Best Online Labs for Nursing & Healthcare School Immunization Requirements (2026)
Nursing programs, PA programs, medical schools, and other clinical healthcare programs require students to document immunity to several diseases before beginning clinical rotations. This page explains what is typically required, compares which online portals offer the tests you need, and presents pricing data to help you choose based on your situation — not any portal's marketing claims.
Key takeaways
- Most programs require: Hep B titer, MMR titer (or vaccine records), Varicella titer (or vaccine records), Tdap (within 10 years), and a TB test.
- No single portal offers the cheapest price for every required test.
- Most direct-to-consumer portals require the buyer to be age 18 or older — confirm each portal's policy.
- For the full immunity panel, LabReqs offers a bundle with TB test at $279; for the titers alone, $139.
Our recommendation
- LabReqs (SchoolTiters.com) is the most complete portal for nursing school needs: it offers every titer required (Hep B, MMR, Varicella, QuantiFERON-TB, Tdap), bundles them in the cheapest full panel ($139), and offers the only combined titer + TB bundle ($279).
- With the student discount (code SCHOOL2026), all titer prices fall further. At standard prices it already leads or ties on Hep B, Varicella, and the full panel; at $79.00 standard MMR it is now second-cheapest (only DirectLabs $74 is lower), and with the discount it undercuts the field on MMR as well.
- LabReqs is the only listed service that accepts orders for patients under 18 — a practical advantage for dual-enrollment high school students beginning pre-nursing programs.
- If your program requires Quest results specifically, DirectLabs ($74 MMR) or Jason Health ($43 Hep B all-in) are strong alternatives for those individual tests.
Why: LabReqs offers the broadest catalog, cheapest panel ($139 vs. $149 next-best), and a student discount (SCHOOL2026) that brings all titers to their lowest cross-portal price.
What nursing schools typically require
Requirements vary by program and by the clinical training sites where students rotate. The following tests are required by virtually all U.S. nursing, PA, medical, dental, pharmacy, and allied health programs:
| Test | Acceptable evidence | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Hepatitis B surface antibody (anti-HBs) | Positive quantitative titer (≥10 mIU/mL) | Required for OSHA compliance in clinical settings. Vaccine series records alone often not sufficient — many sites require documented positive titer. |
| MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) | Positive titer OR 2-dose vaccine records | Per CDC, two documented MMR doses supersede a negative measles titer. Many programs accept vaccine records without requiring a titer if both doses are documented. |
| Varicella (Chickenpox) | Positive titer OR 2-dose Varivax records | Per CDC, a documented 2-dose varicella series supersedes a negative titer. Commercial titers are not sensitive for vaccine-induced immunity. |
| Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis) | Vaccination record within the past 10 years | Not typically tested by titer — vaccine record is the standard. Tdap titer testing is not widely offered and not typically required. |
| TB test | Negative IGRA (QuantiFERON) or negative TST result | Baseline screening required. Annual re-testing no longer recommended by CDC unless there is a known exposure event. |
Some programs also require Hepatitis A immunity records or documentation of flu vaccination, particularly for clinical sites that serve immunocompromised patients. Always confirm your specific program's current requirements — they can change year to year based on clinical partner mandates.
For more detail on compliance requirements, see the School & Healthcare Compliance Guide.
How portals compare for nursing school needs
The table below shows which portals offer the key tests nursing students need and their current prices for each. No single portal offers every test at the lowest price.
| Portal | Hep B titer | MMR titer | Varicella titer | Immunity panel (all 3) | QuantiFERON TB | Tdap titer |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LabReqs | $38.88 | $79.00 | $49.99 | $139.00 | $149.00 | $129.00 |
| DirectLabs | $99.00 | $74.00 | n/a | $149.00 | n/a | n/a |
| Jason Health | $43.00 (fee incl.) | $83.00 (fee incl.) | $58.00 (fee incl.) | n/a | n/a | $88.00 (fee incl.) |
| Accesa Labs | $49.00 | $99.00 | $59.00 | $189.00 | n/a | n/a |
| Walk-In Lab | $49.00 | Panel only | Panel only | $155.00 | $139.00 | n/a |
| HealthLabs | $48.00 | $159.00 | n/a | n/a | n/a | n/a |
| RequestATest | n/a | $115.00 (Quest) | n/a | $149 (Quest) / $169 (LabCorp) | n/a | n/a |
n/a = not found in provider's public catalog at time of data collection. Prices from each provider's public website, May 2026. Confirm current availability and pricing before ordering.
