Funeral Home Managers

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.

On the job, you would:

Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
Direct and supervise work of embalmers, funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, cosmetologists, or other staff.
Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.

Important Qualities

Business skills. Knowledge of financial statements and the ability to run a funeral home efficiently and profitably are important for funeral directors and managers.

Compassion. Death is a delicate and emotional matter. Funeral service workers must be able to treat clients with care and sympathy in their time of loss.

Interpersonal skills. Funeral service workers should have good interpersonal skills. When speaking with families, for example, they must be tactful and able to explain and discuss all matters about services provided.

Time-management skills. Funeral service workers must be able to handle numerous tasks for multiple customers, often over a short timeframe.

Personality

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Characteristics of this Career
		97%	Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
		96%	Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
		94%	Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
		93%	Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
		93%	Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
		90%	Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
		85%	Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
		84%	Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
		84%	Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
		82%	Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
		80%	Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
		79%	Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
		78%	Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
		77%	Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
		59%	Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.
		58%	Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Strengths
		100%	Enterprising - Work involves managing, negotiating, marketing, or selling, typically in a business setting, or leading or advising people in political and legal situations. Enterprising occupations are often associated with business initiatives, sales, marketing/advertising, finance, management/administration, professional advising, public speaking, politics, or law.
		61%	Conventional - Work involves following procedures and regulations to organize information or data, typically in a business setting. Conventional occupations are often associated with office work, accounting, mathematics/statistics, information technology, finance, or human resources.
		56%	Social - Work involves helping, teaching, advising, assisting, or providing service to others. Social occupations are often associated with social, health care, personal service, teaching/education, or religious activities.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Values of the Work Environment
		89%	Relationships - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.
		78%	Achievement - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
		72%	Independence - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
		67%	Recognition - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer advancement, potential for leadership, and are often considered prestigious. Corresponding needs are Advancement, Authority, Recognition and Social Status.
		64%	Working Conditions - Occupations that satisfy this work value offer job security and good working conditions. Corresponding needs are Activity, Compensation, Independence, Security, Variety and Working Conditions.

Aptitude

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Abilities \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		78%	Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
		75%	Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
		69%	Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
		66%	Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
		66%	Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
		66%	Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
		63%	Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
		63%	Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
		60%	Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
		56%	Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
		53%	Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
		53%	Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Skills \| Cognitive, Physical, Personality
		57%	Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
		55%	Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
		54%	Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
		52%	Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
		52%	Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
		52%	Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
		52%	Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
		52%	Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
		52%	Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
		52%	Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.

Job Details

Responsibilities

Establish interpersonal business relationships to facilitate work activities.

Analyze market research data.

Advise customers on technical or procedural issues.

Supervise employees.

Direct facility maintenance or repair activities.

Monitor organizational compliance with regulations.

Negotiate sales or lease agreements for products or services.

Provide counsel, comfort, or encouragement to individuals or families.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Develop operating strategies, plans, or procedures.

Implement organizational process or policy changes.

Develop marketing plans or strategies.

Resolve customer complaints or problems.

Analyze data to inform operational decisions or activities.

Analyze financial records to improve efficiency.

Schedule activities or facility use.

Promote products, services, or programs.

Develop organizational goals or objectives.

Determine pricing or monetary policies.

Maintain operational records.

Prepare reports related to compliance matters.

Monitor performance of organizational members or partners.

Communicate organizational policies and procedures.

Evaluate capabilities or training needs.

Interview employees, customers, or others to collect information.

Hire personnel.

Prepare staff schedules or work assignments.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Attributes & Percentage of Time Spent
		94%	Telephone - How often do you have telephone conversations in this job?
		92%	Contact With Others - How much does this job require the worker to be in contact with others (face-to-face, by telephone, or otherwise) in order to perform it?
		91%	Electronic Mail - How often do you use electronic mail in this job?
		90%	Freedom to Make Decisions - How much decision making freedom, without supervision, does the job offer?
		88%	Structured versus Unstructured Work - To what extent is this job structured for the worker, rather than allowing the worker to determine tasks, priorities, and goals?
		84%	Coordinate or Lead Others - How important is it to coordinate or lead others in accomplishing work activities in this job?
		84%	Deal With External Customers - How important is it to work with external customers or the public in this job?
		81%	Face-to-Face Discussions - How often do you have to have face-to-face discussions with individuals or teams in this job?
		81%	Frequency of Decision Making - How frequently is the worker required to make decisions that affect other people, the financial resources, and/or the image and reputation of the organization?
		81%	Impact of Decisions on Co-workers or Company Results - What results do your decisions usually have on other people or the image or reputation or financial resources of your employer?
		80%	Work With Work Group or Team - How important is it to work with others in a group or team in this job?
		80%	In an Enclosed Vehicle or Equipment - How often does this job require working in a closed vehicle or equipment (e.g., car)?
		79%	Letters and Memos - How often does the job require written letters and memos?
		78%	Importance of Being Exact or Accurate - How important is being very exact or highly accurate in performing this job?
		78%	Time Pressure - How often does this job require the worker to meet strict deadlines?
		75%	Responsibility for Outcomes and Results - How responsible is the worker for work outcomes and results of other workers?
		73%	Indoors, Environmentally Controlled - How often does this job require working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions?
		68%	Responsible for Others' Health and Safety - How much responsibility is there for the health and safety of others in this job?
		63%	Outdoors, Exposed to Weather - How often does this job require working outdoors, exposed to all weather conditions?
		60%	Physical Proximity - To what extent does this job require the worker to perform job tasks in close physical proximity to other people?
		58%	Deal With Unpleasant or Angry People - How frequently does the worker have to deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous individuals as part of the job requirements?
		56%	Public Speaking - How often do you have to perform public speaking in this job?
		56%	Exposed to Disease or Infections - How often does this job require exposure to disease/infections?
		53%	Spend Time Standing - How much does this job require standing?
		72%	Duration of Typical Work Week - Number of hours typically worked in one week.

