how much do morticians make
Morticians in the U.S. typically earn around the high‑$40,000s to mid‑$50,000s per year, with experienced people and strong markets reaching $70,000+ and top earners going past $80,000.
Typical pay in 2025–2026
- Median annual pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers is about $49,800 (May 2024 data). This works out to roughly $24 per hour.
- One national salary site lists an average salary of about $55,670 in 2026 for morticians, including base pay plus extras like bonus or overtime.
- Another compensation source pegs the average mortician salary higher, near $70,498 , but that includes a lot of high‑earning markets (for example, San Jose, CA is listed around $139,000).
Quick band to remember
- Entry level / low end: $30,000–$40,000 per year in many places.
- Typical range: $45,000–$60,000 per year for many full‑time morticians.
- Upper range: $70,000–$85,000+ in high‑cost cities, management roles, or with multiple licenses.
Hourly, monthly, and “top vs low” breakdown
- Using national medians, morticians earn around $23–$25 per hour on average.
- A job‑board style estimate shows an average around $19 per hour , with most posting ranges between roughly $16 and $20 per hour , and top hourly postings in the mid‑$20s.
- A detailed salary breakdown for “mortician” roles lists an average annual salary around $50,690 , with typical starting pay near $38,750 and high salaries over $75,000 ; total compensation (with bonuses) can creep into the low‑$80,000s.
Example annual snapshot (U.S.)
| Level | Approx. annual pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Entry level | $31,000–$40,000 | Often new licensees, small firms, lower‑cost regions. | [1][3]
| Mid‑career | $45,000–$60,000 | Most full‑time morticians, several years of experience. | [5][3][1]
| Senior / top 10% | $75,000–$85,000+ | Busy urban markets, senior arrangers, or dual‑licensed pros. | [3][1]
| Outlier high markets | $100,000–$130,000+ | Rare, often tied to major metros like San Jose, CA. | [9]
What makes the pay go up or down?
Mortician pay is very location‑sensitive. High‑cost states and large metro areas (e.g., parts of California or the Northeast) tend to push salaries into the upper‑$60Ks and $70Ks, while smaller rural markets sit closer to the $40Ks. Being dual‑licensed (for example, funeral director + embalmer) or able to cover multiple roles at a funeral home often bumps compensation, something working morticians frequently point out in forum discussions.
Other factors that shift earnings include:
- Type of employer (independent funeral home vs large chain vs corporate).
- On‑call, night, and weekend work, which can add overtime or differentials.
- Years in the field and whether you move into management or ownership (funeral home managers’ median is around the mid‑$70Ks).
“Real world” discussion and trend notes
People working in deathcare on forums emphasize that pay is all over the place : some make modest wages at small homes, others do very well when they are highly utilized, licensed in multiple areas, and in a busy market. A common theme is that demand is steady, hours can be irregular, and the job’s emotional load is high, so many morticians see the income as “decent but earned,” not easy money.
From a trend perspective, national data shows mortician and funeral‑service pay sitting roughly around or slightly above the overall U.S. median wage, with stable employment growth projected over the next decade. That means it’s not a boom‑and‑bust career, but rather a steady income path that can become quite strong if you move into management or high‑pay states.
Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.
