Middle-Class Americans Sell Plasma to Make Ends Meet

Plasma centers see surge in middle-class donors as affordability crisis deepens

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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A growing number of middle-class Americans are turning to plasma donation centers to earn extra cash as rising costs and weakened job prospects take a toll. Plasma centers across the country are reporting steady traffic from workers who say they need the money for basic necessities like toilet paper and pet food. The plasma industry has seen a over 30% increase in donations since 2022, with an estimated 200,000 people selling plasma daily as part of a multibillion-dollar business.

Why it matters

This trend highlights the growing affordability crisis facing the middle class, as wages fail to keep up with inflation. It reflects a troubling shift where educated, skilled workers are resorting to selling their plasma just to make ends meet, raising concerns about the state of the economy and the disappearing middle class.

The details

Plasma centers are now more numerous than Costco stores, with new locations opening in suburban strip malls and college towns. Donors like Jill Chamberlain from Phoenix, Arizona and Erin Ragnetti from Fresno, California say they are forced to sell plasma to cover basic expenses after losing higher-paying jobs or struggling with rising costs. Michelle Eagan in suburban Minneapolis drives 35 minutes twice a week to sell plasma to pay for her son's preschool tuition after leaving a $75,000 paralegal job.

  • In 2024, Americans made an estimated $4.7 billion selling about 62.5 million liters of plasma, a more than 30% increase since 2022.
  • Last year, the U.S. shipped $6.2 billion worth of plasma overseas, supplying 70% of the world's plasma.

The players

Ian Pleasant

A 43-year-old from Holmes, Pennsylvania who sells plasma to earn extra money for household expenses like toilet paper and pet food.

Jill Chamberlain

A Phoenix, Arizona resident who was laid off from a $87,000-per-year job overseeing a local business's finances in 2024, and now makes $16.11 an hour, selling plasma out of necessity.

Erin Ragnetti

A Fresno, California resident who began selling plasma to cover debt and bills as the economy and rising costs have made it difficult to make ends meet.

Michelle Eagan

A resident of suburban Minneapolis who drives 35 minutes twice a week to sell plasma in order to cover her son's $700-per-month preschool tuition after leaving a $75,000-per-year paralegal job.

Peter Jaworski

A professor at Georgetown University who studies the ethics and economics of the plasma business.

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What they’re saying

“I'm angry that I'm working this much, that I'm educated, that I'm articulate, that I have marketable skills, and that I'm reduced to selling my plasma.”

— Jill Chamberlain (The Daily Beast)

“This is not how things are supposed to be.”

— Jill Chamberlain (The Daily Beast)

“Because the economy is what it is right now, everything's just so much more expensive. I realized, if we're going to make ends meet, I've got to find a way to make more money.”

— Erin Ragnetti (The Daily Beast)

The takeaway

This troubling trend of middle-class Americans being forced to sell their plasma to make ends meet highlights the growing affordability crisis facing many families, as wages fail to keep up with rising costs of living. It reflects a concerning erosion of economic security and the disappearance of the middle class, raising urgent questions about the state of the economy and the need for policy solutions to address these challenges.