Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors

Perform various tasks to arrange and direct 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.

Median Annual Wage: $47,250

Education: Associate's degree (51%); Post-baccalaureate certificate (21%); Post-secondary certificate (17%)

Projected Growth: Average (8% to 14%)

Related Job Titles: Operations Manager; Funeral Director; Funeral Director / Embalmer; Funeral Arranger; Mortician; Licensed Funeral Director; Funeral Counselor; Funeral Location Manager; Funeral Arrangment Director; Funeral Pre-Need Consultant

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Source: O*NET OnLine information for Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors.

More Personal Care and Service Careers

  • Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
  • Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
  • Plan, schedule, or coordinate funerals, burials, or cremations, arranging details such as floral delivery or the time and place of services.
  • Perform embalming duties as necessary.
  • Arrange for clergy members to perform needed services.
  • 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.
  • Close caskets and lead funeral corteges to churches or burial sites.
  • Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
  • Inform survivors of benefits for which they may be eligible.
  • Discuss and negotiate prearranged funerals with clients.
  • Maintain financial records, order merchandise, or prepare accounts.
  • Provide or arrange transportation between sites for the remains, mourners, pallbearers, clergy, or flowers.
  • Plan placement of caskets at funeral sites or place or adjust lights, fixtures, or floral displays.
  • Direct preparations and shipment of bodies for out-of-state burial.
  • Manage funeral home operations, including the hiring, training, or supervision of embalmers, funeral attendants, or other staff.
  • Clean funeral home facilities and grounds.
  • Arrange for pallbearers or inform pallbearers or honorary groups of their duties.
  • Receive or usher people to their seats for services.
  • Participate in community activities for funeral home promotion or other purposes.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors.

  • Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors.

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