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Crematory operator: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 28, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$43,650median pay per year, or $20.98 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $33,270lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,02025th percentile
  3. $43,650median
  4. $50,38075th percentile
  5. $62,460top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median crematory operator earned $43,650 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 3.1% from 2025 to 2035[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+3.1%[2]
Openings per year
500[5]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[6]

How much do crematory operators make?

The median pay for Crematory Operators was $43,650 a year, or $20.98 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. The average was $45,670 a year, or $21.96 an hour[7].

For comparison, the median for all occupations in the US was $50,980 a year[4]. So the median for this job sat below that figure.

Pay varies a lot across the range. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $33,270 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $62,460[3]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[8].

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][9] $33,270 $16.00
25th[3][9] $37,020 $17.80
Median[1] $43,650 $20.98
75th[3][9] $50,380 $24.22
90th[3][9] $62,460 $30.03

These figures cover wage and salary workers, full time and part time. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits[10]. About 2,970 people held these jobs in May 2025[11].

Pay by state and city

Among the 24 states with published data, Wisconsin had the highest median at $64,220 a year, followed by Massachusetts at $56,050 and Washington at $53,580[12]. Texas had the lowest of those states at $33,270[12].

Florida had the most jobs at 320, then Texas at 270 and California at 240[13]. Illinois and Indiana each had 190[13].

Among the six metro areas with the most jobs, Indianapolis led with 80 jobs and a median of $38,980, and Tampa followed with 70 jobs and a median of $39,240[14]. Boston had a median of $59,510 on 30 jobs, the highest median of those six[14].

Show median pay in 24 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Wisconsin[12]$64,220n/a
Massachusetts$56,05030
Washington$53,58070
Colorado$52,06070
Delaware$50,32030
Arizona$49,97040
California$49,780240
Pennsylvania$47,980140
Connecticut$47,160100
Kansas$46,49050
Nevada$46,19080
West Virginia$43,84030
Ohio$43,53060
Illinois$41,740190
North Carolina$41,350150
Michigan$40,970130
Indiana$40,650190
Florida$38,710320
Kentucky$37,74050
Oregon$37,020100
Tennessee$35,880n/a
Iowa$35,120n/a
Alabama$33,84040
Texas$33,270270

How to become a crematory operator

The typical path is short:

O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation[15]. Our facts do not say how long the training lasts, and they do not name any license or exam.

What crematory operators do

Crematory operators run equipment that reduces human or animal remains to bone fragments, following state and local rules[16]. Methods can include flame-based cremation, calcination or alkaline hydrolysis[16]. Tasks listed by O*NET include:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment of Crematory Operators to grow 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,000 to 3,100 jobs, a gain of 100[2]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. Growth for all occupations is projected at 3.5%[18], so this job is expected to grow a little more slowly.

About 500 openings a year are projected on average[5]. Openings come from workers who retire or move to other occupations, not only from new jobs[5]. Each year, 10.4% of workers leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[19].

Is it a good fit?

The entry bar is low. You need a high school diploma or equivalent, no related experience and short on-the-job training[6]. Pay is a bit under the all-occupations median, at $43,650 against $50,980[1][4], but it ranges from $33,270 to $62,460 across the 10th to 90th percentiles[3]. Growth is slow at 3.1%[2], and it is a small field of about 2,970 wage and salary jobs[11]. The work itself involves handling human remains and talking with grieving families[17].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[20].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a crematory operator make an hour?
The median was $20.98 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $21.96[1][7]. The 10th percentile was $16.00 and the 90th was $30.03[9].
What education do you need to be a crematory operator?
The typical entry education is a high school diploma or equivalent, with no related experience and short-term on-the-job training[6].
Are crematory operator jobs in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, against 3.5% for all occupations, with about 500 openings a year[2][18][5].
What is the highest paying state for crematory operators?
Wisconsin had the highest median at $64,220 a year among 24 states with published data[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Crematory Operators in the US was $43,650 per year and $20.98 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections: employment of Crematory Operators is projected to grow 3.1% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,000 to 3,100 jobs (a change of +100). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Crematory Operators: 10th percentile $33,270, 25th percentile $37,020, 75th percentile $50,380, 90th percentile $62,460. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS Employment Projections: about 500 openings for Crematory Operators are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Crematory Operators: education needed for entry: High school diploma or equivalent; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Crematory Operators was $45,670 per year and $21.96 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Crematory Operators: 10th percentile $16.00, 25th percentile $17.80, 75th percentile $24.22, 90th percentile $30.03. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 2,970 people were employed as Crematory Operators in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. Median annual wage for Crematory Operators in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Crematory Operators jobs: Florida 320; Texas 270; California 240; Illinois 190; Indiana 190. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Crematory Operators jobs: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN 80 (median $38,980); Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL 70 (median $39,240); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 40 (median $50,330); Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA 40 (median $45,020); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 30 (median $59,510); Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 30 (median $37,750). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. O*NET 39-4012.00: Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training. O*NET OnLine
  16. O*NET description of Crematory Operators. O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET task list for Crematory Operators. O*NET OnLine
  18. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  19. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Crematory Operators: 10.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  20. Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine

Notes are for reading the data only. They are not facts and cannot be cited: use the wage_scope and percentile_meaning facts instead. OEWS employment (jobs in May 2025) and Employment Projections employment (2025, includes self-employed) are different measures and can differ. O*NET education shares come from a small survey of workers in the occupation, not from all workers.

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.