Funeral Attendants: Job Description
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.
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What Tasks Do Funeral Attendants Do?
The core tasks performed by funeral attendants span:
- Greet people at the funeral home.
- Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.
- Close caskets at appropriate point in services.
- Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held.
- Place caskets in parlors or chapels prior to wakes or funerals.
- Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.
- Clean funeral parlors or chapels.
- Arrange floral offerings or lights around caskets.
Skills and Knowledge
Top funeral attendants rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Cemetery Services Specialist
- Funeral Assistant
- Funeral Associate
- Funeral Attendant
- Funeral Director
- Funeral Greeter
- Funeral Home Assistant
- Funeral Home Associate
Job Outlook
There are about 42,394 funeral attendants working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -4.0% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Funeral Attendants Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $61,550 |
| Hourly median | $29.59 |
| 10th percentile | $43,955 |
| 25th percentile | $52,752 |
| 75th percentile | $70,347 |
| 90th percentile | $79,145 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Funeral Attendants Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $53,420 |
| New Jersey | $45,290 |
| Delaware | $45,140 |
| Massachusetts | $43,980 |
| Connecticut | $42,730 |
| Oregon | $39,760 |
| California | $38,960 |
| Vermont | $38,860 |
| Minnesota | $38,550 |
| Washington | $38,480 |
| Utah | $38,360 |
| Colorado | $38,340 |
| Iowa | $38,260 |
| Rhode Island | $38,110 |
| New York | $37,900 |
| Nevada | $37,810 |
| Maine | $37,790 |
| Missouri | $37,410 |
| Maryland | $35,690 |
| Wisconsin | $35,610 |
| Idaho | $35,610 |
| North Dakota | $35,610 |
| Montana | $35,410 |
| Virginia | $34,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,370 |
| Indiana | $34,330 |
| Arkansas | $34,150 |
| Arizona | $34,060 |
| Hawaii | $33,780 |
| North Carolina | $33,650 |
| New Mexico | $33,570 |
| Florida | $33,520 |
| Illinois | $32,880 |
| South Dakota | $31,830 |
| Wyoming | $31,510 |
| Nebraska | $31,510 |
| Ohio | $31,430 |
| Georgia | $30,770 |
| South Carolina | $30,650 |
| Oklahoma | $30,330 |
| Kansas | $30,010 |
| Michigan | $29,940 |
| Louisiana | $29,730 |
| Texas | $29,620 |
| Alabama | $29,260 |
| West Virginia | $28,880 |
| Tennessee | $28,840 |
| Mississippi | $28,620 |
| Kentucky | $28,150 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,210 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for funeral attendants differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $42,846 | 5.0% | 1.12 |
| Far Western US | $38,906 | 5.9% | 0.40 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,572 | 14.6% | 1.06 |
| Rocky Mountains | $36,465 | 2.1% | 0.76 |
| Plains States | $35,866 | 8.8% | 1.36 |
| Great Lakes | $32,279 | 19.4% | 1.46 |
| Southeast | $31,552 | 32.7% | 1.49 |
| Southwest | $30,432 | 9.9% | 0.94 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | NH | $56,700 | 30 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | NJ | $51,230 | 40 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $47,320 | 80 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | CT | $44,680 | 90 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $44,630 | 400 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $44,240 | 180 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | NY | $43,350 | 1,250 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | CT | $42,730 | 150 |
Top Industries Employing Funeral Attendants
The bulk of funeral attendants work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 30,300 | $34,610 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 30 | $44,190 |
Below are examples of industries where funeral attendants work:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
Daily working conditions for funeral attendants tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
Getting Started in This Career
Most funeral attendants positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Funeral Home Managers (Primary-Short)
- Coroners (Supplemental)
- Home Health Aides (Primary-Short)
- Personal Care Aides (Primary-Long)
- Nursing Assistants (Supplemental)
- Orderlies (Primary-Long)
- First-Line Supervisors of Housekeeping and Janitorial Workers (Supplemental)
- Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners (Supplemental)
About the Data
This profile draws on 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: 39-4021.00 (Funeral Attendants).
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