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White Blood Cells (WBC)

Blood

White Blood Cells (WBC)

Also known as: Leukocytes, WCC, White Cell Count

COMMON RANGE

3.4 – 9.6

×10³/µL

2.31

14.2

Mayo Clinic Laboratories

Adult

↗

See all sources ↓

CONVERT & COMPARE

×10³/µL

6.5

×10⁹/L

6500

cells/µL

Reference ranges across 10+ sources

Adult reference ranges from 6 entries across 6 named sources, shown in ×10³/µL. Compare side-by-side.

SOURCE

SEX

AGE

RANGE

VISUAL

CITE

Mayo Clinic Laboratories

All

≥18y

3.4 – 9.6 ×10³/µL

↗

Labcorp

All

≥18y

3.4 – 10.8 ×10³/µL

↗

Nordic Reference Interval Project

All

≥18y

3.5 – 8.8 ×10³/µL

↗

UK Pathology Harmony

All

≥18y

4 – 11 ×10³/µL

↗

JSCC / JAMT Japan

All

≥18y

3.3 – 8.6 ×10³/µL

Turkey Nationwide Reference Intervals

All

≥18y

4.39 – 11.6 ×10³/µL

Mayo Clinic Laboratories

All · ≥18y

↗

3.4 – 9.6 ×10³/µL

Labcorp

All · ≥18y

↗

3.4 – 10.8 ×10³/µL

Nordic Reference Interval Project

All · ≥18y

↗

3.5 – 8.8 ×10³/µL

UK Pathology Harmony

All · ≥18y

↗

4 – 11 ×10³/µL

JSCC / JAMT Japan

All · ≥18y

3.3 – 8.6 ×10³/µL

Turkey Nationwide Reference Intervals

All · ≥18y

4.39 – 11.6 ×10³/µL

Ages 0–17 (CALIPER)

PEDIATRIC

3 age- and sex-stratified entries from the Canadian Laboratory Initiative on Pediatric Reference Intervals.

SOURCE

SEX

AGE

RANGE

VISUAL

CITE

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

All

0–3y

5.3 – 13.2 ×10³/µL

↗

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

All

3y–5y

4.8 – 11.5 ×10³/µL

↗

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

All

5y–21y

4.2 – 10.2 ×10³/µL

↗

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

All · 0–3y

↗

5.3 – 13.2 ×10³/µL

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

All · 3y–5y

↗

4.8 – 11.5 ×10³/µL

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

All · 5y–21y

↗

4.2 – 10.2 ×10³/µL

About White Blood Cells (WBC)

A white blood count measures the number of white blood cells (WBCs) in your blood. White blood cells, also called leukocytes, are part of your immune system. They are a type of blood cell made in your bone marrow and found in your blood and lymph tissue (part of your immune system). If you are injured or get sick, the white blood cells will travel through your bloodstream and tissues to where they are needed. There, they will help your body fight off infections and other diseases.

When you get sick, your body makes more white blood cells to fight the bacteria, viruses, or other foreign substances causing your illness. This increases your white blood count.

Other diseases can cause your body to make fewer white blood cells than you need. This lowers your white blood count. Diseases that can lower your white blood count include some types of cancer and HIV, a viral disease that attacks white blood cells. Certain medicines, including chemotherapy, may also lower the number of your white blood cells.

Main source: MedlinePlus ↗

Useful for

Help diagnose and follow infections, especially bacterial and viral.

Help diagnose and follow autoimmune and inflammatory diseases that can affect white cell counts.

Help find blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, and Hodgkin disease.

Help look into allergic reactions and parasitic infections.

Watch for low white blood cell counts in people getting chemotherapy, radiation, or certain other medicines, since low counts raise the risk of serious infections.

Help look at how the liver, spleen, and bone marrow are working.

Main source: MedlinePlus ↗

Interpretation

Your results may show a normal, high, or low WBC count.

A high WBC count (leukocytosis) is most often a response to infection, but can also be seen with inflammation, physical or emotional stress, smoking, pregnancy, allergic reactions, certain medicines such as steroids, and blood cancers like leukemia or lymphoma.

A low WBC count (leukopenia) means your body has fewer infection-fighting cells than usual, which can raise your risk of getting infections. Causes include some viral infections, bone marrow problems, autoimmune diseases, vitamin deficiencies, severe infection, certain cancers (such as some leukemias), HIV, and treatments like chemotherapy and radiation.

If you are already being treated for a white blood cell disorder, your results may show if your treatment is working or whether your condition has improved.

Abnormal results don't always mean you have a serious condition. Your provider will look at your symptoms, medical history, and other test results to put your WBC into context.

For general wellness information only. Talk to a clinician about your specific results.

Main source: MedlinePlus ↗

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Related biomarkers

Often tested alongside white blood cells (wbc) or part of the same panel.

Red Blood Cells (RBC)

Blood

Hemoglobin (Hgb)

Blood

Hematocrit (Hct)

Blood

Platelets (PLT)

Blood

Mean Corpuscular Volume (MCV)

Blood

Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (MCH)

Blood

Sources

Mayo Clinic Laboratories

Labcorp

Nordic Reference Interval Project

UK Pathology Harmony

JSCC / JAMT Japan

Turkey Nationwide Reference Intervals

CALIPER — Canadian Pediatric Reference Intervals

Last updated 2026-05-02

This page aggregates publicly available reference data and clinical information from Mayo Clinic Laboratories and other sources. For general wellness information only — not medical advice. For diagnosis or treatment of any condition, talk to a qualified clinician.

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