Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers

Perform various tasks to arrange and direct individual funeral services, such as coordinating transportation of body to mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.

What you'd actually do

• Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
• Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
• Perform embalming duties, as necessary.
• Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
• Remove deceased remains from place of death.
• Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

Much of the work happens outdoors; you're around people constantly; precision matters — small details carry weight. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 5% of morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are organized and detail-focused, take-charge and people-focused.

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Quick questions

How much does a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger make?

The median pay is $26.45 per hour — roughly $55,000 a year, with the real range running from about $16.03/hr (10th percentile) to $42.61/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger?

The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger actually do all day?

Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died. Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits. Perform embalming duties, as necessary.