Age restrictions and ordering eligibility
Direct-to-consumer lab ordering platforms are designed for adults. Most portals require the purchaser to be age 18 or older to place an order — this is a standard requirement across the industry. If you are under 18, options include:
- Having a parent or legal guardian assist with the order (policies vary by portal — check each provider's terms)
- Visiting a healthcare provider (doctor, urgent care, student health clinic) who can place the lab order directly
- Contacting your school's student health services, which may have arrangements with labs for student testing
The age restriction is a legal and liability consideration common across direct-to-consumer health services. Always confirm a portal's specific eligibility policy before purchasing.
How to choose: scenarios
Scenario A: You need all titers plus TB test. LabReqs offers an immunity panel + TB QuantiFERON bundle at $279 (Hep B + MMR + Varicella + TB). This is the only single-bundle option combining titers and TB test found in our data. Buying separately from multiple portals (cheapest Hep B + cheapest MMR + cheapest Varicella + cheapest TB) would total approximately $38.88 + $74 + $49.99 + $139 = ~$302 — about $23 more. The bundle may be convenient even at a slight premium. (Note: LabReqs' MMR is now $79 standard, making the individual LabReqs-only option $38.88 + $79.00 + $49.99 + $149 = $316.87 before the bundle.)
Scenario B: You need only titers, no TB test. LabReqs immunity panel at $139 is the cheapest found for the full 5-component titer bundle.
Scenario C: You only need one or two specific titers. Order individually from the cheapest provider per test (see the Cheapest Titer Tests roundup).
Scenario D: Your school requires a specific lab brand. Some clinical training sites specify Quest or LabCorp results. DirectLabs, Jason Health, HealthLabs, and RequestATest use Quest for their titer tests. LabReqs uses LabCorp. Accesa Labs and Walk-In Lab use both. Confirm your program's preference before ordering.
Related pages
- How to get titer tests for nursing school
- Cheapest titer tests online (2026 roundup)
- Immunity panel cost comparison
- QuantiFERON-TB test cost comparison
Frequently asked questions
Does my nursing school accept results from any lab network?
Most programs accept results from any CLIA-certified laboratory, which includes both Quest Diagnostics and LabCorp. However, some clinical training sites (hospital systems) have contracts with specific lab networks and may require results from that network. Confirm with your program before ordering.
What is a Tdap titer and do I need one?
Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) is a vaccine, not a standard titer requirement. Schools almost universally accept a vaccination record showing Tdap within the past 10 years — they do not typically require a Tdap immunity titer test. If your school specifically requests a Tdap titer, Jason Health ($88, fee included) and LabReqs ($129) offer it.
How long are titer results valid?
Titer results do not expire in the same way vaccines do — a positive titer is generally accepted indefinitely as evidence of past immunity. However, some programs recheck titers annually or every few years for clinical workers. Check your program's specific policy. Most schools accept a one-time positive result without requiring annual re-testing.
Do I need to fast before a titer blood draw?
No fasting is required for titer tests. You can eat and drink normally before your appointment. Only certain other blood tests (like glucose or lipid panels) require fasting.
Sources
- CDC — Measles Vaccination & Evidence of Immunity — https://www.cdc.gov/measles/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html
- CDC — TB Clinical Testing Guidance for Health Care Personnel — https://www.cdc.gov/tb-healthcare-settings/hcp/screening-testing/index.html
- Children's Hospital of Philadelphia — 4 Common Questions About Vaccines and Healthcare Workers — https://www.chop.edu/vaccine-update-healthcare-professionals/newsletter/4-common-questions-about-vaccines-and-healthcare-workers
- Provider pricing sourced from each provider's public website, May 2026.