Cares for human remains during natural organic reduction, often called human composting, which gently turns a body into soil in a few weeks. BLS does not publish separate figures for funeral attendants; it counts them within funeral attendant (SOC 39-4021), whose median pay is $35,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: High school diploma or equivalent.
- SOC 39-4021
- Personal Care and Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Natural Organic Reduction Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $35,680a year, or $17.16/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $28KTop 10% $48K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.6%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,40031,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202531.3K
- Projected 203532.1K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 31.3K Projected 2035 32.1K - Typical education
- High schoolneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school6.8%
- High school47%
- Some college12.6%
- Associate's22.5%
- Bachelor's9.3%
- Professional degree1.7%
Highest education held by funeral attendants Segment Value Less than high school 6.8% High school 47% Some college 12.6% Associate's 22.5% Bachelor's 9.3% Professional degree 1.7%
Also advertised as: Human Composting Technician, Terramation Technician, Death Care Technician, Natural Organic Reduction, Recomposition Technician.
Pay
How much do Funeral Attendants make?
Every natural organic reduction technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$35,680
Middle half earn $30,380 to $42,870
- 10th
- $28,070
- 25th
- $30,380
- 75th
- $42,870
- 90th
- $48,460
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $28,070 |
| 25th | $30,380 |
| Median | $35,680 |
| 75th | $42,870 |
| 90th | $48,460 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $35,680
- Median hourly wage
- $17.16/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $37,190
- People employed
- 31,090
Versus all US occupations
At $35,680, Funeral Attendants earn 30% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $15,300 a year.
Versus personal care and service occupations
Inside the Personal Care and Service group, where the middle occupation pays $38,120, this is 6% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $48,460 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,070, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 2% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Hampshire pays the most at $55,850, and still leads at $53,617 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Funeral Attendants 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Hampshire | $55,850 | $53,617 | 120 |
| 2Rhode Island | $53,580 | $52,386 | 190 |
| 3Nevada | $51,980 | $51,991 | 100 |
| 4Delaware | $46,720 | $46,810 | 110 |
| 5Massachusetts | $46,280 | $43,761 | 1,090 |
| 6Connecticut | $45,800 | $44,204 | 520 |
| 7Minnesota | $43,910 | $44,524 | 400 |
| 8New York | $42,210 | $39,112 | 1,450 |
| 9Colorado | $41,710 | $40,475 | 160 |
| 10Washington | $41,600 | $38,874 | 160 |
Job outlook
Is Natural Organic Reduction Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Funeral Attendants | +2.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Funeral Attendants to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,400 openings are projected each year, 17.3% of the 31,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Natural Organic Reduction Technician
There is no degree requirement for most technician roles; providers train new staff on their process, safety and state rules. Washington was the first state to legalize natural organic reduction, and a growing number of states have followed, each with its own licensing requirements for facilities and sometimes for staff. Funeral service education or a funeral director license helps for advancement.
People come from funeral service, farming, composting, hospice and environmental work. The Green Burial Council promotes environmentally friendly death care and is a useful resource for learning the field.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
High school diploma or equivalent
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Little or no 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 attendants.
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)47%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree22.5%
- Some College Courses12.6%
- Bachelor's Degree9.3%
- Less than a High School Diploma6.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 47% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 22.5% |
| Some College Courses | 12.6% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 9.3% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 6.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Natural Organic Reduction Technician do?
Natural organic reduction technicians carry out a newer form of death care in which a body is placed in a vessel with wood chips, straw and other plant material and allowed to break down into soil under controlled conditions. Technicians receive and prepare the deceased with respect, place them in the vessel, and monitor temperature, moisture and airflow over the following weeks.
Once the process is complete, they screen the soil for non-organic items such as medical implants, test it as required, and allow it to cure before returning it to the family or donating it to conservation land. They often lead or support laying-in ceremonies for families and keep the records state regulators require.
Day-to-day tasks
- Receive and prepare the deceased for natural organic reduction
- Place remains and plant material into reduction vessels
- Monitor vessel temperature, moisture and airflow
- Screen finished soil for implants and other materials
- Test and cure soil before release
- Support families during laying-in ceremonies
- Keep records required by state regulators
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Technicians work at specialized natural organic reduction facilities, which look more like a calm workshop or greenhouse than a funeral home. The work is physical, involving lifting and handling plant material and vessels, and emotionally significant, since technicians also meet grieving families.
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
NoneConstantFace-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 dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lot
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.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening3.1
- Speaking3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Reading Comprehension2.8
- Critical Thinking2.6
- Writing2.3
- Active Learning2.0
- Learning Strategies2.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.1 |
| Speaking | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 2.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 2.6 |
| Writing | 2.3 |
| Active Learning | 2.0 |
| Learning Strategies | 2.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Service Orientation3.3
- Coordination3.0
- Judgment and Decision Making2.4
- Time Management2.4
- Complex Problem Solving2.3
- Operations Monitoring2.1
- Operation and Control2.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 |
| Service Orientation | 3.3 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 2.4 |
| Time Management | 2.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 2.3 |
| Operations Monitoring | 2.1 |
| Operation and Control | 2.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Accounting software
- Human resources 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 Natural Organic Reduction Technician?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code RSC) built on O*NET's Funeral Attendant profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Natural Organic Reduction Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 5 |
| Investigative | 1 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 4 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Realistic5.3
- Conventional4.5
- Social4.4
- Enterprising3.7
- Artistic1.8
- Investigative1.1
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 Natural Organic Reduction Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Personal Care and Service
- Personal Care and Service
Mortician, Undertaker, and Funeral Arranger
$55,010median a year
Most earn $33K to $89K
+3.0%Associate's - Management
- Personal Care and Service
- Personal Care and Service
- Healthcare Support
More personal care and service careers
Median annual pay, with funeral attendants highlighted
- Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor$47,160
- Concierge$38,950
- Tour Guide and Escort$38,120
- Hairstylist$35,790
- Manicurist and Pedicurist$35,760
- Natural Organic Reduction Technician$35,680
- Nanny$34,980
- Childcare Worker$34,980
- Gambling Dealer$34,320
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Exercise Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor | $47,160 |
| Concierge | $38,950 |
| Tour Guide and Escort | $38,120 |
| Hairstylist | $35,790 |
| Manicurist and Pedicurist | $35,760 |
| Natural Organic Reduction Technician | $35,680 |
| Nanny | $34,980 |
| Childcare Worker | $34,980 |
| Gambling Dealer | $34,320 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Natural Organic Reduction Technician appears on
Questions
Natural Organic Reduction Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Funeral Attendants make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for funeral attendants. It counts them within funeral attendant, whose median pay is $35,680 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $30,380 and $42,870, and the top 10% earn $48,460 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Natural Organic Reduction Technician?
No. A bachelor's degree is not the norm: BLS reports a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for Funeral Attendants. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.0% hold high school diploma or the equivalent (such as a ged).
Is Natural Organic Reduction Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.6% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,400 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Natural Organic Reduction Technician do?
Natural organic reduction technicians carry out a newer form of death care in which a body is placed in a vessel with wood chips, straw and other plant material and allowed to break down into soil under controlled conditions. A typical task: receive and prepare the deceased for natural organic reduction. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Spreadsheet software, Word processing software.
Which states pay Funeral Attendants the most?
The highest state medians for Funeral Attendants are New Hampshire ($55,850), Rhode Island ($53,580), Nevada ($51,980) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Natural Organic Reduction Technician?
O*NET scores Funeral Attendants highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Social interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ISFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.