Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
Funeral service workers organize and manage the details of a ceremony honoring a deceased person.
Is morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers a good career?
It scores 14/100 and ranks #538 of 825 occupations on pay, growth, employment and openings. Here's what the federal data says, with no editorializing.
Advantages
- Tracked in official BLS wage and projection data, so the numbers here are verifiable
Possible tradeoffs
- Pays below the U.S. median wage ($55,010 vs $61,390)
What morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers earn
Wages: BLS OEWS May 2025Pay is a range, not a number. Half of U.S. morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers earn between $42,430 and $72,010 a year.
Best-paying states
Best-paying metros
Live morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers jobs
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- Typical education
- Associate's degree
- Work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- Outlook
- Employment is projected to grow as fast as average through 2034.
Education
An associate’s degree in a funeral service or mortuary science education program is typically required for all funeral service workers to enter the occupation. Courses usually cover topics such as ethics, grief counseling, funeral service, and business law. Accredited programs also include courses in embalming and restorative techniques.
Most accredited funeral service and mortuary science programs offer a 2-year associate’s degree at community colleges. Some programs offer a bachelor’s degree.
Although an associate’s degree is typically required, some employers prefer applicants to have a bachelor’s degree. Common fields of degree include mortuary science, psychology, and business.
High school students can prepare to become a funeral service worker by taking classes in biology, chemistry, business, and public speaking.
Students may gain relevant experience working part-time or summer jobs in a funeral home.
Training
Those studying to be morticians and funeral arrangers must complete training, usually lasting 1 to 3 years, under the direction of a licensed funeral director or manager. The training, sometimes called an internship or an apprenticeship, may be completed before, during, or after graduating from a funeral service or mortuary science program and passing a national board exam.
Licenses, certifications & registrations
Most states and Washington, DC, require workers to be licensed. An exception is Colorado, which offers a voluntary certification program. Although licensing laws and examinations vary by state, most applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Be 21 years old
- Complete an accredited funeral service or mortuary science education program
- Pass a state and/or national board exam
- Serve an internship lasting 1 to 3 years
Working in multiple states requires multiple licenses. For specific requirements, Most states require funeral directors to earn continuing education credits to keep their licenses.
Many states require certification for those who will perform cremations. For specific requirements,
Important qualities
Business skills. Knowledge of financial statements and the ability to run a funeral home efficiently and profitably are important for funeral directors and managers.
Compassion. Death is a delicate and emotional matter. Funeral service workers must be able to treat clients with care and sympathy in their time of loss.
Interpersonal skills. Funeral service workers should have good interpersonal skills. When speaking with families, for example, they must be tactful and able to explain and discuss all matters about services provided.
Time-management skills. Funeral service workers must be able to handle numerous tasks for multiple customers, often over a short timeframe.
Related occupations
How much do morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers make?
The national median wage is $55,010 a year, with the middle half earning between $42,430 and $72,010 (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Is morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers a good career?
On the Jobs.best index it scores 14 of 100 and ranks #538 of 825 occupations, weighing pay, growth, employment and openings. Employment is projected to change +3.1% through 2034.
What education do you need to become a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger?
The typical entry-level education is associate's degree.
Where do morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers earn the most?
Among states, Delaware pays the highest median ($81,530). Local pay for every state and metro is below.