Plasma donation is a safe and comfortable experience that can make you some extra spending money. You might have donated your blood in the past, but nobody really pays for blood donations.
For those who opt to donate plasma, they can earn a significant amount of cash in return.
A first month is commonly worth $700 to $1,000 once you finish a new donor promotion, and a routine visit after that runs $40 to $100. The catch is that every network sets pay per location and none of them publish it nationally, so the only number that matters is what the centers near you are paying. Start with your ZIP code below, then read on for what to expect before your first visit.
See what plasma pays near you
Every network prices per location. Check all seven at once.
Enter a valid 5 digit ZIP code and pick your weight.
What you can realistically expect
$700 to $1,000 your first month
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Pay is set per center and changes with promotions, so call ahead and confirm the current offer before you drive.
What is Plasma?
For those who don’t know, plasma is a part of your blood. It is a kind of clear liquid containing water, antibodies, some enzymes, and proteins. It can be used for protein therapies for patients with chronic diseases and clotting disorders.
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Who Is Eligible to Donate?
The first thing that you need to know is whether you are eligible for donating your plasma or not. Everyone who falls under the age range of 18 to 70 with a body weight over 110 pounds and under 400 pounds can donate plasma as per the general rules.
Whether you are a guy or a girl, you can sell your plasma to get paid if you pass the medical examinations. These examinations include a test for infectious viruses and screening of medical history. The standard criterion of age and weight can slightly vary in different states.
How to Make Money Donating Plasma
Depending upon the donor and frequency of plasma donation, the exact amount of money that one makes varies. Interestingly, you can get paid higher than the others if you find promotional offers. Several donation centers offer promotional time during which they pay more than the usual. It is done to encourage more and more people to donate.
For instance, in Atlanta, the ADMA BioCenters offer special coupons that give you an extra 5 dollars on your first donation. Similarly, people having antibody D in their plasma are paid more as it is a rare one.
How much do you get for donating plasma is a commonly asked question. Well, generally speaking, you may pay between $40 and $100 per visit every time you give plasma. The exact amount also depends on the total plasma volume that you donate. As per the FDA guidelines, the ranges include 175-400 pounds, 150-174 pounds and 110–149 pounds. High poundage means more plasma, and hence you will be able to earn more.
For making the whole payment procedure easy and quick, the majority of the donation centers pay through a debit card.
Highest Paying Plasma Donation Centers
Almost every center now runs a new donor promotion that is worth far more than the ongoing rate, and that is where the real money is. A first month is commonly worth $700 to $1,000 once you finish the required number of donations, while a routine visit after that usually pays somewhere in the $40 to $100 range depending on the center, your weight and whatever promotion is running.
Two things drive the number on your card. The first is your body weight, because heavier donors give a larger volume and larger volumes pay more. The second is where you live, since these companies price against whatever competing centers are nearby, so the same brand can pay noticeably differently two states over. That is why almost none of them publish one national rate.
| Center | New donor offer | Typical ongoing pay | How you get paid | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CSL PlasmaLargest US network | Up to $800 first month | Varies by weight, location and current promotion | Reloadable prepaid card, funded right after you donate | Runs a separate returning donor and student offer |
| BioLifeOwned by Takeda | $700 to $1,000 across 8 donations | Varies by location | Prepaid debit card | The offer is coupon based, so pull your center’s coupon before your first visit or you can miss it |
| Octapharma Plasma | Up to $750 in your first 35 days | Tiered, and set by weight, height and hematocrit | Prepaid card, credited within 24 hours | Pays up to $50 per referral, and OctaRewards points unlock after 7 donations |
| GrifolsIncludes Biomat USA | Set per center, tied to finishing a set number of donations within 30 days | Varies by location | Prepaid card | Now also runs the former BPL Plasma and Biotest US centers, so a closed local brand may reopen as Grifols |
| KEDPLASMAOwned by Kedrion Biopharma | Not published nationally | Varies by location | Prepaid card | Smaller footprint, so worth checking only if one is genuinely close to you |
| ADMA BioCenters | Runs a new donor loyalty bonus, amount not published | Paid every donation, up to twice a week | Cash card credited after each donation | Pays more for some specialty collection programs, so ask what you qualify for |
| ImmunoTekIndependent operator | Set per center | Varies by location | Prepaid card | Concentrated in the South and Southeast |
Figures come from each company’s own donor pages. Payment is set per location and changes with promotions, so the center 20 minutes further away can be worth the drive.
