richland Hills, TX | $26,000/yr (est. net price) | ||
Remington College's North Richland Hills campus, branded as its Fort Worth campus, offers a 30-hour Phlebotomy Certification Prep course for $1,160, covering an ebook, lab supplies, NHA exam prep and one attempt at the NHA exam. It is a noncredit course, and the college notes it sits outside its institutional accreditation. Average net price after aid across the college is about $25,913 and its overall graduation rate is 45%. The campus is a short drive northeast of downtown Fort Worth.
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| #7 | Abilene Christian University | Addison, TX | $20,000 – $25,000/yr (est.) | ||
Abilene Christian University's professional education arm offers a fully online Certified Phlebotomy Technician certificate with rolling start dates, a lab kit and simulations, plus a video-recorded competency requirement. A complimentary NHA exam voucher comes with the course, though clinical placement is arranged separately and is not guaranteed. Average net price after aid is about $23,698. Because the program is 100% online, the Addison address does not affect a Fort Worth student's commute. Fully online option
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9 schools in the state offer this course through an education partner, with open enrollment and a national certification exam voucher. Request information to hear from the school directly.
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Certified Phlebotomy Technician course (vouchers and lab included)
Sponsored listings. These schools offer the course through an education partner and may compensate us when you request information. Compensation does not affect the rankings or the directory on this page.
7 schools within 40 miles, grouped by city. Select a program to see its highlights, and use the Website link for the school's own program page.
Program data from the schools and the National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS).
These are the questions Fort Worth students ask most often about funding, timelines, certification and format. For program-specific details, use the listings above and confirm current terms with each school.
