What is a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director?
Occupation Description Perform various tasks to arrange and direct funeral services, such as coordinating transportation of body to mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.
What Do Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors Do On a Daily Basis?
- Provide information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise and maintain a casket display area.
- Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
- Participate in community activities for funeral home promotion or other purposes.
- Manage funeral home operations, including the hiring, training, or supervision of embalmers, funeral attendants, or other staff.
- Remove deceased remains from place of death.
- Direct preparations and shipment of bodies for out-of-state burial.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director?
When polled, Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
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.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Time Management: Managing one’s own time and the time of others.
Related Job Titles for this Occupation:
- Funeral Arranger
- Funeral Prearrangement Counselor
- Funeral Planning Counselor
- Funeral Planner
- Mortician
What Kind of Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director Job Opportunities Are There?
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 28,700 jobs in the United States for Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 3.8% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 1,100 new jobs for Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director by 2026. Due to new job openings and attrition, there will be an average of 3,700 job openings in this field each year.
The states with the most job growth for Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director are Colorado, Utah, and Maine. Watch out if you plan on working in Wyoming, Vermont, or Kansas. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director Average Salary
The typical yearly salary for Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors is somewhere between $29,050 and $89,050.
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors who work in Connecticut, Massachusetts, or New Jersey, make the highest salaries.
How much do Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors make in each U.S. state?
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $40,840 |
| Arizona | $45,830 |
| Arkansas | $41,330 |
| California | $51,350 |
| Colorado | $53,190 |
| Connecticut | $159,970 |
| Delaware | $67,430 |
| Florida | $57,030 |
| Georgia | $47,120 |
| Hawaii | $40,140 |
| Idaho | $54,920 |
| Illinois | $72,280 |
| Indiana | $53,640 |
| Iowa | $68,300 |
| Kansas | $57,990 |
| Kentucky | $44,460 |
| Louisiana | $41,450 |
| Maine | $55,850 |
| Maryland | $59,470 |
| Massachusetts | $71,670 |
| Michigan | $63,280 |
| Minnesota | $67,550 |
| Mississippi | $35,630 |
| Missouri | $43,170 |
| Montana | $57,200 |
| Nebraska | $69,280 |
| Nevada | $39,910 |
| New Hampshire | $69,350 |
| New Jersey | $72,250 |
| New Mexico | $61,540 |
| New York | $68,130 |
| North Carolina | $56,170 |
| North Dakota | $72,220 |
| Ohio | $55,460 |
| Oklahoma | $55,370 |
| Oregon | $51,400 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,330 |
| South Carolina | $48,120 |
| South Dakota | $56,360 |
| Tennessee | $51,580 |
| Texas | $53,560 |
| Utah | $56,820 |
| Vermont | $66,610 |
| Virginia | $57,930 |
| Washington | $57,140 |
| West Virginia | $49,810 |
| Wisconsin | $59,760 |
| Wyoming | $61,280 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors may use on a daily basis:
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Office
- Web browser software
- Corel WordPerfect
- FPA Software MACCS
- HMIS Advantage
- Belmar & Associates Mortware
- Custom Data Systems Sterling Management Software
- Twin Tier Technologies MIMS
How to Become a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director
Individuals working as a Mortician, Undertaker, or Funeral Director have obtained the following education levels:
How many years of work experience do I need?
Where Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors Are Employed
Below are examples of industries where Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors work:
References:
Image Credit: Senior Airman Andrew Lee via Public domain
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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