Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
Perform various tasks to arrange and direct individual 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.
Also known as: Arranger, Cemetery Manager, Certified Mortician, Embalmer, Funeral Arrangement Director, Funeral Arranger, Funeral Counselor, Funeral Director, ...
Annual Salary
Median annual wage (May 2024)
Job Outlook
Projected growth, 2024–2034 (About average)
What You'd Do
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
- Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
- Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
- Provide information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise, and maintain a casket display area.
- Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
- Close caskets and lead funeral corteges to churches or burial sites.
- Arrange for clergy members to perform needed services.
- Provide or arrange transportation between sites for the remains, mourners, pallbearers, clergy, or flowers.
- Perform embalming duties, as necessary.
- Direct preparations and shipment of bodies for out-of-state burial.
- Discuss and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients.
- Inform survivors of benefits for which they may be eligible.
- Maintain financial records, order merchandise, or prepare accounts.
- Plan placement of caskets at funeral sites or place or adjust lights, fixtures, or floral displays.
- Arrange for pallbearers or inform pallbearers or honorary groups of their duties.
- Receive or usher people to their seats for services.
- Plan, schedule, or coordinate funerals, burials, or cremations, arranging details such as floral delivery or the time and place of services.
- Manage funeral home operations, including the hiring, training, or supervision of embalmers, funeral attendants, or other staff.
- Clean funeral home facilities and grounds.
Top Skills
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Knowledge Areas
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Education Level Distribution
Percentage of workers in this occupation by education level
Technology & Tools
Software and tools commonly used in this role
In-Demand Technologies
Other Tools
Work Styles
Personality traits and work styles important for this career
Key Abilities
Cognitive, physical, and sensory abilities important for this role
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Activities
General types of job behaviors occurring on this job
Importance scale: 1 (low) – 5 (high)
Work Environment
Physical and social factors that influence the nature of work
Related Careers
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Salary data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. Outlook data: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034.
This page includes information from the O*NET 30.2 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license.