Also known as: Total Testosterone Test, Testosterone Level Test
On your lab requisition: Quest “Testosterone, Total, MS” (test code 15983)Labcorp “Testosterone, Total, LC/MS” (test no. 070001)BioReference “Testosterone, Total/Free (LC/MS)” (test code K630-4)
The short answer
Measures total testosterone levels — the starting point for evaluating hormonal health in men and women, measured from a standard blood draw. At TestWell it costs $33.99 plus a $6 lab processing fee, needs no fasting, and results post in 1–3 business days. Physician-authorized with no doctor's visit or insurance needed; draw at Quest or Labcorp.
Hospital Lab
$180
cash pay
Other Labs
$69
+ lab fees
TestWell
$33.99
+ $6 lab processing fee
Total testosterone measures all testosterone in the blood, both free (active) and bound to proteins. It's the first-line test for evaluating testosterone levels in both men and women. Low testosterone in men can cause fatigue, low libido, muscle loss, and mood changes. In women, high testosterone can indicate PCOS or other hormonal imbalances. TestWell orders the mass-spectrometry version at both labs — Quest test 15983 and Labcorp 070001, total testosterone by LC-MS/MS — the reference method the Endocrine Society recommends and the CDC Hormone Standardization Program certifies, not the basic immunoassay. Quest's LC-MS/MS assay reports values from 1 to 10,000 ng/dL, so high levels on therapy come back as actual numbers rather than ">1500".
Measures total testosterone (bound + free) in the bloodstream. Used to evaluate low T, monitor TRT, and investigate fatigue, low libido, and unexplained muscle loss in men.
Men with low energy, reduced libido, erectile dysfunction, mood changes, decreased muscle mass, anyone considering or currently on testosterone replacement therapy (TRT). Women evaluating PCOS or unexplained hirsutism.
Sample Type
Blood draw
Fasting
Not required
Results In
1–3 business days
Performed At
Quest or Labcorp
Your Testosterone, Total results will include values for each of the 1 biomarker tested, along with reference ranges. Results are reviewed by a licensed physician before being released to your secure portal.
If any values fall outside the normal range, your report will include guidance on what that may mean and recommended next steps. You'll receive an email notification when your results are ready, typically within 1–3 business days.
Typical reference range layout
Lab reports show where your value sits relative to established reference intervals—your physician interprets this in context for you. Already have results? Analyze them with your AI assistant against our physician-reviewed ranges.
Best drawn in the morning (before 10 AM) when testosterone levels peak.
What can throw off this result
Physician-reviewed “Before your test” pages — what each factor does, for how long, and what to do about it.
The short answer
For a first look at symptoms like low energy, low libido, or training plateaus — yes, and Total is the right FIRST test for most men at $33.99. But total testosterone measures everything in the blood, most of it bound to SHBG — and when SHBG is abnormal, the total misrepresents how much is actually available. If you have a condition that shifts SHBG (see the skip list), go straight to Free & Total + SHBG instead: it costs more but answers the question the first time.
We would rather you order the right test than the most expensive one.
Available, but timing beats convenience here: draw between 7 and 10 AM, when testosterone peaks — a mid-afternoon draw can read 20-30% lower and manufacture a false low. Don't test during an acute illness or after a run of bad sleep; a single low result under those conditions shouldn't be treated as an answer, let alone a diagnosis. If a first morning total comes back low, the guideline-correct next step is a second morning total on a different day — not a bigger panel.
The markers that matter most and what an out-of-range value can mean. Reference ranges vary by lab, age and sex.
| Marker | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Testosterone, Total | 264-916 ng/dL (adult male; intervals vary by lab and age) | Below range with symptoms, confirmed on a second morning draw, is how low testosterone is actually established — one low reading is not a diagnosis. Above range usually reflects testosterone therapy. If the number and your symptoms disagree, SHBG is the usual explanation, and Free & Total + SHBG is the tiebreaker. |
This section medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD — updated August 2026. General health information, not medical advice; interpret results with a qualified clinician.
