SOC 39-4011.00

    Embalmers

    Prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements.

    Median pay
    $58,780
    Growth
    +0.7%
    Little or no change
    Openings a year
    700
    Typical education
    Associate's degree

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Source: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

    See the pathway

    Annual pay range

    Lowest 10% earn less than
    $38,310
    Median
    $58,780
    Highest 10% earn more than
    $77,570
    National wages for all workers in this occupation. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.

    3,890 people work in this occupation.

    In short

    Embalmers prepare bodies for interment according to legal requirements. They earn a median annual pay of $58,780, with salaries typically ranging from less than $38,310 to more than $77,570.

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What embalmers do

    Job Zone 3: Medium preparation

    Prepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements.

    Usually vocational training, an associate degree or related experience.

    What the work is like

    Embalmers focus on preparing deceased individuals for burial or cremation. Their daily tasks involve handling and moving objects, applying knowledge of chemistry and biology to preserve bodies, and performing restorative art. Because they work closely with grieving families and the public, these professionals must use strong skills in active listening, speaking, and social perceptiveness.

    This role requires high attention to detail, dependability, and integrity to ensure all procedures comply with legal standards. Embalmers must document information accurately, make sound decisions under pressure, and maintain self-control and stress tolerance. The work is highly realistic and hands-on, requiring a compassionate approach that combines customer service, psychology, and theology to support families during difficult times.

    How to get there

    To enter this career, individuals typically need an associate's degree. The occupation is classified as requiring medium preparation, which often involves vocational training, an associate degree, or related experience. Students commonly major in funeral service and mortuary science.

    To demonstrate professional competency, individuals can pursue the National Board Examination offered by the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. Additionally, some states list a license for this work, so candidates should check local regulations. Related careers in this field include funeral home managers, crematory operators, and funeral attendants.

    Pay and outlook explained

    The median annual pay for embalmers is $58,780. The lowest 10% of earners in this field make less than $38,310, while the highest 10% earn more than $77,570.

    There are 3,890 people employed in this occupation. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to change by 0.7%, which represents little or no change. Despite this flat growth, about 700 job openings are still projected to occur each year to replace workers who leave the occupation.

    Interest profile

    Realistic (R) · strongest
    81 / 100
    Investigative (I)
    26 / 100
    Artistic (A)
    10 / 100
    Social (S)
    40 / 100
    Enterprising (E)
    27 / 100
    Conventional (C)
    48 / 100
    How strongly each interest area describes the work, from O*NET (scores rescaled to 0–100). The interest code lists the strongest areas in order.

    Interest code RCS. Compare it with yours

    What you'd do

    Assisting and Caring for Others
    89
    Documenting/Recording Information
    85
    Handling and Moving Objects
    83
    Making Decisions and Solving Problems
    83
    Getting Information
    79
    Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    76
    Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    75
    Processing Information
    74
    Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
    73
    Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
    73
    Work activities rated by importance for this occupation, O*NET (0–100).

    Skills and strengths

    Skills

    • Speaking
    • Active Listening
    • Critical Thinking
    • Service Orientation
    • Social Perceptiveness
    • Time Management
    • Writing
    • Active Learning
    • Coordination
    • Judgment and Decision Making

    Knowledge

    • Customer and Personal Service
    • Chemistry
    • Psychology
    • English Language
    • Law and Government
    • Biology
    • Administration and Management
    • Administrative
    • Philosophy and Theology
    • Education and Training

    Abilities

    • Near Vision
    • Oral Comprehension
    • Problem Sensitivity
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
    • Oral Expression
    • Speech Recognition
    • Deductive Reasoning
    • Information Ordering
    • Speech Clarity
    • Inductive Reasoning

    Work styles

    • Attention to Detail
    • Dependability
    • Integrity
    • Stress Tolerance
    • Self-Control
    • Sincerity
    • Cautiousness
    • Cooperation
    • Empathy
    • Perseverance

    Also called

    Anatomical Embalmer · Arterial Embalmer · Embalmer · Funeral Embalmer · Funeral Services Embalmer · Licensed Embalmer · Restorative Art Embalmer · Trade Embalmer

    Career pathway

    From your interests to embalmers

    Interests that fit the work, the career, majors that lead there and colleges whose graduates in those majors earn the most. Hover or focus a step to follow one path.

    1. Interests

    2. This career

      • Embalmers$58,780 median pay

    3. Majors

    4. Colleges

    College Scorecard program outcomes

    Colleges with strong outcomes

    Programs that lead to this career, ranked by what their graduates earn four years after finishing. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid.

    1. 1
      University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Main Campus

      Minneapolis, MN · Funeral Service and Mortuary Science · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $62,908
      4 yrs after
      $77,420
      Median debt
      $14,667
    2. 2Mid-America College of Funeral Service logo
      Mid-America College of Funeral Service

      Jeffersonville, IN · Funeral Service and Mortuary Science · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      Not reported
      4 yrs after
      $67,172
      Median debt
      $14,757
    3. 3Wayne State University-Michigan logo
      Wayne State University-Michigan

      Detroit, MI · Funeral Service and Mortuary Science · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $56,637
      4 yrs after
      $62,954
      Median debt
      $14,500
    4. 4
      Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

      Carbondale, IL · Funeral Service and Mortuary Science · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $51,033
      4 yrs after
      $60,203
      Median debt
      $27,625
    5. 5University of Central Oklahoma logo
      University of Central Oklahoma

      Edmond, OK · Funeral Service and Mortuary Science · Bachelor's

      1 yr after
      $50,151
      4 yrs after
      $54,571
      Median debt
      $23,842

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Programs with few graduates are not listed.

    NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk

    Majors that lead here

    Related programs by four-digit CIP code. They are common routes in, not the only ones.

    CareerOneStop

    Certifications, licenses and pay by state

    What embalmers may need beyond a degree, where a license is required, and what the work pays in each state.

    Certifications

    Core certifications employers recognise for this work.

    Search all certifications on CareerOneStop

    Training

    Programs of study that prepare people for this work.

    • Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General
    • Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer

    Find training near you on CareerOneStop

    Licenses by state

    34 states list a license for this work. Open your state for the license and the agency that issues it.

    Check license requirements on CareerOneStop

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Your plan

    Build my pathway plan

    Courses, majors, colleges, scholarships and a timeline for this career, built from your profile.

    Related careers

    Careers with similar work, interests or skills.

    All careers

    Questions about embalmers

    Written with AI from the BLS, O*NET and CareerOneStop data on this page. Every figure is checked against that data before it is published.

    What college majors are relevant for becoming an embalmer?

    Students interested in this career typically major in funeral service and mortuary science. This program provides the necessary foundation in biology, chemistry, and restorative art.

    Are there any professional certifications or licenses required?

    Candidates can earn the National Board Examination certification from the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. Some states also list a license for this specific work.

    What is the job outlook for this profession?

    Employment is projected to experience little or no change, with a 0.7% growth rate from 2025 to 2035. However, there are still about 700 openings projected each year to fill vacancies.

    Sources and attribution

    Every figure on this page comes from these public datasets. Missing values are shown as not reported, never estimated.

    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. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.

    Data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (Employment and Training Administration, with the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development). Retrieved November 6, 2026.

    Page data updated November 5, 2026.