What Does it Take to Be a Funeral Service Manager?
Job Description: Plan, direct, or coordinate the services or resources of funeral homes. Includes activities such as determining prices for services or merchandise and managing the facilities of funeral homes.
A Day in the Life of a Funeral Service Manager
- Plan and implement changes to service offerings to meet community needs or increase funeral home revenues.
- Plan and implement sales promotions or other marketing strategies and activities for funeral home operations.
- Interview and hire new employees.
- Set prices or credit terms for funeral products or services.
- Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
- Review financial statements, sales or activity reports, or other performance data to identify opportunities for cost reductions or service improvements.
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Skills Needed to be a Funeral Service Manager
When polled, Funeral Service Managers say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Funeral Sales Manager
- Funeral Home General Manager
- Funeral Planner
- Funeral Home Director
- Assistant Manager of Operations
Is There Job Demand for Funeral Service Managers?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 25,700 jobs in the United States for Funeral Service Manager. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 7% which is above the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,800 new jobs for Funeral Service Manager by 2026. There will be an estimated 2,000 positions for Funeral Service Manager per year.

The states with the most job growth for Funeral Service Manager are Utah, New Jersey, and Colorado. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Kansas, or Illinois. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Average Funeral Service Managers Salary
The salary for Funeral Service Managers ranges between about $41,410 and $151,680 a year.

Funeral Service Managers who work in Virginia, Wisconsin, or Michigan, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Funeral Service Managers in different U.S. states.
State | Annual Mean Salary |
---|---|
Alabama | $78,000 |
Arizona | $77,600 |
Arkansas | $76,810 |
California | $86,900 |
Colorado | $77,350 |
Florida | $87,070 |
Georgia | $72,010 |
Idaho | $67,110 |
Illinois | $91,090 |
Indiana | $73,390 |
Kansas | $70,110 |
Kentucky | $79,330 |
Louisiana | $89,320 |
Maine | $87,150 |
Maryland | $104,930 |
Massachusetts | $107,520 |
Michigan | $113,190 |
Minnesota | $107,960 |
New Jersey | $118,770 |
New Mexico | $64,320 |
New York | $97,400 |
North Carolina | $94,170 |
Ohio | $113,130 |
Oklahoma | $77,100 |
Pennsylvania | $114,030 |
South Carolina | $63,540 |
Tennessee | $83,480 |
Texas | $80,560 |
Virginia | $113,360 |
West Virginia | $108,730 |
Wisconsin | $110,990 |
What Tools & Technology do Funeral Service Managers Use?
Although they’re not necessarily needed for all jobs, the following technologies are used by many Funeral Service Managers:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Outlook
- Web browser software
- Email software
- Financial reporting software
- FPA Software MACCS
- HMIS Advantage
- Twin Tiers Technologies MIMS
Becoming a Funeral Service Manager
Education needed to be a Funeral Service Manager:

What work experience do I need to become a Funeral Service Manager?

Where Funeral Service Managers Are Employed

The table below shows the approximate number of Funeral Service Managers employed by various industries.

References:
Image Credit: Senior Airman Andrew Lee via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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