State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Coroner Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
Coroners earn a median of $80,730 per year ($38.81/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 3.0% through 2034, with about 33,300 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
SOC 13-1041Business and Financial OperationsLast updated August 23, 2026
- Median pay
- $80,730
- Projected growth
- +3.0%
- Openings a year
- 33,300
- Typical education
- Bachelor's
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Autopsy Facilities Manager, Coroner, County Coroner, Death Investigator, Forensic Pathologist, MDI (Medicolegal Death Investigator).
How much do Coroners make?
10th percentile$48,220
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$61,280
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$80,730
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$109,010
Upper quartile
90th percentile$133,720
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $80,730 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $38.81/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $88,400 |
| People employed | 417,070 |
Versus all US occupations
At $80,730, Coroners earn 58% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $29,750 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
The median is typical for the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $133,720 or more while the bottom 10% earn $48,220, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 67% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
District of Columbia pays the most at $111,030, and still leads at $101,027 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Coroners the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $111,030 | $101,027 | 4,380 |
| Massachusetts | $102,060 | $96,504 | 13,190 |
| New Jersey | $100,000 | $91,908 | 13,310 |
| California | $96,980 | $87,590 | 49,880 |
| Connecticut | $91,810 | $88,611 | 3,610 |
| Delaware | $91,050 | $91,225 | 2,150 |
| Vermont | $90,420 | $92,305 | 1,960 |
| New York | $90,080 | $83,468 | 23,500 |
| Washington | $88,790 | $82,971 | 11,130 |
| Rhode Island | $87,620 | $85,667 | 970 |
Is Coroner a growing career?
Coroners3.0%
All US occupations3.1%
+3.0% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Coroners to change 3.0% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 12,300 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 33,300 openings are projected each year, 8.0% of the 418,000 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Demand for compliance officers will stem from the need for businesses and government agencies to comply with various laws and regulations. Compliance officers will be needed to understand the complexities of these regulations and to help their employers avoid the costs associated with noncompliance.
How to become a Coroner
Coroner is the one occupation on this list whose requirements are written below the state level, and they vary more than almost any other job in the country. In many jurisdictions the coroner is an elected county official and no medical training is required at all; in others the office has been replaced by a medical examiner who must be a licensed physician and, commonly, a board-certified forensic pathologist. Georgia and Ohio both elect coroners to four-year terms. Georgia asks for a high school diploma, an age of 25 and a police academy course. Ohio will not let you on the ballot unless you have been licensed to practise medicine in the state for at least two years. There is no national credential and no way to answer the question generally: you have to read your own state statute.
The credential path, step by step
- Find out which death investigation system your county runs
CDC's Public Health Law Program assessed coroner and medical examiner laws across the 50 states and the District of Columbia and publishes a profile for each. Each state sets its own standards for which deaths must be investigated and its own professional and continuing education requirements for the people who investigate them. In most states coroners are not required to be physicians or forensic pathologists, though state law often mandates specific death investigation training.
- If the office is an elected coroner, read the eligibility statute, not a job description
Georgia (Ga. Code Ann. 45-16-1) requires a coroner to be a US citizen, a resident of the county for at least two years before qualifying and throughout the term, a registered voter, at least 25 by the general primary, holder of a high school diploma or recognised equivalent, free of felony or moral-turpitude convictions, and to complete a Georgia Police Academy basic training course in the next scheduled class no later than 180 days after election or appointment. Ohio (Ohio Rev. Code 313.01) allows nobody on the ballot except a physician licensed to practise in Ohio for at least two years immediately preceding election or appointment and in good standing in the profession.
- If the post is a medical examiner, the path is a medical one and there is no shortcut
Georgia requires its chief medical examiner to be a pathologist certified in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology at the time of appointment, and a local medical examiner to be a licensed physician. California requires a medical examiner to be a licensed physician and surgeon duly qualified as a specialist in pathology. That means medical school, an ACGME-accredited graduate medical education programme in pathology with at least two years of AP/CP, AP or CP training before beginning subspecialty fellowship, a forensic pathology fellowship, and the ABPath forensic pathology examination, a one-day computer-based test combining written, practical and virtual microscopy sections and offered once a year in the autumn.
