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Career

Coroners

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeHigh pressure

What they 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.

Kinds of work

  • Investigative: Science, research, figuring out how things work and solving complex problems.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $80,730 Median per year · $38.81/hr Most earn $48,220–$133,720

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Collect and document any pertinent medical history information.
  • Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
  • Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
  • Witness and certify deaths that are the result of a judicial order.
  • Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.
  • Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 32,700 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Federal government, excluding postal service16.4%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals10.9%
  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals7.5%
  • Management of companies and enterprises5.0%
  • Credit intermediation and related activities3.6%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Bachelor's degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

Coroner is usually not an entry-level job. Most people first earn a bachelor's degree, often in a science, and then work 1 to 2 years in a related forensic or investigative role before moving into coroner work.

  1. Bachelor's degree in a science such as biology, chemistry, or forensic science

    4 years

    You build the science background needed to understand cause-of-death findings, lab tests, and medical records, which is the foundation for every later step.

  2. Forensic Science Technician

    1-2 years

    You collect and analyze evidence in a lab or crime scene setting, learning how death investigations are actually run and documented before you take on the decision-making role.

  3. Coroner

    Varies by jurisdiction

    You direct investigations, oversee autopsies and toxicology work, and make official findings on how and why people died. Requirements differ by location, so check your local rules.

Where it can lead

  1. Chief Deputy Coroner

    3-5 years of experience first

    You take on more supervision of cases, staff, and budgets, and often handle the most complex investigations for the office.

  2. Physicians, Pathologists

    Several years of medical school and residency of experience first

    If you want to make medical findings yourself, this route requires a doctoral or professional medical degree and years of training, a much bigger step than the coroner role itself.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take biology and chemistryThese classes give you the science vocabulary and habits you will use in every later step toward coroner work.
  • Join a science or debate clubScience clubs build lab and research skills, while debate builds the clear reasoning you need to explain findings.
  • Volunteer at a hospital or clinicVolunteering shows you how medical teams work and gives you a chance to see whether you are comfortable around serious health and death topics.
  • Get a starter job that builds responsibilityA part-time job, such as at a store or restaurant, builds reliability and communication skills that employers and investigators value.
  • Take a statistics or computer class if offeredBasic data and computer skills help with record-keeping and analyzing results later on.

In college

  • Major in biology, chemistry, or forensic scienceA science bachelor's degree is the most common starting point for coroner work and for the forensic technician jobs that lead to it.
  • Take a course in forensic science or criminal justiceThese courses introduce evidence handling, death investigation, and the legal side of the work.
  • Seek a lab assistant job or research positionHands-on lab experience builds the technical skills and references that forensic employers look for.
  • Intern with a medical examiner, coroner, or crime lab if your school or town offers oneAn internship shows you how investigations run day to day and helps you build professional contacts.
  • Join a pre-health or forensic science clubThese groups connect you with people in medicine and investigation and help you learn about career options.

Tips for getting started

  • Take as much biology, chemistry, and statistics as you can. These subjects show up in almost every part of death investigation work.
  • Look for work or volunteer roles near death investigation, such as a hospital, lab, or local police or sheriff's office, to see the work up close before you commit.
  • Write clearly and keep careful records. Coroner reports must be accurate and easy for families, lawyers, and courts to follow.

Related jobs that often lead here

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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