Funeral Home Workers

Salaries of funeral home workers vary depending on experience, services performed, level of formal education, and location. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the median annual salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers was $51,030 in May 2023. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $30,660 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $91,870 annually. The department also reports that embalmers earned a median annual salary of $54,090. Salaries ranged from a low of $35,360 for the lowest paid 10 percent to a high of $79,650 or more per year for the highest paid 10 percent. Funeral attendants earned between $24,120 and $46,580 or more, with a median salary of $33,850 annually. Funeral home managers earned between $44,830 and $131,360 or more, with a median salary of $75,660 per year.

According to the American Board of Funeral Service Education, starting salaries for new funeral service licensees often closely approximate those of starting teachers in the same community.

In some metropolitan areas, many funeral home employees are unionized; in these cases, salaries are determined by union contracts and are generally higher than those in regions in which employees have not organized a union.

Benefits may vary depending on the position and the employer, but usually include such items as health insurance, retirement or 401(k) plans, and paid vacation days.