How Much Do Morticians Make (Average Salary) (2023)

FAQs

Do morticians make a lot of money? ›

The salaries of Funeral Director & Morticians in the US range from $102,958 to $140,090 , with a median salary of $114,640 . The middle 57% of Funeral Director & Morticians makes between $114,640 and $122,638, with the top 86% making $140,090.

Mortuary Science careers pay well. Every state is different, but the median income for funeral home managers is $76,000 per year. In some states, it can be as high as $134,000. The average funeral service worker who is not a director or home manager still earns over $54,000 per year.

The highest 10 percent of embalmers make more than $69,900 per year, or $33.61 per hour. Embalmers in the lowest 10 percent income bracket earn $23,600, or $11.35 per hour. An embalmer working as a mortician or funeral director earns a median annual salary of $51,850, or $24.93 per hour.

One of the most common questions people have about embalming is whether or not organs are removed. The answer is no; all of the organs remain in the body during the embalming process. Instead, the Embalmer makes small incisions in the abdomen and inserts tubes into the body cavity.

When the funeral director begins the embalming process, he places the body on a special porcelain or stainless steel table that looks much like what you'd find in an operating room. He washes the body with soap and water and positions it with the hands crossed over the abdomen, as you'd see them appear in a casket.

Depending on the program, it may take you two and four years to complete. If you already have a degree, you may only require a few supplementary courses which allow you to complete the program within a shorter time.

What Is the Difference Between Embalmer and Mortician? An embalmer is someone who prepares bodies for burial by sanitizing and preserving them. A mortician is someone who works with the bereaved, helps plan funerals, and oversees the burial process.

Medical risks

Morticians handle corpses, which can put them at risk of infection or disease. While this is rare, proper training and equipment are an important part of preventing it. Morticians may also continue their training in this to ensure they have the appropriate knowledge when handling afterlife care.

Do morticians have PTSD? ›

One of the often-overlooked side effects of working in funeral service is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue represent a serious group of related problems for people who care for, hear about or witness the intense suffering of others.

Since the death care services industry is a challenging one to work in, most morticians earn a comfortable salary. The average salary for this position across the U.S. is $59,777 per year .

“The shortage is so serious right now that there's a 90% job placement rate for graduates of these programs,” said Leili McMurrough, program director at Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Wheeling, Illinois, one of the nation's oldest mortuary schools dating back to 1911.

Long hours, unpredictable workloads, and the emotional demands of the planning, arrangement, embalming, and cremation processes build, forces us into a position where we feel "compassion fatigue." Yes, even seemingly basic responses to others, such as compassion, sympathy, and empathy, can be fatiguing.

Overall employment of funeral service workers is projected to grow 8 percent from 2021 to 2031, faster than the average for all occupations.

We don't remove them. You can use what is called an eye cap to put over the flattened eyeball to recreate the natural curvature of the eye. You can also inject tissue builder directly into the eyeball and fill it up. And sometimes, the embalming fluid will fill the eye to normal size.

Over time, coffins underground will decompose and eventually collapse. Covering the face before closing the casket adds an extra layer of protection and dignity for the deceased's face and can act as a symbolic final goodbye.

Becoming a mortician requires a high level of dedication and work, but the career provides rewards that are well worth the effort it takes.

One of the wildest innovations is “living funerals.” You can attend a dry run of your own funeral, complete with casket, mourners, funeral procession, etc. You can witness the lavish proceedings without having an “out-of-body” experience, just an “out-of-disposable-income” experience.

Generally speaking, morticians don't do autopsies, but sometimes they can be conducted in the funeral home if there is no local coroner's office. Typically, these tables have usual at one end, so that any blood or fluids can easily be drained during the autopsy and embalming process.

What happens immediately after death? ›

Your heart no longer beats, your breath stops and your brain stops functioning. Studies suggest that brain activity may continue several minutes after a person has been declared dead. Still, brain activity isn't the same as consciousness or awareness. It doesn't mean that a person is aware that they've died.

Unlike a doctor going to medical school, you'll take your funeral director's education at a regular college. Courses for a degree in mortuary science typically include embalming, restorative techniques, ethics, grief counseling, funeral service and business law. Embalming is an education in itself.

Many morticians directly work with the dead, embalming the body or applying cosmetics for viewings. To become a mortician, one must undergo education and state qualifications. There is also a licensing board federally and on a state level. That being said, morticians are not licensed medical professionals or doctors.

Morgue Technicians in America make an average salary of $38,886 per year or $19 per hour. The top 10 percent makes over $54,000 per year, while the bottom 10 percent under $27,000 per year.

Interestingly enough, the average age of morticians is 40+ years old, which represents 76% of the population.

Morticians and funeral directors maintain a typical daily work schedule, however, are on call 24-hours a day. This is because funeral services often need to be arranged within 24 to 72 hours of a death. Funeral directors must be ready to help families during times of need, whenever that may be.

While the funeral director or mortician is charged with actually dressing the body, the clothing is selected by the family. Some families have preferences for what they want their loved ones to wear, and some individuals also include their burial clothing as part of their final wishes.