A3	Your Strengths	Importance	Tasks & Values
		92%	Assisting and Caring for Others - Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
		91%	Performing for or Working Directly with the Public - Performing for people or dealing directly with the public. This includes serving customers in restaurants and stores, and receiving clients or guests.
		87%	Getting Information - Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
		79%	Communicating with People Outside the Organization - Communicating with people outside the organization, representing the organization to customers, the public, government, and other external sources. This information can be exchanged in person, in writing, or by telephone or e-mail.
		77%	Documenting/Recording Information - Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
		77%	Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others - Getting members of a group to work together to accomplish tasks.
		74%	Working with Computers - Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
		73%	Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events - Identifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
		71%	Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates - Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
		67%	Selling or Influencing Others - Convincing others to buy merchandise/goods or to otherwise change their minds or actions.
		66%	Performing Administrative Activities - Performing day-to-day administrative tasks such as maintaining information files and processing paperwork.
		66%	Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships - Developing constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
		66%	Processing Information - Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
		65%	Scheduling Work and Activities - Scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
		65%	Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others - Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
		64%	Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings - Monitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
		64%	Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People - Assessing the value, importance, or quality of things or people.
		61%	Providing Consultation and Advice to Others - Providing guidance and expert advice to management or other groups on technical, systems-, or process-related topics.
		60%	Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work - Developing specific goals and plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish your work.
		58%	Making Decisions and Solving Problems - Analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
		57%	Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards - Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
		56%	Handling and Moving Objects - Using hands and arms in handling, installing, positioning, and moving materials, and manipulating things.
		55%	Training and Teaching Others - Identifying the educational needs of others, developing formal educational or training programs or classes, and teaching or instructing others.
		55%	Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment - Running, maneuvering, navigating, or driving vehicles or mechanized equipment, such as forklifts, passenger vehicles, aircraft, or watercraft.
		53%	Coaching and Developing Others - Identifying the developmental needs of others and coaching, mentoring, or otherwise helping others to improve their knowledge or skills.
		52%	Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge - Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
		51%	Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials - Inspecting equipment, structures, or materials to identify the cause of errors or other problems or defects.

What Funeral Service Workers Do

Together with the family, funeral directors handle details of the memorial services.

Funeral service workers organize and manage the details of a ceremony honoring a deceased person.

Duties

Funeral service workers typically do the following:

Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased
Provide information on funeral service options
Arrange for removal of the deceased’s body
Prepare the remains (the deceased’s body) for the funeral
File death certificates and other legal documents with appropriate authorities

Funeral service workers help to determine the locations, dates, and times of visitations (wakes), funerals or memorial services, burials, and cremations. They handle other details as well, such as helping the family decide whether the body should be buried, entombed, or cremated. This decision is critical because funeral practices vary among cultures and religions.

Most funeral service workers attend to the administrative aspects of a person’s death, including submitting papers to state officials to receive a death certificate. They also may help resolve insurance claims, apply for funeral benefits, or notify the Social Security Administration or the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs of the death.

Many funeral service workers help clients who wish to plan their own funerals in advance, to ensure that their needs are met and to ease the planning burden on surviving family members.

Funeral service workers also may provide information and resources, such as support groups, to help grieving friends and family.

The following are examples of types of funeral service workers:

Funeral home managers oversee the general operations of a funeral home business. They perform a variety of duties, such as planning and allocating the resources of the funeral home, managing staff, and handling marketing and public relations.

Morticians and funeral arrangers (also known as funeral directors or, historically, undertakers) plan the details of a funeral. They often prepare obituaries and arrange for pallbearers and clergy services. If a burial is chosen, they schedule the opening and closing of a grave with a representative of the cemetery. If cremation is chosen, they coordinate the process with the crematory. (Data covering workers who perform cremations are provided in a separate occupation not covered in detail: crematory operators.)