- If you want the investigative work rather than the office, look at certification instead
The American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators certifies death investigators rather than officeholders. Registry certification requires current employment with prior experience independently conducting medicolegal death scene investigations, a points threshold built from employment, education and training, advanced degrees and forensic autopsies observed, and an examination scheduled within twelve months of the application.
- Expect an annual training obligation whichever route you take
Georgia requires every coroner and deputy coroner, as a condition of continuing to serve, to take a Georgia Coroner's Training Council approved course during every calendar year in office, and 24 hours of additional approved training each calendar year after initial certification. Ohio requires each newly elected coroner to complete 16 hours of continuing education through the Ohio State Coroners Association after the general election but before commencing the term, separate from the ongoing requirement.
Exams you have to pass
ABPath Forensic Pathology Certification Examination
A one-day computer-based examination with combined written and practical sections and virtual microscopy sections, offered once each year in the autumn. Candidates must have completed an ACGME-accredited (or RCPSC-accredited) graduate medical education programme in pathology and at least 2 years of AP/CP, AP or CP training before beginning the subspecialty fellowship, with the programme director verifying competence for autonomous practice.
Administered by American Board of Pathology.
- How long the training takes
None at all in many elected-coroner jurisdictions; more than a decade for the medical examiner route
Georgia asks an elected coroner for a high school diploma and a police academy course completed within 180 days of taking office. Ohio asks for a medical licence held for at least two years. The medical examiner path runs from medical school through an ACGME-accredited pathology residency, with at least two years of training before fellowship, and then a forensic pathology fellowship and the ABPath examination.
- Continuing education
Set by each state
Set locally, and in several states it is the only training requirement that exists. Ohio requires each newly elected coroner to complete 16 hours of continuing education through the Ohio State Coroners Association after the election and before taking office. Georgia requires an approved training course every calendar year in office and 24 hours of additional approved training each year after initial certification. Physicians serving as medical examiners carry their own separate medical licence and board continuing certification obligations.
Licensing and state variation
Not a state license
Not a licensed occupation at all in most places. It is an elected or appointed public office, and eligibility is written into state statute and applied county by county, which is why no national answer exists. What varies: whether the position is elected or appointed (Georgia elects coroners and appoints medical examiners; a California board of supervisors may abolish the office of coroner by ordinance and appoint a medical examiner in its place); whether any medical qualification is required (Ohio requires a licensed physician of two years' standing, Georgia requires a high school diploma); the minimum age, residency and voter registration conditions; the term of office, four years in both Georgia and Ohio; and the mandatory training, which can be a police academy course, a coroners association programme or nothing. CDC also found that 20 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring that autopsies be performed only by pathologists, which is a separate constraint on who may do the medical work even where the officeholder need not be a doctor.
Who governs the credential
- American Board of Pathology (ABPath) — Certifies physicians in forensic pathology. Several states write ABPath certification directly into their medical examiner eligibility statutes, which makes it a legal requirement in those jurisdictions rather than a voluntary credential.
- American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (ABMDI) — Certifies medicolegal death investigators, the people who conduct scene investigations for a coroner or medical examiner office, through a points-based experience threshold and an examination. It certifies investigators, not coroners, and holds no authority over who may take office.
Credential detail for coroners is researched by hand from the bodies that issue it, not derived from BLS or O*NET. Sources last checked August 23, 2026. Requirements change: confirm with your own state board before enrolling in anything.
- CDC Public Health Law Program: Coroner and Medical Examiner Laws · checked August 23, 2026
- CDC Public Health Law Program: Georgia Coroner/Medical Examiner Laws · checked August 23, 2026
- CDC Public Health Law Program: Ohio Coroner/Medical Examiner Laws · checked August 23, 2026
- CDC Public Health Law Program: California Coroner/Medical Examiner Laws · checked August 23, 2026
- American Board of Pathology: Forensic Pathology · checked August 23, 2026
- American Board of Pathology: Requirements for Certification · checked August 23, 2026
- American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators: Registry Certification · checked August 23, 2026
What the federal data says
Compliance officers typically need a bachelor’s degree to enter the occupation. They often receive training on the job. Employers may prefer or require candidates to have experience related to the position.
| Typical entry-level education | Bachelor's degree |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Some preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as coroners.
