Explore national salary, projected growth, education requirements, and career opportunities across the United States.
A concise view of this occupation’s national scale, compensation, and projected demand.
National median annual wage for this occupation.
Estimated jobs currently supported nationwide.
Projected employment change through 2034.
Estimated openings created each year.
The typical education, prior experience, and on-the-job training associated with entry into this career.
Associate's degree
None
Long-term on-the-job training
These are the highest-rated capabilities associated with success in this occupation. Scores are derived from occupational skill analysis and are measured on a 100-point scale.
Based on skills, knowledge, and work activities, these occupations are the closest match to your current career.
Explore the states and metropolitan areas offering the strongest combination of salary, employment, demand, and long-term opportunity.
Discover metro markets where compensation, hiring demand, and long-term momentum align.
Understand the salary, outlook, education, and geographic opportunities shaping this career.
Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers support individuals and families during end-of-life events, coordinating services and handling key details. Nationally, this occupation has a median annual salary of $49,800, with about 28,000 employed across the country. The field is projected to grow by 3.1%, with around 3,000 annual openings, indicating a steady flow of opportunities for new and experienced professionals. The role calls for strong interpersonal skills, customer service, and speaking and listening abilities, as well as project management and attention to detail. Problem solving, decision making, and leadership are also important, supported by skills in science, mathematics, and creativity and innovation. People interested in this path typically prepare with at least an associate’s degree. Those who later decide to branch out may also consider related careers such as funeral home managers, personal service managers, fire inspectors and investigators, healthcare support workers, or first-line supervisors of transportation and material moving workers.
Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers earn a national median annual salary of $49,800. Earnings vary by location. Among the strongest states ranked by opportunity score, New York and Massachusetts stand out with median salaries of $63,090 and $62,120, respectively, while Colorado and Washington are close behind at $60,850 and $59,700. California’s median salary of $50,750 sits near the national median. At the metro level, pay can be higher. The New York–Newark–Jersey City metro has a median salary of $72,860, and the San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara metro reports $63,160. Several other metros, including Boston–Cambridge–Newton and Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, are also above $60,000. These figures show that earnings in this field can increase significantly in certain states and metropolitan areas, offering a range of potential income levels depending on where you work.
This occupation employs about 28,000 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers nationwide. Employment is projected to grow by 3.1%, reflecting continued demand for these services over the projection period. With approximately 3,000 annual openings, there is a regular pipeline of opportunities that can come from new positions, turnover, and movement within the field. The same 3.1% growth rate appears in key states such as California, Massachusetts, New York, Colorado, and Washington, as well as in top metro areas like San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara, New York–Newark–Jersey City, San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton. For students and career changers, these numbers suggest that while the field is not extremely large, it offers consistent openings across many regions. This can support both entry into the career and long-term planning for advancement or relocation.
Career opportunities for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers vary across states and metropolitan areas, with some locations offering stronger overall conditions based on CareerGPS opportunity scores. Among states, California leads with an opportunity score of 67.38, a median salary of $50,750, and employment of 2,240. Massachusetts and New York have slightly higher opportunity scores (65.87 and 65.78) paired with higher median salaries of $62,120 and $63,090, though with smaller employment totals than California. Colorado and Washington offer median salaries near or above $59,700 with moderate employment levels and opportunity scores in the mid-50s. At the metro level, the New York–Newark–Jersey City and San Jose–Sunnyvale–Santa Clara areas stand out, with opportunity scores above 77 and median salaries of $72,860 and $63,160. Other strong metros include San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont, Washington–Arlington–Alexandria, and Boston–Cambridge–Newton, all combining solid salaries, positive growth, and measurable employment.
The typical education for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers is an associate’s degree. This level of education provides a foundation for the mix of people-focused and technical skills needed in the field. Interpersonal skills and customer service are central, as the role involves working closely with individuals and families. Speaking and listening skills help with clear communication, while strong project management and detail orientation support the coordination of services and logistical steps. Problem solving and decision making are also important, as are leadership abilities for guiding processes and people. The inclusion of science and mathematics among the top skills signals the value of comfort with technical and quantitative information. Creativity and innovation round out the profile, helping professionals adapt and design appropriate arrangements. Together, these skills and the associate’s degree requirement point to a career that blends human interaction, organization, and structured knowledge in a professional setting.
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