Embalmers Career, Salary and Skills
Embalmers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $58,780 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 3,890. Wage data is published for 47 locations.
Occupation description
Prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements.
O*NET code
39-4011.00
Job zone
3
Typical education
Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree
Experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
National salary and employment
Median annual
$58,780
Hourly median
$28.26
Employment
3,890
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
$38,310
10th
$48,010
25th
$58,780
Median
$66,130
75th
$77,570
90th
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.88 | 3.75 |
| Active Listening | 3.75 | 3.75 |
| Writing | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Time Management | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.12 | 3.88 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.12 | 3.12 |
| Service Orientation | 3.12 | 3.00 |
| Coordination | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Monitoring | 3.00 | 3.12 |
| Active Learning | 3.00 | 3.00 |
Typical tasks
- Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
- Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
- Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
- Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.
- Clean and disinfect areas in which bodies are prepared and embalmed.
- Dress bodies and place them in caskets.
- Make incisions in arms or thighs and drain blood from circulatory system and replace it with embalming fluid, using pump.
- Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
Technology
- Belmar & Associates Mortware
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Custom Data Systems Sterling Management Software
- FPA Software MACCS
- HMIS Advantage
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Word
- Twin Tier Technologies MIMS
- Web browser software
Embalmers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Embalmers Salary in TXMedian $57,350 · Employment 680
- Embalmers Salary in CAMedian $60,060 · Employment 520
- Embalmers Salary in FLMedian $60,170 · Employment 300
- Embalmers Salary in KYMedian $49,860 · Employment 280
- Embalmers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $61,570 · Employment 210
- Embalmers Salary in Dallas, TXMedian $58,470 · Employment 180
- Embalmers Salary in TNMedian $55,170 · Employment 180
- Embalmers Salary in Houston, TXMedian $58,490 · Employment 160
- Embalmers Salary in MOMedian $66,490 · Employment 160
- Embalmers Salary in LAMedian $54,890 · Employment 150
- Embalmers Salary in SCMedian $61,820 · Employment 140
- Embalmers Salary in KSMedian $63,160 · Employment 120
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Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.