39 Series · SOC 39-4012
Crematory Operators Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $43,650
- Median / year
- $62,460
- Top 10% earn
- +3.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 2,970
- US workers
Crematory Operators earn a median of $43,650 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $43,650, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $33,270 (10th percentile) to $62,460 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 2,970 US workers. Wisconsin pays the most ($64,220), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Crematory Operators earn a median of $43,650, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 17% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Personal Care and Service, it ranks #10 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 3.3% by 2033.
- $43,650
- Median annual wage
- Top 83%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #10 of 32
- in Personal Care and Service
- 1.9×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Wisconsin at $64,220. Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
Crematory Operators (SOC 39-4012) pays a national median of $43,650 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $33,270 at the 10th percentile to $62,460 at the 90th, with a mean of $45,670 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 2,970 Americans work in this occupation across 24 reporting states and 8 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +3.3% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as slower than average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 600 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is High school diploma or equivalent and short-term on-the-job training of on-the-job training. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 2 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Wisconsin pays the highest state median at $64,220, which is +47% above the national figure. The top metro is Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH at $59,510 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$43,650
per year
Median Hourly
$20.98/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$45,670
average
Employment
2,970
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Crematory Operators pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$43,650 Bottom 17% higher than 17% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 39-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Crematory Operators; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 39-series occupations with growth data, Crematory Operators sits on the slower-growing side at +3.3% growth and $43,650 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+3.3%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
High school diploma or equivalent
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
2/100
Danger Index
8.8/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Crematory Operators roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Key Tasks
- ▸ Clean the crematorium, including tables, floors, and equipment.
- ▸ Document divided remains to ensure parts are not misplaced.
- ▸ Embalm, dress, or otherwise prepare the deceased for viewing.
- ▸ Explain the cremation process to family or friends of the deceased.
- ▸ Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
- ▸ Pick up and handle human or pet remains in a respectful manner.
- ▸ Place corpses into crematory machines to reduce remains to bone fragments using flame, heat, or alkaline hydrolysis.
- ▸ Pulverize remaining bone fragments into smaller pieces, using specialized equipment, such as a cremulator or grinder.
- ▸ Read documentation to confirm the identity of the deceased.
- ▸ Remove jewelry, watches, or other personal items from the deceased prior to cremation.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$33,270
25th Percentile
$37,020
Median
$43,650
75th Percentile
$50,380
90th Percentile
$62,460
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 24 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wisconsin | $64,220 | +47% above national |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $56,050 | +28% above national |
| 3 | Washington | $53,580 | +23% above national |
| 4 | Colorado | $52,060 | +19% above national |
| 5 | Delaware | $50,320 | +15% above national |
| 6 | Arizona | $49,970 | +14% above national |
| 7 | California | $49,780 | +14% above national |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | $47,980 | +10% above national |
| 9 | Connecticut | $47,160 | +8% above national |
| 10 | Kansas | $46,490 | +7% above national |
| 11 | Nevada | $46,190 | +6% above national |
| 12 | West Virginia | $43,840 | same as national |
| 13 | Ohio | $43,530 | same as national |
| 14 | Illinois | $41,740 | 4% below national |
| 15 | North Carolina | $41,350 | 5% below national |
| 16 | Michigan | $40,970 | 6% below national |
| 17 | Indiana | $40,650 | 7% below national |
| 18 | Florida | $38,710 | 11% below national |
| 19 | Kentucky | $37,740 | 14% below national |
| 20 | Oregon | $37,020 | 15% below national |
| 21 | Tennessee | $35,880 | 18% below national |
| 22 | Iowa | $35,120 | 20% below national |
| 23 | Alabama | $33,840 | 22% below national |
| 24 | Texas | $33,270 | 24% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 8 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $59,510 | +36% above national |
| 2 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $50,330 | +15% above national |
| 3 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $47,000 | +8% above national |
| 4 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $45,020 | +3% above national |
| 5 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $39,240 | 10% below national |
| 6 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $38,980 | 11% below national |
| 7 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $37,750 | 14% below national |
| 8 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $36,180 | 17% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
Other roles in SOC major group 39 (personal care and service) with comparable pay and career paths.
Frequently Asked Questions
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What to do with this data
How to use Crematory Operators pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $50,380/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Wisconsin leads at $64,220/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.