Funeral Attendants: Salary Overview
Funeral attendants are responsible for placing the casket in the parlor or the chapel before the service, arranging floral offerings or lights around the casket, and storing funeral equipment.
They may also perform a variety of tasks that take place during a funeral.
Funeral attendants are sometimes responsible for organizing floral arrangements, escorting mourners, and closing the casket.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage for funeral attendants was $27,930 as of May 2019 which means that half of the workers in this profession earned less than this amount while half earned more.
This is lower than the median annual income for all professions in the United States.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $19,390 while the top 10 percent made more than $43,710 per year.
Salaries are determined by a variety of factors, such as education, experience level, the industry of employment, and the region of employment.
The 25th percentile for this occupation was $22,720 which means that 75 percent of funeral attendants made more than this.
Some funeral attendants are paid based on an hourly rate and in this case, their earnings also vary depending on the number of hours of work.
According to a report published by payscale.com in 2020, the average hourly rate for funeral attendants is $11.90.
Rates also vary depending on a wide range of factors and funeral attendants can make anywhere between $9-$17 an hour.
Funeral Attendant Salary by Industry
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, most funeral attendants worked in the field of death care services and reported an average annual wage of $29,830 as of May 2019.
Salaries for funeral attendants also vary depending on the region of employment.
According to a report published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the top-paying state for funeral attendants was Massachusetts where the average annual wage reported by workers in this occupation was $44,210 as of May 2019.
Other top-paying states were New Jersey, Vermont, California, and Delaware.
In these states, funeral attendants were remunerated, on average, with more than $35,000 a year.
Funeral attendants in Indiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Puerto Rico, on the other hand, reported average annual wages that were below $25,000.
So, if you’re willing to relocate to a different region you may have better chances at earning a higher annual wage as a funeral attendant.
According to BLS, Ohio is the state that offers the most jobs for this profession and the average annual wage reported by funeral attendants in this state was $28,000.
The top-paying metropolitan area for this profession in 2019 was Waterloo-Cedar Falls, Iowa – a region where the average annual wage reported by funeral attendants was $46,820.
In conclusion, salaries are influenced by the region of employment and the local economy but there are many other factors that determine how much a funeral attendant makes each year.
As a funeral attendant, you also have advancement opportunities with additional training and several years of experience.
For example, if you complete specialized training you may become a mortician, an undertaker, or a funeral agent, professions that are remunerated, on average, with $58,360 per year.
For example, completing some post-secondary education in the field may help you earn a higher starting salary and may help you advance to a position that is better-paid.
Job Prospects
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment for funeral attendants, in general, is projected to decline 4 percent from 2018 to 2028, mostly due to the fact that clients increasingly prefer cremation, which is less expensive and requires fewer people involved in the funeral arrangements.
Funeral attendants who become licensed as funeral directors and/or embalmers should have the best job prospects.
* Based on information from the May 2023 salary report from the BLS. The figures represent accumulated data for all states of employment for Funeral Attendants. BLS data represents averages and medians for workers at all levels of education and experience. This data doesn't represent starting salaries.
* Employment conditions in your area may vary.