SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Perform a variety of tasks during funeral, such as placing casket in parlor or chapel prior to service, arranging floral offerings or lights around casket, directing or escorting mourners, closing casket, and issuing and storing funeral equipment.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 39-4021.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $28,070 | $2,339 | $540 | $13.50 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $30,380 | $2,532 | $584 | $14.61 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $35,680 | $2,973 | $686 | $17.16 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $42,870 | $3,572 | $824 | $20.61 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $48,460 | $4,038 | $932 | $23.30 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Funeral Attendants is $35,680, which is 30% lower. Among the 32 occupations of the field Personal Care and Service, it ranks number 24 by median pay. With 31,090 jobs, it makes up about 2.0 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Funeral Attendants pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Hampshire ($55,850), Rhode Island ($53,580) and Nevada ($51,980). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($21,840), Kentucky ($29,160) and Tennessee ($29,600). The most jobs were in Texas (2,150), Pennsylvania (1,930) and California (1,790). The occupation is most concentrated in West Virginia, where its share of all jobs is 2.5 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | 120 | $55,850 | $61,300 | $26.85 |
| Rhode Island | 190 | $53,580 | $48,920 | $25.76 |
| Nevada | 100 | $51,980 | $46,580 | $24.99 |
| Delaware | 110 | $46,720 | $47,170 | $22.46 |
| Massachusetts | 1,090 | $46,280 | $46,990 | $22.25 |
| Connecticut | 520 | $45,800 | $46,980 | $22.02 |
| Minnesota | 400 | $43,910 | $42,860 | $21.11 |
| New York | 1,450 | $42,210 | $43,300 | $20.29 |
| Colorado | 160 | $41,710 | $44,620 | $20.05 |
| Washington | 160 | $41,600 | $41,700 | $20.00 |
| Utah | 270 | $41,130 | $42,020 | $19.78 |
| Vermont | 30 | $40,800 | $39,480 | $19.62 |
| Oregon | 70 | $40,350 | $40,490 | $19.40 |
| Iowa | 460 | $40,060 | $41,860 | $19.26 |
| Maine | 220 | $39,330 | $40,600 | $18.91 |
| Missouri | 620 | $39,270 | $41,520 | $18.88 |
| Maryland | 670 | $39,020 | $41,100 | $18.76 |
| California | 1,790 | $38,700 | $42,470 | $18.61 |
| New Jersey | 540 | $37,240 | $45,580 | $17.90 |
| South Dakota | 120 | $37,170 | $39,930 | $17.87 |
| Montana | 110 | $37,080 | $38,650 | $17.83 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,930 | $36,300 | $39,150 | $17.45 |
| Wisconsin | 500 | $36,030 | $36,000 | $17.32 |
| Illinois | 730 | $35,690 | $37,000 | $17.16 |
| Ohio | 1,720 | $35,640 | $37,200 | $17.14 |
| Arizona | 420 | $35,450 | $36,440 | $17.04 |
| Michigan | 1,460 | $35,380 | $35,720 | $17.01 |
| Virginia | 1,450 | $35,010 | $34,900 | $16.83 |
| North Dakota | 130 | $34,980 | $37,730 | $16.82 |
| North Carolina | 1,610 | $34,940 | $35,530 | $16.80 |
| New Mexico | 170 | $34,890 | $37,420 | $16.77 |
| Indiana | 1,080 | $34,420 | $35,390 | $16.55 |
| Idaho | 70 | $33,280 | $37,910 | $16.00 |
| Wyoming | 60 | $32,950 | $32,570 | $15.84 |
| Arkansas | 140 | $31,630 | $38,100 | $15.21 |
| West Virginia | 350 | $31,410 | $34,080 | $15.10 |
| Kansas | 330 | $30,720 | $30,330 | $14.77 |
| Texas | 2,150 | $30,560 | $32,510 | $14.69 |
| Georgia | 1,070 | $30,530 | $32,990 | $14.68 |
| Mississippi | 280 | $30,530 | $33,030 | $14.68 |
| Oklahoma | 510 | $30,530 | $31,120 | $14.68 |
| Louisiana | 560 | $30,370 | $30,970 | $14.60 |
| Alabama | 550 | $30,310 | $31,440 | $14.57 |
| Florida | 1,700 | $30,210 | $33,680 | $14.52 |
| Nebraska | 270 | $30,170 | $32,120 | $14.51 |
| South Carolina | 930 | $29,880 | $31,170 | $14.36 |
| Tennessee | 1,090 | $29,600 | $30,970 | $14.23 |
| Kentucky | 560 | $29,160 | $29,740 | $14.02 |
| Puerto Rico | 280 | $21,840 | $22,350 | $10.50 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Locker Room, Coatroom, and Dressing Room Attendants$36,300 a year
- Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists$35,790 a year
- Manicurists and Pedicurists$35,760 a year
- Animal Caretakers$35,360 a year
- Gambling and Sports Book Writers and Runners$34,980 a year
- Childcare Workers$34,980 a year
Common questions
How much do Funeral Attendants earn in the United States?
The median pay was $35,680 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,070 and the highest-paid 10% more than $48,460.
How many people work as Funeral Attendants?
About 31,090 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.