39 Series · SOC 39-4011
Embalmers Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $58,780
- Median / year
- $77,570
- Top 10% earn
- +1.3%
- Growth '23–'33
- 3,890
- US workers
Embalmers earn a median of $58,780 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $58,780, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $38,310 (10th percentile) to $77,570 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 3,890 US workers. Ohio pays the most ($71,550), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Embalmers earn a median of $58,780, putting them below the typical US occupation and higher than 46% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Personal Care and Service, it ranks #3 of 32 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 1.3% by 2033.
- $58,780
- Median annual wage
- Top 54%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #3 of 32
- in Personal Care and Service
- 2.0×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Ohio at $71,550. Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
Embalmers (SOC 39-4011) pays a national median of $58,780 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $38,310 at the 10th percentile to $77,570 at the 90th, with a mean of $58,390 indicating a compressed distribution clustered near the median. An estimated 3,890 Americans work in this occupation across 28 reporting states and 21 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +1.3% 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 Associate's degree and long-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. Ohio pays the highest state median at $71,550, which is +22% above the national figure. The top metro is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $73,450 - 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
$58,780
per year
Median Hourly
$28.26/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$58,390
average
Employment
3,890
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Embalmers pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$58,780 Bottom 46% higher than 46% 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 Embalmers; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 25 39-series occupations with growth data, Embalmers sits on the slower-growing side at +1.3% growth and $58,780 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+1.3%
Slower than average
Annual Openings
600
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Associate's degree
On-the-Job Training
Long-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 Embalmers roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
- ▸ Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
- ▸ Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
- ▸ Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
- ▸ Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.
- ▸ Clean and disinfect areas in which bodies are prepared and embalmed.
- ▸ Dress bodies and place them in caskets.
- ▸ Make incisions in arms or thighs and drain blood from circulatory system and replace it with embalming fluid, using pump.
- ▸ Remove the deceased from place of death and transport to funeral home.
- ▸ Perform the duties of funeral directors, including coordinating funeral activities.
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
$38,310
25th Percentile
$48,010
Median
$58,780
75th Percentile
$66,130
90th Percentile
$77,570
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 28 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $71,550 | +22% above national |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $69,950 | +19% above national |
| 3 | North Carolina | $68,550 | +17% above national |
| 4 | Missouri | $66,490 | +13% above national |
| 5 | Virginia | $63,810 | +9% above national |
| 6 | Kansas | $63,160 | +7% above national |
| 7 | Indiana | $62,400 | +6% above national |
| 8 | South Carolina | $61,820 | +5% above national |
| 9 | Illinois | $61,730 | +5% above national |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $60,310 | +3% above national |
| 11 | Florida | $60,170 | +2% above national |
| 12 | California | $60,060 | +2% above national |
| 13 | Mississippi | $58,900 | same as national |
| 14 | Arkansas | $58,250 | 1% below national |
| 15 | Texas | $57,350 | 2% below national |
| 16 | Oregon | $57,170 | 3% below national |
| 17 | Colorado | $57,100 | 3% below national |
| 18 | Tennessee | $55,170 | 6% below national |
| 19 | Georgia | $55,000 | 6% below national |
| 20 | Louisiana | $54,890 | 7% below national |
| 21 | Massachusetts | $54,320 | 8% below national |
| 22 | West Virginia | $54,060 | 8% below national |
| 23 | Alabama | $53,080 | 10% below national |
| 24 | Washington | $50,610 | 14% below national |
| 25 | Kentucky | $49,860 | 15% below national |
| 26 | Oklahoma | $49,120 | 16% below national |
| 27 | New Mexico | $45,340 | 23% below national |
| 28 | Iowa | $39,490 | 33% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 21 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $73,450 | +25% above national |
| 2 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $66,490 | +13% above national |
| 3 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $63,160 | +7% above national |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $63,130 | +7% above national |
| 5 | Columbia, SC | $61,880 | +5% above national |
| 6 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $61,680 | +5% above national |
| 7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,570 | +5% above national |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,890 | +4% above national |
| 9 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $60,300 | +3% above national |
| 10 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $60,140 | +2% above national |
| 11 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $58,930 | same as national |
| 12 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $58,490 | same as national |
| 13 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $58,470 | 1% below national |
| 14 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $58,170 | 1% below national |
| 15 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $56,980 | 3% below national |
| 16 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $55,380 | 6% below national |
| 17 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $55,000 | 6% below national |
| 18 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $54,850 | 7% below national |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,120 | 16% below national |
| 20 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $45,740 | 22% below national |
| 21 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $45,300 | 23% 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
How much does a Embalmers make? ▼
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How does Embalmers pay vary by state? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Embalmers pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $66,130/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: Ohio leads at $71,550/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.