Coroners
Direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths.
Also called: Autopsy Facilities Manager, Certified Medical Examiner, Coroner, Coroner Investigator, County Coroner, Death Investigator
Median pay
$80,730
Pay for the broader BLS group “Compliance Officers”
Pay range (10th–90th)
$48,220 – $133,720
People employed
417,070
Whole BLS group
Holland code
ICE
Investigative · Conventional · Enterprising
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 2.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 3.Do you work well under tight deadlines?
- 4.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 5.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 6.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
The hard parts
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Tight deadlines are common
- Work outdoors in all weather
Coroners pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, for the broader group “Compliance Officers”.
What coroners do
- 01Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
- 02Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
- 03Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
- 04Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
- 05Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.
- 06Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- English Language
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Customer and Personal Service
- Law and Government
- Biology
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Intellectual Curiosity
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs vocational training or an associate degree (O*NET Job Zone 3).
- Related work experience: over 2 years, up to and including 4 years.
- On-the-job training: over 6 months, up to and including 1 year.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from coroners
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators88% · —
- Police Identification and Records Officers86% · group pay
- Forensic Science Technicians83% · —
- Medical Records Specialists82% · —
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers82% · —
Change into coroners
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Police Identification and Records Officers86% · $93,790
- Detectives and Criminal Investigators83% · $93,790
- Forensic Science Technicians83% · $72,060
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers79% · $76,210
- Private Detectives and Investigators76% · $51,220
Majors that lead here
- Environmental Studies
- Environmental Science
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Energy and Environmental Policy
- Environmental Geosciences
- Suspension and Debarment Investigation
- Medical Staff Services Technology/Technician
- Regulatory Science/Affairs
- Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
- Labor and Industrial Relations
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.