TB Testing Near Me: Where to Get Tested and What It Costs

Whether you need a tuberculosis test for work, school, immigration, or because you were exposed to someone with TB, the first question is usually practical: where can I get TB testing near me? The good news is that TB tests are widely available at health departments, community health centers, pharmacies, urgent care centers, and doctors’ offices across the country. Here is what you need to know about where to go, what it costs, what the two test types are, and — just as important — what to do if your test comes back positive.

Where to Get a TB Test

Several types of facilities offer TB testing. Your best option depends on your location, insurance status, why you need the test, and how quickly you need results.

Local Health Departments

County and city health departments are among the most reliable places for affordable TB testing. Many offer free or low-cost testing, especially for people without insurance, those who have been exposed to TB, or those referred through immigration or employment programs. You can find your local health department through your state health department’s website or the CDC’s TB resources. Wait times vary — some offer walk-in testing, while others require appointments.

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and Community Clinics

Federally qualified health centers provide primary care — including TB testing — on a sliding fee scale based on your income, and they serve patients regardless of insurance status or ability to pay. You can locate one through the HRSA “Find a Health Center” tool. For many uninsured or underinsured people, an FQHC is the most affordable route to a TB test plus follow-up if a result is positive.

Urgent Care Centers and Walk-In Clinics

Most urgent care clinics offer TB skin tests (TST/PPD) and can often accommodate walk-in patients. This is convenient if you need testing quickly and your health department has a long wait. Expect to pay roughly $30 to $75 without insurance for the skin test. Remember that the skin test requires two visits — one to place the test and another 48 to 72 hours later to read the result.

Pharmacies With Health Clinics

CVS MinuteClinic, Walgreens’ clinics, and similar pharmacy-based clinics offer TB testing in many locations. Pricing is typically around $35 to $85 for the skin test, though availability and prices vary by location and change over time, so call ahead. These clinics often accept walk-ins and have extended evening and weekend hours, which helps people with limited weekday availability.

Your Primary Care Doctor

Your regular doctor can order and administer a TB test during a routine visit. This is often the most straightforward option if you are due for a checkup anyway. Insurance is more likely to cover the test when it is ordered by your primary care physician, especially if there is a documented medical reason for it. Your doctor is also well placed to arrange follow-up if the result is positive.

Occupational Health Clinics, Schools, and Employers

If your employer requires TB testing — common in healthcare, education, food service, and corrections — it may have a designated occupational health provider. Many schools and universities require TB screening for incoming students or staff and offer it on campus. In many cases, the employer or institution covers the cost of required testing.

Types of TB Tests

Two main types of TB tests are used in the United States, and understanding the difference helps you prepare for your visit. Both check whether your body has been infected with TB bacteria — neither one, by itself, tells you whether you have active, contagious disease.

TB Skin Test (TST / PPD / Mantoux Test)

The tuberculin skin test involves a small injection of purified protein derivative (PPD) just under the skin of your forearm. It does not contain live TB bacteria and cannot give you tuberculosis. After 48 to 72 hours, you return so a trained healthcare professional can measure the size of any raised, firm area (induration) at the injection site. According to the CDC, the cutoff that counts as “positive” depends on your risk: an induration of 5 millimeters or more is positive for the highest-risk individuals, 10 millimeters or more for people with moderate risk factors, and 15 millimeters or more for people with no known risk factors. Because interpretation depends on your history, a trained clinician — not you — should read and interpret the result.

TB Blood Test (IGRA)

Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) — the FDA-approved versions include QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus and T-SPOT.TB — require a single blood draw, and results are typically available within 24 to 72 hours. Blood tests are preferred for people who have received the BCG vaccine (common outside the U.S.), because BCG can cause false-positive skin test results. IGRAs are also more convenient because they need only one visit. They tend to cost more — about $75 to $200 without insurance — but they eliminate the return visit and reduce the risk of a BCG-related false positive. Many employers and immigration programs accept either type of test; confirm which one your program requires.

What Does a TB Test Cost?

Here is a general cost breakdown for TB testing near me searches, based on typical U.S. pricing (all figures are estimates that vary by location and change over time):

• TB skin test (PPD): about $20 to $75 without insurance
• TB blood test (IGRA): about $75 to $200 without insurance
• Chest X-ray (if your TB test is positive): about $100 to $300 without insurance

With insurance, most TB tests are covered as preventive or diagnostic care with little or no copay, especially when medically indicated or employer-required. Medicare covers TB testing when ordered by a doctor, and Medicaid coverage varies by state but generally includes TB testing. If cost is a barrier, local health departments often provide free testing, and federally qualified health centers offer services on a sliding fee scale based on income.