A Total Testosterone test costs $33.99 at TestWell — $39.99 all-in when ordered alone, because the $6 lab processing fee is charged once per order, with no draw fee or physician fee added. Ordered directly from the labs' own consumer sites, the same test lists at $69.00 at Quest Health and $69.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (list prices checked Sep 12, 2026). Hospital outpatient labs typically bill around $180.00 self-pay for the same test, and often more. With insurance, what you pay depends on your deductible and your plan's negotiated rate; TestWell's price is fixed before the draw and is HSA/FSA-eligible. Full cost breakdown →
| Where you order | Price | One test, all-in | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| TestWell (drawn at Quest) | $33.99 | $39.99 | Includes the one $6 lab processing fee, charged once per order |
| TestWell (drawn at Labcorp) | $43.99 | $49.99 | Labcorp's own cost for this test is higher; same order, same portal, same physician review |
| TestWell (drawn at BioReference — New York & New Jersey) | $45.99 | $51.99 | New York and New Jersey orders route to BioReference; Quest Health and Labcorp OnDemand don't take self-ordered draws in those states |
| Quest Health (Quest Diagnostics' own site) | $69.00 | $69.00 | list price checked Sep 12, 2026 |
| Labcorp OnDemand (Labcorp's own site) | $69.00 | $69.00 | list price checked Sep 12, 2026 |
| Hospital outpatient lab, self-pay (typical) | $180.00 | $180.00 | Reference figure; hospital charges vary widely by facility and are often higher |
42% less than the lower lab-direct list price, for the same draw at the same lab. Lab test codes: Quest test code 15983 · Labcorp test no. 070001 · BioReference code K630-4. Competitor prices are read from the linked public pages and re-checked regularly; the labs' sites may add taxes or change prices without notice.
Compare more: Quest Diagnostics price list · Labcorp price list · Quest vs Labcorp · Lab test price checker
Most labs use a range of about 264-916 ng/dL for adult men. The optimal range varies by age and lab — under 300 ng/dL with symptoms typically warrants further evaluation, and many TRT clinics target 600-900 ng/dL for treatment.
Testosterone peaks in the morning. Draw between 7-10 AM for the most accurate baseline. Two separate morning draws are usually needed to confirm low T before starting treatment, per Endocrine Society guidelines.
No fasting required. But pair it with a metabolic panel or lipid panel (which do require fasting) and you'll only need one trip to the lab.
On TestWell, Testosterone Total is $33.99. Quest Direct lists the same test at $69, walk-in hospital labs typically bill $150-180 without insurance. Same CLIA-certified labs, same biomarker — TestWell just removes the markup.
The CPT code for Testosterone, Total is 84403. Free testosterone is billed separately as 84402. Cash-pay patients don't need a CPT code to order through TestWell.
Often yes. Total testosterone can look normal while bioavailable (Free) testosterone is low — especially if SHBG is elevated. Our Testosterone, Free & Total test includes both for a more complete picture.
Total testosterone includes everything — tightly bound to SHBG (inactive), loosely bound to albumin, and free. Bioavailable = free + albumin-bound (what tissues can actually use). Bioavailable matters most clinically when SHBG is high or low.
Saliva and finger-prick kits exist, but guidelines base a low-testosterone diagnosis on a morning venous blood sample measured by LC/MS — which is what this test is. TestWell keeps the convenience without the accuracy trade-off: you order online from home, walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center when it suits you — no appointment or doctor's visit needed — and results post to your TestWell account in 1–3 business days. Book the draw before 10 AM, when testosterone peaks.
It is the mass-spectrometry test. TestWell orders total testosterone by LC-MS/MS at both labs — Quest test 15983 and Labcorp 070001 — the reference method the Endocrine Society recommends and the CDC Hormone Standardization Program certifies. Quest's assay has a reportable range of 1 to 10,000 ng/dL, so a high level on testosterone therapy is reported as an actual number rather than ">1500" the way immunoassays often cap. Labcorp publishes its adult reference interval (264–916 ng/dL) rather than an assay ceiling; choose Quest at checkout if you expect very high values.
