Funeral attendants salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $28,070 | $13.50 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $35,680 | $17.16 |
| Mean (average) | $37,190 | $17.88 |
| 90th percentile | $48,460 | $23.30 |
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
Funeral attendants pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $30,310 | $22,660 | $44,130 | 550 | 1.31 |
| Arizona | $35,450 | $30,580 | $45,920 | 420 | 0.65 |
| Arkansas | $31,630 | $24,290 | $62,860 | 140 | 0.53 |
| California | $38,700 | $35,950 | $53,750 | 1,790 | 0.49 |
| Colorado | $41,710 | $36,150 | $54,760 | 160 | 0.28 |
| Connecticut | $45,800 | $35,090 | $58,500 | 520 | 1.52 |
| Delaware | $46,720 | $42,730 | $55,950 | 110 | 1.14 |
| Florida | $30,210 | $28,860 | $40,180 | 1,700 | 0.86 |
| Georgia | $30,530 | $24,200 | $43,270 | 1,070 | 1.09 |
| Idaho | $33,280 | $29,890 | $48,810 | 70 | 0.4 |
| Illinois | $35,690 | $31,200 | $45,140 | 730 | 0.6 |
| Indiana | $34,420 | $29,770 | $46,730 | 1,080 | 1.69 |
| Iowa | $40,060 | $36,950 | $47,560 | 460 | 1.47 |
| Kansas | $30,720 | $21,430 | $37,630 | 330 | 1.14 |
| Kentucky | $29,160 | $22,430 | $35,790 | 560 | 1.39 |
| Louisiana | $30,370 | $17,590 | $42,470 | 560 | 1.45 |
| Maine | $39,330 | $35,140 | $46,490 | 220 | 1.73 |
| Maryland | $39,020 | $36,030 | $47,110 | 670 | 1.21 |
| Massachusetts | $46,280 | $31,200 | $69,440 | 1,090 | 1.5 |
| Michigan | $35,380 | $28,880 | $46,480 | 1,460 | 1.66 |
| Minnesota | $43,910 | $35,110 | $47,470 | 400 | 0.67 |
| Mississippi | $30,530 | $22,090 | $43,980 | 280 | 1.22 |
| Missouri | $39,270 | $30,250 | $52,910 | 620 | 1.05 |
| Montana | $37,080 | $33,510 | $43,880 | 110 | 1.1 |
| Nebraska | $30,170 | $28,080 | $35,660 | 270 | 1.34 |
| Nevada | $51,980 | $34,850 | $54,170 | 100 | 0.31 |
| New Hampshire | $55,850 | $48,050 | $88,200 | 120 | 0.87 |
| New Jersey | $37,240 | $32,220 | $74,370 | 540 | 0.63 |
| New Mexico | $34,890 | $31,490 | $46,770 | 170 | 1 |
| New York | $42,210 | $35,210 | $55,130 | 1,450 | 0.75 |
| North Carolina | $34,940 | $24,480 | $47,190 | 1,610 | 1.63 |
| North Dakota | $34,980 | $29,130 | $48,630 | 130 | 1.49 |
| Ohio | $35,640 | $28,050 | $49,440 | 1,720 | 1.55 |
| Oklahoma | $30,530 | $21,940 | $42,760 | 510 | 1.5 |
| Oregon | $40,350 | $36,630 | $46,320 | 70 | 0.19 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,300 | $31,280 | $48,870 | 1,930 | 1.59 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,840 | $21,840 | $25,220 | 280 | 1.51 |
| Rhode Island | $53,580 | $32,770 | $53,870 | 190 | 1.9 |
| South Carolina | $29,880 | $21,900 | $45,410 | 930 | 2.03 |
| South Dakota | $37,170 | $30,800 | $47,940 | 120 | 1.27 |
| Tennessee | $29,600 | $23,990 | $38,160 | 1,090 | 1.67 |
| Texas | $30,560 | $27,300 | $38,380 | 2,150 | 0.77 |
| Utah | $41,130 | $31,180 | $52,000 | 270 | 0.79 |
| Vermont | $40,800 | $32,910 | $47,110 | 30 | 0.55 |
| Virginia | $35,010 | $27,910 | $44,720 | 1,450 | 1.76 |
| Washington | $41,600 | $35,150 | $46,210 | 160 | 0.23 |
| West Virginia | $31,410 | $27,630 | $45,430 | 350 | 2.5 |
| Wisconsin | $36,030 | $28,430 | $46,740 | 500 | 0.86 |
| Wyoming | $32,950 | $25,700 | $43,480 | 60 | 1.11 |
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 funeral attendants
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,400. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.2%.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for funeral attendants
- Typical entry education
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
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
- NO MATCH CIP 99.9999
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Greet people at the funeral home.
- Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.
- Close caskets at appropriate point in services.
- Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held.
- Place caskets in parlors or chapels prior to wakes or funerals.
- Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.
- Clean funeral parlors or chapels.
- Arrange floral offerings or lights around caskets.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Bookkeeping software
- iCIMS Talent Cloud software
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving.
Common job titles: Funeral Assistant, Funeral Associate, Funeral Attendant, Funeral Director, Funeral Greeter, Funeral Home Assistant, Funeral Home Associate, Funeral Home Attendant.
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 funeral attendants make?
The national median annual wage for funeral attendants was $35,680 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $28,070 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $48,460. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do funeral attendants need?
BLS lists high school diploma or equivalent as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and short-term on-the-job training on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is funeral attendants a growing career?
BLS projects employment of funeral attendants to change +2.6% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,400 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay funeral attendants the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New Hampshire ($55,850), Rhode Island ($53,580), Nevada ($51,980). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.