A few names that used to appear on lists like this are gone as standalone brands. BPL Plasma sold its US centers to Grifols, and Biotest‘s US collection network went the same way, so if you remember one of those near you, check whether it now operates under the Grifols or Biomat USA name.
Before you commit to a center, call and ask three things: what the current new donor promotion pays and how many donations it takes to finish it, whether the promotion resets if you miss a week, and what a normal visit pays once the promotion ends. That last number is the one you live with, and it is the one centers advertise least.
What to Expect When You Sell Plasma?
If you are selling plasma for the very first time, you should know about the requirements. You must bring the following documents.
- A valid photo ID (you can bring your driving license)
- Proof of your current residence (for instance, you can bring a utility bill of the past month)
- Proof of Social Security Number
Make sure you have all these docs with you when you go to the center for donating plasma. Besides, you must be in a healthy condition, and for that, we suggest you avoid junk, eat healthy food and drink as much water as you can.
Donating plasma takes time more than the time taken for blood donation. As for plasma donation, blood is taken out, plasma is separated, and the rest is injected back into your body, and all this takes about one and a half hour. So be prepared for such an extended time, and you can also bring your favorite book to pass that time conveniently.
How Often Can You Donate Plasma?
From place to place, the number of times you can donate varies. For instance, if you wish to earn a high amount of money, you may donate at private centers. Most centers allow two donations in a 7 day period, with at least 2 full days in between.
On the other hand, if you are selling plasma at the American Red Cross, you can only donate once in 28 days. So, if you are in search of making more money, private centers are more suitable for you. You must leave at least 2 full days between donations, and you can give at most twice in any 7 day period. This time interval allows your body to replace the plasma count.
When you are planning to donate plasma, make sure you drink plenty of water and avoid excessive use of coffee, soft drinks, and tea. Similarly, during the donation intervals, you should avoid the consumption of sugary and junk foods. It is also important to avoid alcohol and other caffeinated drinks for at least 3 days before you donate for the second time.
For those who want to donate more frequently, eating healthy food and drinking plenty of water is very important. You have to be fit for donating plasma.
What Are the Side Effects?
Getting money by donating your plasma sounds like a very easy option. This method is being popular among the youth these days as they get to earn some extra cash without much physical effort on their part. Usually, the college students go for plasma donation as they consider it an easy money-making procedure.
If you also think the same you must know that you might have to face some challenges as well. There are some short-term and long-term effects of plasma donation, and you must be aware of those. For instance, you may experience nausea and dizziness after donating plasma. Therefore, it is suggested to drink plenty of water for the sake of avoiding dehydration.
Also, the long-term effects include a significant loss of immunity against diseases. It means the more you donate, the more prone you become to fall sick. The reason is that plasma contains antibodies and one-time donation can deplete your body by at least 10 percent of the total antibodies that body has for fighting against diseases. Some other risks include increased veins scaring and high chances of collapsing veins.
Therefore, you must be careful. Donate plasma but don’t rely on it as a source of income. Make sure you don’t exceed the limit, and it would be good if you donate only once a month.
Donate Plasma FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions from people who are interested in donating plasma locally.
Donating plasma can be compared to getting a mild bee sting. Also, you should be prepared to get a finger stick test each time you donate which checks on your protein and hemoglobin levels.
According to Healthline, donating plasma can cause common but usually minor side effects like dehydration and fatigue. Serious side effects may occur as well, although these are rare.
According to Octapharma, plasma donors should be at least 18 years old. Plasma donors should weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kilograms, must pass a medical examination, and complete an extensive medical history screening.
According to Healthline, donating plasma does a lot of good since blood plasma is needed for many modern medical therapies. These include treatments for immune system conditions, bleeding, and respiratory disorders, as well as blood transfusions and wound healing. Plasma donation is necessary to collect enough plasma for medical treatments.
According to BioTechPlasma, you can be disqualified from donating plasma if you had recent tattoos, body piercing, prolonged residency in Europe, cancer and/or other medical conditions.
You can expect to make $20 to $50 every time you donate your plasma.
Ready to Donate Plasma Locally?
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You should have had all your questions answered in this post but if you still have any questions please leave a comment below.
Good luck donating plasma for money. Plenty of people clear $400 to $500 a month donating, and you can stack that with ways to make money from your phone on the days you are not at the center.
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