Coroners: Career Profile
Direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths.
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The Daily Work of Coroners Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of coroners span:
- Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
- Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
- Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
- Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
- Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.
- Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.
- Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.
- Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.
What Coroners Need to Know
Successful coroners rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
These are the skills that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Coroners Jobs
Common job titles for this role include:
- Autopsy Facilities Manager
- Certified Medical Examiner
- Coroner
- Coroner Investigator
- County Coroner
- Death Investigator
- Examiner
- Forensic Medical Examiner
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 525,763 coroners working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to decline by -4.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Coroners
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $110,095 |
| Hourly median | $52.93 |
| 10th percentile | $77,825 |
| 25th percentile | $93,960 |
| 75th percentile | $126,231 |
| 90th percentile | $142,366 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Coroners Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $103,010 |
| New Jersey | $93,520 |
| Massachusetts | $92,890 |
| California | $92,350 |
| Alaska | $88,730 |
| Vermont | $88,550 |
| Delaware | $88,450 |
| Maryland | $87,580 |
| Connecticut | $87,210 |
| Maine | $86,940 |
| New York | $86,880 |
| Washington | $86,200 |
| Minnesota | $85,220 |
| Oregon | $84,210 |
| Rhode Island | $83,200 |
| New Hampshire | $82,530 |
| Virginia | $80,990 |
| Hawaii | $80,930 |
| Colorado | $80,590 |
| Wyoming | $80,150 |
| Illinois | $79,350 |
| Nevada | $78,940 |
| North Dakota | $78,450 |
| South Carolina | $76,200 |
| Wisconsin | $75,780 |
| Michigan | $75,300 |
| Ohio | $75,030 |
| North Carolina | $74,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,840 |
| Iowa | $73,530 |
| Arizona | $73,070 |
| Texas | $72,050 |
| Indiana | $71,980 |
| South Dakota | $71,700 |
| Florida | $70,460 |
| Alabama | $70,190 |
| New Mexico | $67,640 |
| Kentucky | $67,490 |
| Kansas | $66,980 |
| Nebraska | $65,960 |
| Idaho | $65,350 |
| Virgin Islands | $65,210 |
| Mississippi | $65,150 |
| Missouri | $64,960 |
| Utah | $64,730 |
| West Virginia | $64,040 |
| Georgia | $63,990 |
| Tennessee | $63,760 |
| Louisiana | $63,730 |
| Arkansas | $63,560 |
| Montana | $63,330 |
| Oklahoma | $61,730 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,570 |
Where Coroners Earn the Most
Compensation for coroners differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $89,808 | 17.1% | 1.04 |
| New England | $89,791 | 5.3% | 1.22 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,241 | 16.5% | 1.15 |
| Great Lakes | $75,873 | 10.3% | 0.74 |
| Rocky Mountains | $73,182 | 3.7% | 0.94 |
| Plains States | $72,241 | 6.5% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $71,347 | 14.4% | 1.17 |
| Southeast | $70,480 | 24.9% | 1.08 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $118,490 | 2,690 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $105,610 | 150 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | GA | $104,330 | 640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $104,000 | 7,350 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $102,500 | 14,110 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $101,870 | 650 |
| El Centro, CA | CA | $101,110 | 850 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $98,190 | 6,000 |
Which Industries Hire Coroners
The bulk of coroners work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | 46,410 | $79,920 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 38,020 | $90,990 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 32,070 | $68,590 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 22,870 | $89,740 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 18,660 | $60,800 |
| Manufacturing | 18,630 | $85,040 |
| Educational Services | 15,080 | $74,650 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 14,480 | $63,430 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tech Stack
- File versioning software: Git (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Google Android (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Data base reporting software: Microsoft SQL Server Reporting Services SSRS (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Transact-SQL (hot technology)
- Operating system software: UNIX (hot technology)
- Video conferencing software: Zoom (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for coroners reflects the following characteristics:
- Telephone Conversations
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
Typical coroners positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Medical and Health Services Managers (Supplemental)
- Clinical Research Coordinators (Supplemental)
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators (Supplemental)
- Compliance Officers (Primary-Long)
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Forensic Science Technicians (Primary-Short)
- Administrative Law Judges, Adjudicators, and Hearing Officers (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Supplemental)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future coroners typically earn programs in:
Natural Resources and Conservation
4 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 2 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
Homeland Security, Law Enforcement, Firefighting and Related Protective Services
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Data on this page comes from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1041.06 (Compliance Officers).
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