- Bachelor's Degree35.0%
- Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)15.0%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate15.0%
- High School Diploma10.0%
- Some College Courses10.0%
What does a Coroner do?
Direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths.
Compliance officers make sure that people and organizations meet legal and regulatory requirements.
Day-to-day tasks
- Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
- Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
- Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
- Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.
- Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.
- Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.
- Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.
- Complete reports and forms required to finalize cases.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Most compliance officers work full time, standard schedules. They sometimes need to work longer hours, such as when conducting research for an investigation.
Where the work happens
- Indoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day
Working with people
- Constant contact with other people
- Face-to-face discussions every day
- Dealing with customers or the public is very important
Pressure and stakes
- Meeting strict deadlines at least weekly
- Handling conflict situations at least monthly
Autonomy
- A lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey, showing only the signals people in the job report decisively one way or the other.
Where coroners work
| Government, excluding state and local education and hospitals | 37% |
|---|---|
| Finance and insurance | 12% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 9% |
| Healthcare and social assistance | 8% |
| Manufacturing | 4% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Speaking4.1/5
- Critical Thinking4.1/5
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Writing3.6/5
- Active Learning3.4/5
- Science3.3/5
- Monitoring3.3/5
Transferable skills
- Coordination3.8/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.6/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.4/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Time Management3.1/5
- Instructing3.0/5
- Persuasion2.6/5
Tools and software
- Data base reporting software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- File versioning software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Operating system software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Video conferencing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Document management software
- Electronic mail software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Coroner?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realistic4.0
Investigativeprimary4.9
Artistic1.5
Social3.1
Enterprisingprimary4.1
Conventionalprimary4.9
Day to day this is work built around investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Coroner: frequently asked questions
How much do Coroners make?
Coroners earn a median of $80,730 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 58% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $38.81/hr. The middle half earn between $61,280 and $109,010. The top 10% earn $133,720 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Coroner?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Coroners, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as some preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 35.0% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Coroner a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 3.0% over 2024–2034, about the same as the 3.1% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 33,300 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Coroner do?
Compliance officers make sure that people and organizations meet legal and regulatory requirements. A core O*NET task: perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death. Employers most often ask for Data base reporting software, Data base user interface and query software, File versioning software.
Which states pay Coroners the most?
The highest state medians for Coroners are District of Columbia ($111,030), Massachusetts ($102,060), New Jersey ($100,000) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Coroner?
O*NET scores Coroners highest on the Investigative, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.
How long does it take to become a Coroner?
None at all in many elected-coroner jurisdictions; more than a decade for the medical examiner route. Georgia asks an elected coroner for a high school diploma and a police academy course completed within 180 days of taking office. Ohio asks for a medical licence held for at least two years. The medical examiner path runs from medical school through an ACGME-accredited pathology residency, with at least two years of training before fellowship, and then a forensic pathology fellowship and the ABPath examination.
Do you need a license to work as a Coroner?
Not a state license. Not a licensed occupation at all in most places. It is an elected or appointed public office, and eligibility is written into state statute and applied county by county, which is why no national answer exists. What varies: whether the position is elected or appointed (Georgia elects coroners and appoints medical examiners; a California board of supervisors may abolish the office of coroner by ordinance and appoint a medical examiner in its place); whether any medical qualification is required (Ohio requires a licensed physician of two years' standing, Georgia requires a high school diploma); the minimum age, residency and voter registration conditions; the term of office, four years in both Georgia and Ohio; and the mandatory training, which can be a police academy course, a coroners association programme or nothing. CDC also found that 20 states and the District of Columbia have laws requiring that autopsies be performed only by pathologists, which is a separate constraint on who may do the medical work even where the officeholder need not be a doctor.
What exams and certifications apply to a Coroner?
The ABPath Forensic Pathology Certification Examination. A one-day computer-based examination with combined written and practical sections and virtual microscopy sections, offered once each year in the autumn. Candidates must have completed an ACGME-accredited (or RCPSC-accredited) graduate medical education programme in pathology and at least 2 years of AP/CP, AP or CP training before beginning the subspecialty fellowship, with the programme director verifying competence for autonomous practice.