Embalmers Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for embalmerss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- Ohio$66,900
- Kansas$63,960
- Virginia$63,340
- Pennsylvania$63,310
- Illinois$63,240
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- New Mexico$43,280
- Oklahoma$47,110
- Iowa$50,200
- Kentucky$51,670
- West Virginia$54,860
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | $66,900 | $71,550 | $32 | +14.6% | 80 |
| 2 | Kansas | $63,960 | $63,160 | $31 | +9.5% | 120 |
| 3 | Virginia | $63,340 | $63,810 | $30 | +8.5% | 120 |
| 4 | Pennsylvania | $63,310 | $69,950 | $30 | +8.4% | 50 |
| 5 | Illinois | $63,240 | $61,730 | $30 | +8.3% | 60 |
| 6 | California | $62,550 | $60,060 | $30 | +7.1% | 520 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $62,550 | $68,550 | $30 | +7.1% | 70 |
| 8 | Missouri | $62,480 | $66,490 | $30 | +7% | 160 |
| 9 | Mississippi | $62,320 | $58,900 | $30 | +6.7% | 40 |
| 10 | South Carolina | $61,580 | $61,820 | $30 | +5.5% | 140 |
| 11 | Indiana | $61,270 | $62,400 | $29 | +4.9% | — |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $61,230 | $60,310 | $29 | +4.9% | 40 |
| 13 | Washington | $60,880 | $50,610 | $29 | +4.3% | 40 |
| 14 | Arkansas | $60,540 | $58,250 | $29 | +3.7% | 90 |
| 15 | Louisiana | $57,530 | $54,890 | $28 | -1.5% | 150 |
| 16 | Colorado | $56,780 | $57,100 | $27 | -2.8% | 70 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $56,660 | $54,320 | $27 | -3% | 100 |
| 18 | Oregon | $56,600 | $57,170 | $27 | -3.1% | 70 |
| 19 | Georgia | $56,440 | $55,000 | $27 | -3.3% | 50 |
| 20 | Tennessee | $55,910 | $55,170 | $27 | -4.2% | 180 |
| 21 | Florida | $55,570 | $60,170 | $27 | -4.8% | 300 |
| 22 | Texas | $55,260 | $57,350 | $27 | -5.4% | 680 |
| 23 | Alabama | $55,040 | $53,080 | $26 | -5.7% | 90 |
| 24 | West Virginia | $54,860 | $54,060 | $26 | -6% | 50 |
| 25 | Kentucky | $51,670 | $49,860 | $25 | -11.5% | 280 |
| 26 | Iowa | $50,200 | $39,490 | $24 | -14% | — |
| 27 | Oklahoma | $47,110 | $49,120 | $23 | -19.3% | 90 |
| 28 | New Mexico | $43,280 | $45,340 | $21 | -25.9% | 30 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 21 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $73,450 | $72,220 | 40 |
| 2 | Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area | $66,490 | $60,540 | 30 |
| 3 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $63,160 | $59,430 | 60 |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $63,130 | $63,350 | 60 |
| 5 | Columbia, SC | $61,880 | $64,270 | 30 |
| 6 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $61,680 | $58,100 | 80 |
| 7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $61,570 | $63,350 | 210 |
| 8 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $60,890 | $68,910 | 70 |
| 9 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $60,300 | $54,720 | 50 |
| 10 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $60,140 | $59,590 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing embalmerss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Personal and Laundry Services | $58,870 | $58,400 | 3,800 |
| 2 | Death Care Services | $58,870 | $58,400 | 3,800 |
| 3 | Sector 81 - Other Services (except Public Administration) | $58,870 | $58,400 | 3,800 |
| 4 | Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $58,790 | $58,380 | 3,860 |
| 5 | Cross-Industry, Private, Federal, State, and Local | $58,780 | $58,390 | 3,890 |
| 6 | Educational Services | $52,500 | $58,260 | 40 |
| 7 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $52,500 | $58,260 | 40 |
| 8 | Sector 61 - Educational Services | $52,500 | $58,260 | 40 |
| 9 | Educational Services, State Government Owned | $51,740 | $59,180 | 30 |
| 10 | Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools, State Government Owned | $51,740 | $59,180 | 30 |
| 11 | Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS | $51,740 | $59,180 | 30 |
| 12 | State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $51,740 | $59,180 | 30 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do embalmers make in the U.S.?
The median embalmers salary in the United States is $58,780 per year (mean $58,390), and about 80% earn between $38,310 and $77,570.
How much do embalmers make per hour?
Roughly $28 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $58,390 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays embalmers the most?
Ohio has the highest average pay for embalmers at $66,900 per year (median $71,550).
What is the job outlook for embalmers?
Employment is projected to change +1.3% from 2024 to 2034 (Slower than average), with about 600 openings per year.