The median pay for Funeral Home Managers is $78,790 a year ($37.88/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 4.1% through 2035, with about 2,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 11-9171
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Funeral Home Manager in four numbers
- Median pay
- $78,790a year, or $37.88/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $50KTop 10% $156K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.1%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.1%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.1% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 2,60034,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202534.8K
- Projected 203536.2K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 34.8K Projected 2035 36.2K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school25.5%
- Certificate14.6%
- Some college3.5%
- Associate's49.9%
- Bachelor's1.2%
- Post-bacc certificate5.3%
Highest education held by funeral home managers Segment Value High school 25.5% Certificate 14.6% Some college 3.5% Associate's 49.9% Bachelor's 1.2% Post-bacc certificate 5.3%
Also advertised as: Arranging Funeral Director, Funeral Director, Funeral Home Location Manager, Funeral Home Manager, Funeral Home Owner, Funeral Service Manager.
Pay
How much do Funeral Home Managers make?
Every funeral home manager in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$78,790
Middle half earn $61,890 to $103,940
- 10th
- $49,700
- 25th
- $61,890
- 75th
- $103,940
- 90th
- $156,400
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $49,700 |
| 25th | $61,890 |
| Median | $78,790 |
| 75th | $103,940 |
| 90th | $156,400 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $78,790
- Median hourly wage
- $37.88/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $92,840
- People employed
- 13,910
Versus all US occupations
At $78,790, Funeral Home Managers earn 55% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $27,810 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 37% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $156,400 or more while the bottom 10% earn $49,700, a gap of 3.1×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 58% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Rhode Island pays the most at $122,150, and still leads at $119,427 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Funeral Home Managers the most?
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.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rhode Island | $122,150 | $119,427 | 120 |
| 2Pennsylvania | $104,400 | $106,998 | 560 |
| 3New York | $103,530 | $95,931 | 820 |
| 4Connecticut | $102,810 | $99,228 | 90 |
| 5Washington | $102,540 | $95,820 | 80 |
| 6New Jersey | $101,520 | $93,305 | 420 |
| 7South Dakota | $100,880 | $113,878 | 70 |
| 8Maryland | $100,670 | $95,914 | 260 |
| 9Ohio | $99,440 | $107,185 | 420 |
| 10Montana | $84,900 | $89,704 | 50 |
Job outlook
Is Funeral Home Manager a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +4.1% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Funeral Home Managers | +4.1% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Funeral Home Managers to change 4.1% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,400 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 2,600 openings are projected each year, 7.5% of the 34,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Overall employment of funeral service workers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
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.
Funeral service workers will be needed to assist the growing number of people prearranging end-of-life services. This demand will be constrained by consumers increasingly preferring cremation, which costs less and requires fewer workers than do traditional funeral arrangements. However, since most cremations still involve a memorial service or funeral, funeral home managers are expected to be needed to guide families and loved ones through the death care process and to plan end-of-life events.
Getting in
How to become a Funeral Home Manager
An associate’s degree in a funeral service or mortuary science education program is the education typically required to become a funeral service worker. Most employers require applicants to be 21 years old, have at least 2 years of formal postsecondary education, have supervised training, and pass a state licensing exam.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
Less than 5 years
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as funeral home managers.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree49.9%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)25.5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate14.6%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate5.3%
- Some College Courses3.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 49.9% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 25.5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 14.6% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 5.3% |
| Some College Courses | 3.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Funeral Home Manager do?
Plan, direct, or coordinate the services or resources of funeral homes. Includes activities such as determining prices for services or merchandise and managing the facilities of funeral homes.
Funeral service workers organize and manage the details of a ceremony honoring a deceased person.
Day-to-day tasks
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
- Complete and maintain records, such as state-required documents, tracking documents, or product inventories.
- Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
- Respond to customer complaints, legal inquiries, payment negotiations, or other post-service matters.
- Monitor funeral service operations to ensure that they comply with applicable policies, regulations, and laws.
- Direct or monitor administrative, support, repair, or maintenance services for funeral homes.
- Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
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.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Schedules: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition. Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Where funeral home managers work
Share of jobs by employer type
- Self-employed workers58%
- Death care services40%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 58% |
| Death care services | 40% |
Source: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2025–2035 edition
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.6
- Speaking3.5
- Critical Thinking3.5
- Monitoring3.4
- Writing3.1
- Active Learning2.9
- Learning Strategies2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.6 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.5 |
| Monitoring | 3.4 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 2.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Service Orientation4.0
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Time Management3.6
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
- Management of Personnel Resources3.5
- Coordination3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Persuasion3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Service Orientation | 4.0 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Time Management | 3.6 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.5 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.5 |
| Coordination | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Human resources software
- Internet browser software
- Video creation and editing software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Funeral Home Manager?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Funeral Home Manager |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Enterprising6.4
- Conventional4.6
- Social4.3
- Realistic2.8
- Investigative2.3
- Artistic1.9
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.
Explore further
Careers related to Funeral Home Manager
O*NET related occupations
- Personal Care and Service
Mortician, Undertaker, and Funeral Arranger
$55,010median a year
Most earn $33K to $89K
+3.0%Associate's - Personal Care and Service
- Personal Care and Service
- Management
- Personal Care and Service
- Management
More management careers
Median annual pay, with funeral home managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Funeral Home Manager$78,790
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Funeral Home Manager | $78,790 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Funeral Home Manager appears on
Questions
Funeral Home Manager: frequently asked questions
How much do Funeral Home Managers make?
Funeral Home Managers earn a median of $78,790 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). That is 55% above the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $37.88/hr. The middle half earn between $61,890 and $103,940. The top 10% earn $156,400 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Funeral Home Manager?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Funeral Home Managers. Employers typically expect less than 5 years of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 49.9% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is Funeral Home Manager a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 4.1% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 2,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Funeral Home Manager do?
Funeral service workers organize and manage the details of a ceremony honoring a deceased person. A core O*NET task: consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Funeral Home Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Funeral Home Managers are Rhode Island ($122,150), Pennsylvania ($104,400), New York ($103,530) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Funeral Home Manager?
O*NET scores Funeral Home Managers highest on the Enterprising, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ESFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.