The Average Salary of Morticians

Sometimes called undertakers or funeral directors, morticians make arrangements for the burial of the dead, organize funerals and prepare bodies for internment. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the need for morticians will increase by 12 percent through 2016, resulting in the creation of 3,600 new jobs.

Average Salary

The average annual salary of morticians was $58,810 in 2008.

Largest Industry

In 2008, the largest industry that employed morticians was death care services, such as funeral homes and memorial chapels, where morticians averaged a salary of $58,580.

Highest Paying Employer

The highest-paying employer of morticians in May 2008 was the federal government, which paid workers an average of $71,950.

Largest Areas

In May 2008, the states with the highest concentrations of morticians were Kentucky, West Virginia, Tennessee, South Dakota and Maine. Morticians in these stated averaged $42,220, $62,340, $42,980, $50,630 and $49,740, respectively.

Highest Paying Areas

The states where morticians averaged the highest salaries in 2008 were Washington, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Massachusetts and Delaware, where workers earned between $75,190 and $86,610.

References

• US Bureau of Labor Statistics Industry Overview
• US Bureau of Labor Statistics Compensation Information