A funeral director may work at a funeral home or be an independent employee.” Mortician and undertaker are synonymous with the title of funeral director the only difference being mortician is an American term and undertaker is more British.

Morticians must be intelligent and disciplined academically, as the course work is rigorous. A mortician is trained by going to college for two to four years, studying topics such as anatomy and physiology, embalming, art, business, accounting, social sciences, ethics, biology, chemistry, grief counseling and law.

A: Only A Doctor Can Pronounce You Dead

These doctors need to comply with federal laws, state and local laws, and the policies of the hospital or facility where they work.

Is it okay to touch someone in a casket? ›

Open Casket Funeral Etiquette

While some people find comfort in seeing their loved ones as they remember them, it may also be uncomfortable to others. If they have an open casket viewing, make sure you follow proper funeral etiquette: DON'T touch the body under any circumstances.

Funeral home professionals prefer to cut clothing off when dressing a loved one. You should do the same as it will make the process easier. Although it is not necessary for Direct Cremation, some families prefer to wash or clean their loved one, especially for religious reasons.

Morticians typically oversee the embalming, dressing, and cosmetic enhancements of a deceased person before they are placed in a casket. They also help with preparing funeral processions and provide other services for living relatives.

Eyes and lips are not sewn or glued shut. During the embalming process, an "eye cap" is placed under each eyelid and over the eyeball. The eyes themselves may soften a little over time, but the eye cap helps to retain the shape of the eye. A Vaseline-like cream is placed on the lips to keep them together.

Sometimes called desairologists, mortuary cosmetologists are trained to use products to style or alter the hair, face, and nails to prepare a deceased person for viewing and/or burial.

The tradition of black mourning clothing in the West dates back to the Roman Empire, when the family of the deceased would wear a dark-colored toga, called a toga pulla. This tradition persisted in England throughout medieval times, when women were expected to wear black caps and veils when their husbands passed away.

Typical Work Schedule

Morticians work full-time schedules, and commonly work overtime. The job of mortician is not a 9-5 role—morticians are on-call often to handle emergencies at all hours of the day and all days of the year.

The job of an embalmer is as demanding as it is rewarding. Many people who choose this profession must be available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Many embalmers carry a pager and must always be on call. This may mean working during a holiday or special event and requires a high level of personal sacrifice.

You will work all day, on call picking up bodies at night, and back to work tomorrow.

When properly stored and cooled, a body can be kept for up to six weeks at the funeral home, so you'll have plenty of flexibility when planning your memorial service.

Are morticians traumatized? ›

One of the often-overlooked side effects of working in funeral service is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. PTSD, vicarious trauma and compassion fatigue represent a serious group of related problems for people who care for, hear about or witness the intense suffering of others.

It goes hand in hand with a lack of personal boundaries. Business may thrive and customers may be happy, but funeral directors wind up not spending time with their own families. Substance abuse and depression is often the end result.

The average Funeral Director & Mortician in the US makes $116,458. The average bonus for a Funeral Director & Mortician is $6,425 which represents 6% of their salary, with 100% of people reporting that they receive a bonus each year.

You want to work with people.

They offer comfort and consolation to those in need, and help them make arrangements for their loved one's funeral and wake. If you are good with people and a strong communicator, a mortuary science degree and career may just be for you.

Mortician Requirements

Being at least 18 years old. Completing an associate degree from an accredited funeral service or mortuary science program, if required. Some states require a bachelor's degree, and some don't have any postsecondary degree requirements. Working as an intern or apprentice in your state.

“This is a difficult job and you have to be very dextrous to be able to reconstruct a body. There can also be heavy manual work involved as well. “This job is certainly not as glamorous as it looks on television shows such as Silent Witness.”

Emotionally challenging

Working with death and families in grief can be emotionally challenging. Morticians are around death daily and frequently hear stories that may be emotionally draining, which can affect their outlook on life.

Occupational Risk of Secondary Traumatic Stress Mortuary workers may be exposed to trauma directly through body handling and preparation; however, they may also face additional work stressors in their dealings with the bereaved.

Morticians must be intelligent and disciplined academically, as the course work is rigorous. A mortician is trained by going to college for two to four years, studying topics such as anatomy and physiology, embalming, art, business, accounting, social sciences, ethics, biology, chemistry, grief counseling and law.

Are mortician in demand? ›

California has a rich employment environment for morticians. Across the state, there are currently as many as 1,870 morticians employed, earning an average salary of $45,500 to $50,230. This salary is a bit above the national average, making this a great state in which to become a mortician.

An associate's degree in funeral service or mortuary science is the typical education requirement for funeral service workers. The syllabus commonly includes professional ethics, anatomy, microbiology, chemistry, pathology, embalming, restorative art, federal regulations, and mortuary law.

Most funeral service workers are employed full time, and some work more than 40 hours per week. They are often on call; irregular hours, including evenings and weekends are common.

If you are good with people and a strong communicator, a mortuary science degree and career may just be for you. The best morticians are those who enjoy leading people, teaching people, and helping people in need. They also have great interpersonal skills.