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Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers: Career Profile
Perform various tasks to arrange and direct individual 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.
What Do Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Perform?
The core tasks performed by morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers include:
- Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
- Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
- Perform embalming duties, as necessary.
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Remove deceased remains from place of death.
- Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate funerals, burials, or cremations, arranging details such as floral delivery or the time and place of services.
- Close caskets and lead funeral corteges to churches or burial sites.
What Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Need to Know
Top morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Arranger
- Cemetery Manager
- Certified Mortician
- Embalmer
- Funeral Arrangement Director
- Funeral Arranger
- Funeral Counselor
- Funeral Director
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 369,709 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -0.1% over the projection horizon.
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $58,312 |
| Hourly median | $28.04 |
| 10th percentile | $40,014 |
| 25th percentile | $49,163 |
| 75th percentile | $67,462 |
| 90th percentile | $76,611 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Delaware | $80,290 |
| North Dakota | $76,720 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 |
| Nebraska | $65,310 |
| Maine | $63,790 |
| Iowa | $63,770 |
| New York | $62,590 |
| Idaho | $61,270 |
| Utah | $61,190 |
| New Hampshire | $61,000 |
| Michigan | $60,700 |
| Illinois | $60,680 |
| Indiana | $60,430 |
| Virginia | $60,360 |
| Washington | $60,010 |
| South Dakota | $58,990 |
| Florida | $58,960 |
| North Carolina | $58,860 |
| Colorado | $57,420 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,940 |
| Connecticut | $54,590 |
| Vermont | $52,000 |
| Rhode Island | $51,990 |
| Oklahoma | $51,610 |
| West Virginia | $50,210 |
| Wisconsin | $50,020 |
| Wyoming | $49,840 |
| Nevada | $49,740 |
| Ohio | $49,360 |
| Montana | $49,140 |
| Georgia | $49,100 |
| Alabama | $48,450 |
| Oregon | $48,370 |
| Massachusetts | $48,300 |
| California | $47,170 |
| Kansas | $46,920 |
| Maryland | $46,080 |
| New Mexico | $45,970 |
| Kentucky | $45,640 |
| Missouri | $44,830 |
| Tennessee | $44,670 |
| New Jersey | $44,010 |
| Mississippi | $40,280 |
| South Carolina | $40,160 |
| Louisiana | $38,890 |
| Hawaii | $38,040 |
| Arizona | $37,970 |
| Texas | $36,760 |
| Arkansas | $35,970 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,620 |
Where Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Earn the Most
Earnings for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers vary by region. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plains States | $59,622 | 9.7% | 1.53 |
| Rocky Mountains | $57,886 | 3.7% | 1.01 |
| Middle Atlantic | $55,966 | 14.0% | 0.95 |
| Great Lakes | $55,703 | 17.6% | 1.29 |
| New England | $52,376 | 4.6% | 1.00 |
| Southeast | $49,939 | 25.7% | 1.17 |
| Far Western US | $48,506 | 14.7% | 0.90 |
| Southwest | $39,597 | 9.4% | 0.78 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | MN | $80,750 | 250 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | MN | $74,180 | 60 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | NH | $67,630 | 30 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | IA | $66,600 | 80 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | NE | $65,860 | 80 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | IA | $65,450 | 60 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $65,350 | 1,160 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | UT | $64,020 | 140 |
Which Industries Hire Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
The largest employers of morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 25,360 | $49,670 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Customer relationship management CRM software: Salesforce software (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The on-the-job environment of morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
- Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Education and Training
Typical morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers positions require an associate’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Social and Community Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Funeral Home Managers (Primary-Short)
- Coroners (Primary-Long)
- Rehabilitation Counselors (Supplemental)
- Child, Family, and School Social Workers (Supplemental)
- Social and Human Service Assistants (Supplemental)
- Clergy (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Students preparing for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers often complete programs in:
Personal and Culinary Services
3 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 39-4031.00 (Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers).
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