Embalmers
Prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements.
Also called: Anatomical Embalmer, Arterial Embalmer, Embalmer, Funeral Embalmer, Funeral Services Embalmer, Licensed Embalmer
Median pay
$58,780
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$38,310 – $77,570
People employed
3,890
Holland code
RCS
Realistic · Conventional · Social
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 work well under tight deadlines?
- 2.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 3.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 4.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 5.Are you OK with physical risk, such as hazardous equipment or conditions, with proper training?
- 6.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
- 7.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Exposure to hazardous conditions
Embalmers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (28 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What embalmers do
- 01Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
- 02Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
- 03Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
- 04Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
- 05Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.
- 06Clean and disinfect areas in which bodies are prepared and embalmed.
Skills that matter most
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Chemistry
- Psychology
- English Language
- Law and Government
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Self-Control
- Stress Tolerance
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 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- On-the-job training: over 1 year, up to and including 2 years.
- 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 embalmers
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses83% · +10%
- Surgical Assistants78% · +14%
- Coroners75% · group pay
- Respiratory Therapists75% · +40%
- Surgical Technologists75% · +10%
Change into embalmers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses73% · $64,400
- Phlebotomists72% · $45,230
- Veterinary Technologists and Technicians72% · $47,380
- Animal Caretakers71% · $35,360
- Nursing Assistants71% · $42,260
Majors that lead here
- Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General
- Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.