Embalmers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $38,310 | $18.42 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $58,780 | $28.26 |
| Mean (average) | $58,390 | $28.07 |
| 90th percentile | $77,570 | $37.29 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Embalmers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 28 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $53,080 | $20,800 | $86,900 | 90 | 1.63 |
| Arkansas | $58,250 | $27,880 | $88,790 | 90 | 2.66 |
| California | $60,060 | $47,310 | $80,590 | 520 | 1.14 |
| Colorado | $57,100 | $42,700 | $81,450 | 70 | 1.02 |
| Florida | $60,170 | $32,190 | $64,470 | 300 | 1.19 |
| Georgia | $55,000 | $40,310 | $73,640 | 50 | 0.43 |
| Illinois | $61,730 | $56,490 | $75,780 | 60 | 0.39 |
| Indiana | $62,400 | $61,270 | $65,440 | ||
| Iowa | $39,490 | $31,810 | $78,420 | ||
| Kansas | $63,160 | $38,540 | $108,350 | 120 | 3.2 |
| Kentucky | $49,860 | $30,440 | $70,150 | 280 | 5.61 |
| Louisiana | $54,890 | $16,940 | $88,610 | 150 | 3.05 |
| Massachusetts | $54,320 | $38,720 | $75,300 | 100 | 1.05 |
| Mississippi | $58,900 | $50,780 | $76,800 | 40 | 1.4 |
| Missouri | $66,490 | $39,940 | $76,640 | 160 | 2.17 |
| New Mexico | $45,340 | $38,080 | $47,030 | 30 | 1.39 |
| North Carolina | $68,550 | $42,540 | $87,650 | 70 | 0.58 |
| Ohio | $71,550 | $50,550 | $84,420 | 80 | 0.6 |
| Oklahoma | $49,120 | $37,080 | $55,850 | 90 | 2.2 |
| Oregon | $57,170 | $45,670 | $73,390 | 70 | 1.51 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,950 | $41,250 | $72,060 | 50 | 0.32 |
| Rhode Island | $60,310 | $53,570 | $66,410 | 40 | 2.89 |
| South Carolina | $61,820 | $47,240 | $76,140 | 140 | 2.5 |
| Tennessee | $55,170 | $39,840 | $77,180 | 180 | 2.18 |
| Texas | $57,350 | $38,960 | $66,960 | 680 | 1.92 |
| Virginia | $63,810 | $44,280 | $74,310 | 120 | 1.13 |
| Washington | $50,610 | $39,600 | $88,900 | 40 | 0.41 |
| West Virginia | $54,060 | $32,990 | $76,870 | 50 | 2.65 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for embalmers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for embalmers
- Typical entry education
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Long-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General CIP 12.0301
- Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer CIP 12.0303
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
- Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
- Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
- Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
- Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.
- Clean and disinfect areas in which bodies are prepared and embalmed.
- Dress bodies and place them in caskets.
- Make incisions in arms or thighs and drain blood from circulatory system and replace it with embalming fluid, using pump.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Belmar & Associates Mortware
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Custom Data Systems Sterling Management Software
- FPA Software MACCS
- HMIS Advantage
- Twin Tier Technologies MIMS
- Web browser software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Time Management, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Embalmer, Licensed Embalmer, Trade Embalmer.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do embalmers make?
The national median annual wage for embalmers was $58,780 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $38,310 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $77,570. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do embalmers need?
BLS lists associate's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and long-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is embalmers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of embalmers to change +0.7% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay embalmers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were Ohio ($71,550), Pennsylvania ($69,950), North Carolina ($68,550). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.