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Funeral attendant: 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.

$35,680median pay per year, or $17.16 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $28,070lowest 10% earn less
  2. $30,38025th percentile
  3. $35,680median
  4. $42,87075th percentile
  5. $48,460top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[3]Median for all US jobs, $50,980[4]

The median pay for a funeral attendant was $35,680 a year in May 2025[1]. A high school diploma and short on-the-job training are the typical way in[2].

Job growth, 2025–35
+2.6%[5]
Openings per year
5,400[6]
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent[2]

How much do funeral attendants make?

The median wage was $35,680 a year, or $17.16 an hour[1]. Half of funeral attendants earned more and half earned less[1]. The mean (average) was $37,190 a year, or $17.88 an hour[7]. For all occupations in the US, the median annual wage was $50,980[4].

The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,070 a year, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $48,460[3]. The 25th percentile was $30,380 and the 75th was $42,870[3]. Hourly, the 10th percentile was $13.50 and the 90th was $23.30[8]. A percentile is a boundary line, and BLS publishes percentiles instead of a starting salary[9].

The figures cover about 31,090 wage and salary jobs[10]. They leave out self-employed people, and they leave out nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[11].

Pay by state and city

New Hampshire had the top state median at $55,850 a year, followed by Rhode Island at $53,580 and Nevada at $51,980[12]. Kentucky had the lowest listed median, $29,160[12].

Texas had the most jobs, 2,150[13]. Pennsylvania had 1,930, California 1,790, Ohio 1,720 and Florida 1,700[13].

Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Providence-Warwick, RI-MA had the top median at $51,910[14]. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH followed at $48,110, and Springfield, MA at $46,090[14]. The metro area with the most jobs was New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ, with 1,190[15].

Show median pay in 48 states
StateMedian per yearJobs
New Hampshire[12]$55,850120
Rhode Island$53,580190
Nevada$51,980100
Delaware$46,720110
Massachusetts$46,2801,090
Connecticut$45,800520
Minnesota$43,910400
New York$42,2101,450
Colorado$41,710160
Washington$41,600160
Utah$41,130270
Vermont$40,80030
Oregon$40,35070
Iowa$40,060460
Maine$39,330220
Missouri$39,270620
Maryland$39,020670
California$38,7001,790
New Jersey$37,240540
South Dakota$37,170120
Montana$37,080110
Pennsylvania$36,3001,930
Wisconsin$36,030500
Illinois$35,690730
Ohio$35,6401,720
Arizona$35,450420
Michigan$35,3801,460
Virginia$35,0101,450
North Dakota$34,980130
North Carolina$34,9401,610
New Mexico$34,890170
Indiana$34,4201,080
Idaho$33,28070
Wyoming$32,95060
Arkansas$31,630140
West Virginia$31,410350
Kansas$30,720330
Texas$30,5602,150
Georgia$30,5301,070
Mississippi$30,530280
Oklahoma$30,530510
Louisiana$30,370560
Alabama$30,310550
Florida$30,2101,700
Nebraska$30,170270
South Carolina$29,880930
Tennessee$29,6001,090
Kentucky$29,160560

How to become a funeral attendant

ONET places the job in Job Zone 1-2, which means very little to some preparation is needed[16]. In an ONET survey of 22 workers, 47% said a high school diploma or equivalent is required[17]. Another 22% said an associate's degree, 13% said some college courses, 9% said a bachelor's degree and 7% said less than a high school diploma[17]. With only 22 respondents[17], treat these shares as a rough picture.

What funeral attendants do

O*NET describes the job as a mix of tasks during funerals, such as placing the casket, arranging flowers or lights, escorting mourners and handling funeral equipment[18]. Typical tasks include:

Workers report titles such as Funeral Attendant, Funeral Assistant, Funeral Greeter and Funeral Home Attendant[20]. The title Funeral Director also appears in that list, but the pay figures on this page are for the funeral attendant category only[20].

Job outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 31,300 to 32,100 jobs[5]. These counts include self-employed workers[5]. Employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% over the same period[21]. So this job is projected to grow slightly slower than average.

About 5,400 openings a year are projected on average[6]. Openings come from retirements and moves to other occupations as well as from new jobs[6]. Each year, 10.4% of funeral attendants leave the labor force and 6.5% move to a different occupation[22]. Only 0.2% were self-employed in 2025[23].

Is it a good fit?

Entry needs a high school diploma and short-term training, with no related experience[2]. Pay is lower than the all-occupation median, at $35,680 compared with $50,980[1][4]. Growth is small at 2.6%, but about 5,400 openings a year are projected, so there is steady turnover[5][6]. Pay differs by place, from $29,160 in Kentucky to $55,850 in New Hampshire[12].

Related occupations from O*NET, with BLS median pay and projected growth[24].

Frequently asked questions

How much does a funeral attendant make an hour?
The median was $17.16 an hour in May 2025, and the mean was $17.88[1][7].
What education do you need to be a funeral attendant?
A high school diploma or equivalent is the typical entry education, with short-term on-the-job training[2].
Is the funeral attendant job in demand?
Employment is projected to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, and about 5,400 openings a year are projected[5][6].
What is the highest paying state for funeral attendants?
New Hampshire, with a median of $55,850 a year[12].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Funeral Attendants in the US was $35,680 per year and $17.16 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Funeral Attendants: 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
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Funeral Attendants: 10th percentile $28,070, 25th percentile $30,380, 75th percentile $42,870, 90th percentile $48,460. 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: employment of Funeral Attendants is projected to grow 2.6% from 2025 to 2035, from about 31,300 to 32,100 jobs (a change of +800). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
  6. BLS Employment Projections: about 5,400 openings for Funeral Attendants 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 OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Funeral Attendants was $37,190 per year and $17.88 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Funeral Attendants: 10th percentile $13.50, 25th percentile $14.61, 75th percentile $20.61, 90th percentile $23.30. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. 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
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 31,090 people were employed as Funeral Attendants in the US (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). 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 Funeral Attendants 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 Funeral Attendants jobs: Texas 2,150; Pennsylvania 1,930; California 1,790; Ohio 1,720; Florida 1,700. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Funeral Attendants (areas with at least 100 jobs): Providence-Warwick, RI-MA $51,910; Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH $48,110; Springfield, MA $46,090; Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $45,480; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $45,100; Waterbury-Shelton, CT $44,810; San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $44,100; Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD $42,460. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Funeral Attendants jobs: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,190 (median $45,100); Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH 680 (median $48,110); Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 680 (median $38,700); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 580 (median $35,380); Pittsburgh, PA 570 (median $36,080); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 530 (median $42,460). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  16. O*NET 39-4021.00: 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
  17. O*NET 39-4021.00 survey of workers (22 respondents), education level they say is required: High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 47%, Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 22%, Some College Courses 13%, Bachelor's Degree 9%, Less than a High School Diploma 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
  18. O*NET description of Funeral Attendants. O*NET OnLine
  19. O*NET task list for Funeral Attendants. O*NET OnLine
  20. O*NET 39-4021.00 sample job titles reported by workers: Funeral Assistant, Funeral Associate, Funeral Attendant, Funeral Director, Funeral Greeter, Funeral Home Assistant, Funeral Home Associate, Funeral Home Attendant. 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 Funeral Attendants: 10.4% of workers leave the labor force each year and 6.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
  23. BLS Employment Projections: 0.2% of Funeral Attendants were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
  24. 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.