What to Expect During Your TB Test

For a skin test, the process is quick and only mildly uncomfortable. A healthcare worker cleans the inner forearm and uses a small needle to inject a tiny amount of PPD solution just under the skin. You will see a small, pale bump form immediately — this is normal. Do not cover, scratch, or apply lotion to the area. Return in 48 to 72 hours (not sooner, not later) so a trained professional can read the result by measuring any induration. If you miss the reading window, the test usually has to be repeated.

For a blood test, you will have a standard blood draw from a vein in your arm, and no return visit is needed. Results are typically communicated by phone, through a patient portal, or at a follow-up appointment within a few days.

Understanding Your Results — and Why a Positive Test Needs Follow-Up

A negative TB test means you are unlikely to have TB infection. However, it can take 2 to 8 weeks after exposure for the body to develop a detectable immune response, so a negative test soon after a potential exposure may need to be repeated later.

A positive TB test means your body has been infected with TB bacteria — but it does not by itself mean you have active TB disease, and you should not try to interpret or act on the result on your own. A positive test must be followed by a chest X-ray and a clinical evaluation, and sometimes sputum testing, to determine whether you have latent infection or active disease. This is the single most important point in this article: a positive result is the beginning of an evaluation, not a diagnosis.

• Latent TB infection (LTBI): The bacteria are present but dormant. You have no symptoms and are not contagious, but you could develop active disease later if your immune system weakens. The CDC estimates that up to roughly 13 million people in the United States have latent TB infection (an estimate — verify the current figure).
• Active TB disease: The bacteria are multiplying and making you sick. If it is in the lungs or throat, you can spread it to others. Active TB is both a personal medical issue and a public-health matter: it is a reportable, contagious disease that must be managed with a clinician and your local health department.

Because U.S. TB is not a thing of the past, this follow-up matters. Reported cases have been rising again: the CDC reported 9,615 TB cases in 2023, and provisional 2024 data showed a further increase to more than 10,000 cases — the highest annual count in over a decade (check the CDC for the latest confirmed numbers). If you have latent TB, a clinician may recommend preventive treatment — commonly a course lasting about 3 to 9 months depending on the regimen — to keep it from progressing. Treatment for active TB involves a longer course of multiple antibiotics, usually around 6 months or more. In every case, the specific medicines, doses, and duration are decided and monitored by your prescriber and health department — there is no self-treatment for TB. For more on finding care, see our wellness guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a TB test take?

The skin test itself takes less than 5 minutes, but you must return 48 to 72 hours later for the reading, so the total process spans 2 to 3 days. A blood test (IGRA) takes about 10 to 15 minutes for the draw, and results are typically available within 1 to 3 business days.

Can I shower or exercise after a TB skin test?

Yes, you can shower and exercise normally. Just avoid scrubbing, scratching, or rubbing the test site, and do not apply Band-Aids, tape, lotions, or creams to the area, since these can irritate the skin and potentially affect the reading.

Do I need a TB test for a new job?

Many employers in healthcare, education, childcare, food service, and correctional facilities require TB testing as a condition of employment, and some require annual testing. Check with your employer’s HR department or occupational health office for specific requirements. Employer-required tests are often paid for by the employer.

What happens if my TB test is positive?

A positive test is followed by a chest X-ray to look for signs of active TB in the lungs, along with a clinician’s evaluation. If the X-ray is normal and you have no symptoms, you likely have latent TB infection and may be offered preventive treatment. If the X-ray is abnormal or you have symptoms, further tests (including sputum cultures) determine whether you have active TB disease, which is contagious and reportable and requires treatment coordinated with a clinician and the health department. Do not self-interpret a positive result — follow up with a clinician. A positive test generally stays positive for life, so future screening is usually done with chest X-rays or a symptom check rather than repeating the skin test.

Is the TB skin test safe during pregnancy?

Yes. The TB skin test is considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, according to the CDC. The test does not contain live bacteria and poses no known risk to the mother or fetus. If testing is indicated — for example, due to exposure or immigration requirements — it should not be delayed because of pregnancy. As with anyone, a positive result should be evaluated by a clinician.

Sources

• CDC — Tuberculosis (TB): TB testing (TST vs. IGRA), latent vs. active TB, and U.S. TB surveillance data.
• MedlinePlus (U.S. National Library of Medicine) — Tuberculosis; TB testing and follow-up after a positive result.
• HRSA — Find a Health Center (federally qualified health centers and the sliding-fee scale).