Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
Also called: Morticians and Funeral Arrangers
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.
Also called: Arranger, Cemetery Manager, Certified Mortician, Embalmer, Funeral Arrangement Director, Funeral Arranger
Median pay
$55,010
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$33,350 – $88,620
People employed
25,100
Holland code
CES
Conventional · Enterprising · 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 enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 2.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 3.Are you OK with hours that change?
- 4.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
The hard parts
- Tight deadlines are common
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers pay by state
Annual median pay by state (48 states with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers salary in every state →
What morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers do
- 01Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
- 02Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
- 03Perform embalming duties, as necessary.
- 04Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- 05Remove deceased remains from place of death.
- 06Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
Skills that matter most
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Writing
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
- Psychology
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
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: none.
- 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 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
- Funeral Home Managers92% · +43%
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers81% · −12%
- Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants73% · +39%
- Social and Community Service Managers72% · +46%
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers72% · +42%
Change into morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Funeral Home Managers80% · $78,790
- First-Line Supervisors of Personal Service Workers75% · $48,590
- Residential Advisors74% · $42,240
- Bailiffs69% · $56,600
- Barbers67% · $38,210
Majors that lead here
- Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General
- Funeral Direction/Service
- Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, Other
- Thanatology
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.