Total testosterone measures everything in the blood, most of it bound to SHBG and unavailable to tissues. When SHBG is normal, Total tracks reality and is the right cheap first test. When SHBG is abnormal — obesity, diabetes, thyroid or liver disease, certain medications, older age — Total misleads in either direction, and Free & Total + SHBG ($69.99) is the interpretation-complete draw. That panel measures free testosterone by equilibrium dialysis with total by mass spectrometry — the decision-grade methods, not the direct analog assay.
Testosterone follows a daily rhythm that peaks in the early morning and declines through the day. Guidelines standardize on a 7-10 AM draw so results are comparable — an afternoon sample can read materially lower and create a false low.
Not yet. Roughly 30% of men with an initial low total are normal on repeat, which is why guidelines require two separate morning totals before concluding anything. Repeat the same $33.99 test on a different morning before drawing conclusions — and don't test during illness or after severely disrupted sleep.
Monitoring schedules are set by your prescriber. As general reference: testosterone, hematocrit, and — for men over 40 — PSA are commonly checked around 3 to 6 months after starting or changing therapy, then roughly every 6 to 12 months once stable. Hematocrit matters as much as the testosterone number: rising red blood cell concentration is the most common side effect of therapy, and a hematocrit at or above 54% is a recognized threshold for prescribers to act on. Draw at the same point in your cycle each time so results are comparable, and ask your prescriber which point they want — a testosterone level without a hematocrit is half the picture.
Yes — exogenous testosterone suppresses the body's own testosterone production and sperm production. That matters for anyone considering future fertility, and it's a conversation to have with a prescriber before starting therapy, not after. TRT is also a long-term commitment with ongoing monitoring costs, which belongs in the 'is it worth it' math.
Ordered directly, a Total Testosterone test lists at $69.00 at Quest Health (Quest Diagnostics' own site) and $69.00 at Labcorp OnDemand (prices checked September 2026). TestWell orders the same test at the same Quest or Labcorp patient service centers for $33.99 — $39.99 all-in with the $6 per-order lab processing fee — paid out of pocket at checkout with no insurance, doctor's visit or draw fee; HSA and FSA cards are accepted.
Total Testosterone test results are typically ready in 1–3 business days after your draw at Quest or Labcorp. TestWell emails you the moment they post, and your results dashboard shows each marker against its reference range with a plain-English explanation.
Order the Total Testosterone test online from TestWell for $33.99 (plus a $6 per-order lab processing fee) — no doctor's visit, referral or insurance needed. A licensed physician authorizes the order, then you walk into any Quest or Labcorp patient service center near you for the draw (the lab locator on our site lists the closest ones by ZIP code), and results arrive in 1–3 business days.
The Total Testosterone test is Quest Diagnostics test code 15983 ("Testosterone, Total, MS"), Labcorp test number 070001 ("Testosterone, Total, LC/MS"), BioReference code K630-4 ("Testosterone, Total/Free (LC/MS)") (CPT 84403). TestWell orders it under those codes for $33.99 at Quest, Labcorp or BioReference — no doctor's visit or insurance required, results in 1–3 business days. Codes verified against the labs' catalogs in 2026.
Medically reviewed by Youmna DiStefano, MD · Last reviewed September 2026
Related guide
How Much Does a Testosterone Test Cost? Prices by Setting, Total vs Free, With and Without Insurance
Related guide
Testosterone Testing: Which Test Do You Actually Need (Total, Free, SHBG, or Full TRT Panel)?
Related guide
Free vs Total Testosterone: What Each Test Measures, Which One You Need, and Why SHBG Decides
TestWell Price
$33.99
+ $6 lab processing fee at checkout
No insurance needed · HIPAA compliant
Better value: the Fitness & Performance Panel
Save $99.93This test is part of the Fitness & Performance Panel — 8 tests · 37 biomarkers for $119.99, $99.93 less than à la carte.
$119.99$219.92
8 tests · 37 biomarkers
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