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Embalmer: pay, job outlook and how to become one

Updated October 26, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET data. Published by Humblebee.

$58,780median pay per year, or $28.26 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $38,310lowest 10% earn less
  2. $48,01025th percentile
  3. $58,780median
  4. $66,13075th percentile
  5. $77,570top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

Embalmers had a median pay of $58,780 a year in May 2025[1]. This is a small occupation, with about 3,890 wage and salary jobs in the US[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+0.7%[5]
Openings per year
700[6]
Typical entry education
Associate's degree[7]

How much do embalmers make?

The median pay for an embalmer was $58,780 a year, or $28.26 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $58,390 a year, or $28.07 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[4].

The annual percentiles show the spread[3]:

Percentile Annual wage Hourly wage
10th[3][9] $38,310 $18.42
25th[3][9] $48,010 $23.08
Median[1] $58,780 $28.26
75th[3][9] $66,130 $31.80
90th[3][9] $77,570 $37.29

These are boundaries, not a starting salary. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $38,310[3][10]. BLS publishes percentile wages and no starting salary[10].

The figures cover full-time and part-time workers paid a wage or salary. They leave out the self-employed, nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11].

Pay by state and city

Ohio had the highest median among the 28 states with published data, at $71,550, but with only 80 jobs[12]. Pennsylvania followed at $69,950 and North Carolina at $68,550[12]. Iowa had the lowest listed median, at $39,490[12]. Job counts in many states are small, so state figures rest on few workers[12].

Texas had the most jobs, with 680[13]. California had 520, Florida 300, Kentucky 280 and Tennessee 180[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA had the highest median, at $61,570[14]. Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX followed at $58,490, then Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX at $58,470[14].

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim also had the most jobs, at 210[15]. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington had 180 and Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands had 160[15].

Show median pay in 28 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
Ohio[12]$71,55080
Pennsylvania$69,95050
North Carolina$68,55070
Missouri$66,490160
Virginia$63,810120
Kansas$63,160120
Indiana$62,400n/a
South Carolina$61,820140
Illinois$61,73060
Rhode Island$60,31040
Florida$60,170300
California$60,060520
Mississippi$58,90040
Arkansas$58,25090
Texas$57,350680
Oregon$57,17070
Colorado$57,10070
Tennessee$55,170180
Georgia$55,00050
Louisiana$54,890150
Massachusetts$54,320100
West Virginia$54,06050
Alabama$53,08090
Washington$50,61040
Kentucky$49,860280
Oklahoma$49,12090
New Mexico$45,34030
Iowa$39,490n/a

How to become an embalmer

BLS Employment Projections describe the typical path[7]:

In an O*NET survey of 20 workers, 86% said an associate's degree or other 2-year degree is required, and 14% said a bachelor's degree[16]. The sample is small, so treat it as a rough guide.

O*NET places the job in a group where previous work-related skill, knowledge or experience is required[17]. Sample job titles include licensed embalmer and trade embalmer[18].

What embalmers do

O*NET describes the job as preparing bodies for burial in line with legal requirements[19]. Its main tasks include[20]:

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to rise 0.7% between 2025 and 2035, going from roughly 3,900 jobs to 4,000[5]. Across all occupations, BLS projects 3.5% growth over the same period[21]. These counts include self-employed workers[5].

About 700 openings are projected each year on average[6]. Openings come from new jobs and also from workers who retire or switch to other fields[6]. Each year, 10.4% of workers leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[22].

Is it a good fit?

The facts show a small field. The median pay of $58,780 is above the $50,980 median for all occupations[1][4]. The typical path takes an associate's degree and long-term on-the-job training[7]. Projected growth of 0.7% is below the 3.5% rate for all occupations, though about 700 openings are expected each year[5][21][6]. With only about 3,890 wage and salary jobs nationwide, this is a small field[2].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[23].

Frequently asked questions

How much does an embalmer make an hour?
The median was $28.26 an hour in May 2025, and the average was $28.07[1][8].
What education do you need to be an embalmer?
An associate's degree is the typical entry education, with long-term on-the-job training[7].
Is embalming in demand?
BLS projects 0.7% growth from 2025 to 2035, compared with 3.5% for all occupations, and about 700 openings a year[5][21][6].
What is the highest paying state for embalmers?
Ohio had the highest median at $71,550, with 80 jobs[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Embalmers in the US was $58,780 per year and $28.26 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 3,890 people were employed as Embalmers in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Embalmers: 10th percentile $38,310, 25th percentile $48,010, 75th percentile $66,130, 90th percentile $77,570. 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: employment of Embalmers is projected to grow 0.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 3,900 to 4,000 jobs (a change of +0). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 700 openings for Embalmers 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
  7. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Embalmers: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Long-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Embalmers was $58,390 per year and $28.07 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Embalmers: 10th percentile $18.42, 25th percentile $23.08, 75th percentile $31.80, 90th percentile $37.29. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. Median annual wage for Embalmers 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 Embalmers jobs: Texas 680; California 520; Florida 300; Kentucky 280; Tennessee 180. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Embalmers (areas with at least 100 jobs): Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA $61,570; Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX $58,490; Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX $58,470. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Embalmers jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 210 (median $61,570); Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 180 (median $58,470); Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX 160 (median $58,490); Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN 80 (median $45,740); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 80 (median $61,680); San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA 70 (median $60,890). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 39-4011.00 survey of workers (20 respondents), education level they say is required: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 86%, Bachelor's Degree 14% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  17. O*NET 39-4011.00: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job. O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET 39-4011.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Embalmer, Licensed Embalmer, Trade Embalmer. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET description of Embalmers. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET task list for Embalmers. O*NET OnLine
  21. BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
  22. BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Embalmers: 10.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. 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.