What is a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director?
Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director Job Description Perform various tasks to arrange and direct funeral services, such as coordinating transportation of body to mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.
A Day in the Life of a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director
- Provide or arrange transportation between sites for the remains, mourners, pallbearers, clergy, or flowers.
- Clean funeral home facilities and grounds.
- Plan placement of caskets at funeral sites or place or adjust lights, fixtures, or floral displays.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate funerals, burials, or cremations, arranging details such as floral delivery or the time and place of services.
- Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
- Discuss and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients.
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Things a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director Should Know How to Do
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors state the following job skills are important in their day-to-day work.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Related Job Titles
- Funeral Pre-Need Consultant
- Undertaker
- Licensed Funeral Director
- Licensed Mortician
- Funeral Arrangement Director
Job Opportunities for Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors
In the United States, there were 28,700 jobs for Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director in 2016. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 3.8% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,700 job openings in this field each year.

The states with the most job growth for Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director are Colorado, Utah, and Maine. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors Salary
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors make between $29,050 and $89,050 a year.

Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors who work in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors make in different U.S. states?
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $40,840 |
Arizona | $45,830 |
Arkansas | $41,330 |
California | $51,350 |
Colorado | $53,190 |
Connecticut | $159,970 |
Delaware | $67,430 |
Florida | $57,030 |
Georgia | $47,120 |
Hawaii | $40,140 |
Idaho | $54,920 |
Illinois | $72,280 |
Indiana | $53,640 |
Iowa | $68,300 |
Kansas | $57,990 |
Kentucky | $44,460 |
Louisiana | $41,450 |
Maine | $55,850 |
Maryland | $59,470 |
Massachusetts | $71,670 |
Michigan | $63,280 |
Minnesota | $67,550 |
Mississippi | $35,630 |
Missouri | $43,170 |
Montana | $57,200 |
Nebraska | $69,280 |
Nevada | $39,910 |
New Hampshire | $69,350 |
New Jersey | $72,250 |
New Mexico | $61,540 |
New York | $68,130 |
North Carolina | $56,170 |
North Dakota | $72,220 |
Ohio | $55,460 |
Oklahoma | $55,370 |
Oregon | $51,400 |
Pennsylvania | $50,330 |
South Carolina | $48,120 |
South Dakota | $56,360 |
Tennessee | $51,580 |
Texas | $53,560 |
Utah | $56,820 |
Vermont | $66,610 |
Virginia | $57,930 |
Washington | $57,140 |
West Virginia | $49,810 |
Wisconsin | $59,760 |
Wyoming | $61,280 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Corel WordPerfect
- FPA Software MACCS
- HMIS Advantage
- Belmar & Associates Mortware
- Custom Data Systems Sterling Management Software
- Twin Tier Technologies MIMS
Becoming a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director
Education needed to be a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director:

How Long Does it Take to Become a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director?

Where Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors Work

Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors work in the following industries:

References:
Image Credit: Senior Airman Andrew Lee via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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