Morticians and funeral arrangers also prepare the sites of all services and provide transportation for the deceased and mourners. In addition, they arrange the shipment of bodies out of state or out of country for final disposition. (Data covering workers who may assist with these tasks are provided in a separate occupation not covered in detail: funeral attendant.)

Finally, these workers handle administrative duties. For example, they often apply for the transfer of any pensions, insurance policies, or annuities on behalf of survivors.

Many morticians and funeral arrangers embalm bodies. Embalming is a cosmetic and temporary preservative process through which the body is prepared for a viewing by family and friends of the deceased. (Data covering those who specialize in this work are provided in a separate occupation not covered in detail: embalmers.)

Work Environment

Funeral home managers held about 36,400 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of funeral home managers were as follows:

Self-employed workers	61%
Death care services	37

Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers held about 24,500 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers were as follows:

Death care services	97%
Self-employed workers	1

Funeral services traditionally take place in a house of worship, in a funeral home, or at a gravesite or crematory. However, some families prefer to hold the service in their home or in a social center.

Funeral service workers typically perform their duties in a funeral home. Workers also may operate a merchandise display room, crematory, or cemetery, which may be on the funeral home premises. The work is often stressful, because workers must arrange the various details of a funeral within 24 to 72 hours of a death. In addition, they may be responsible for managing multiple funerals on the same day.

Although workers may come into contact with bodies that have contagious diseases, the work is not dangerous if proper safety and health regulations are followed. Those working in crematories are exposed to high temperatures and must wear appropriate protective clothing.

Work Schedules

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.

Getting Started

Education:

57%

Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)

13%

First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.

How to Become a Funeral Service Worker

Becoming a funeral director requires courses in ethics, grief counseling, and business law.

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.

Education

An associate’s degree in a funeral service or mortuary science education program is typically required for all funeral service workers to enter the occupation. Courses usually cover topics such as ethics, grief counseling, funeral service, and business law. Accredited programs also include courses in embalming and restorative techniques.

The American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) accredits funeral service and mortuary science programs, most of which offer a 2-year associate’s degree at community colleges. Some programs offer a bachelor’s degree.

Although an associate’s degree is typically required, some employers prefer applicants to have a bachelor’s degree. Common fields of degree include mortuary science, psychology, and business.

High school students can prepare to become a funeral service worker by taking classes in biology, chemistry, business, and public speaking.

Students may gain relevant experience working part-time or summer jobs in a funeral home.

Training

Those studying to be morticians and funeral arrangers must complete training, usually lasting 1 to 3 years, under the direction of a licensed funeral director or manager. The training, sometimes called an internship or an apprenticeship, may be completed before, during, or after graduating from a funeral service or mortuary science program and passing a national board exam.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

Most states and Washington, DC, require workers to be licensed. An exception is Colorado, which offers a voluntary certification program. Although licensing laws and examinations vary by state, most applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be 21 years old
Complete an ABFSE accredited funeral service or mortuary science education program
Pass a state and/or national board exam
Serve an internship lasting 1 to 3 years

Working in multiple states requires multiple licenses. For specific requirements, contact each applicable state licensing board.

Most states require funeral directors to earn continuing education credits to keep their licenses.

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA), International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA), and the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) offer crematory certification designations. Many states require certification for those who will perform cremations. For specific requirements, contact your state board or the relevant professional organizations.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Funeral home managers typically have multiple years of experience working as a funeral director or mortician before becoming managers.

Job Outlook

Overall employment of funeral service workers is projected to grow 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

About 5,700 openings for funeral service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. 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.

Employment

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.

Contacts for More Information

For more information about funeral service workers, including accredited mortuary science programs, visit

National Funeral Directors Association

For scholarships and educational programs in funeral service and mortuary science, visit

American Board of Funeral Service Education

National Funeral Directors & Morticians Association, Inc.

For information about crematories, visit

Cremation Association of North America

International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association

Candidates should contact their state board for specific licensing requirements.

Similar Occupations

This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of funeral service workers.

Occupation	Job Duties	Entry-Level Education	Median Annual Pay, May 2022
Administrative Services and Facilities Managers	Administrative services and facilities managers plan, direct, and coordinate activities that help an organization run efficiently.	Bachelor's degree	$101,870
Advertising, Promotions, and Marketing Managers	Advertising, promotions, and marketing managers plan programs to generate interest in products or services.	Bachelor's degree	$138,730
Human Resources Managers	Human resources managers plan, coordinate, and direct the administrative functions of an organization.	Bachelor's degree	$130,000
Physicians and Surgeons	Physicians and surgeons diagnose and treat injuries or illnesses and address health maintenance.	Doctoral or professional degree	$229,300
Psychologists	Psychologists study cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior by observing, interpreting, and recording how individuals relate to one another and to their environments.	See How to Become One	$85,330
Social Workers	Social workers help people prevent and cope with problems in their everyday lives.	See How to Become One	$55,350

Funeral Home Managers

Funeral Service Worker

What they do: