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Funeral Home Managers

Typical education: Associate degreeHigh pressure

What they 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.

Kinds of work

  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Social: Helping, teaching, caring for and supporting other people.

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 $78,790 Median per year · $37.88/hr Most earn $49,700–$156,400

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
  • Deliver death certificates to medical facilities or offices to obtain signatures from legally authorized persons.
  • Deliver death certificates to medical facilities or offices to obtain signatures from legally authorized persons.
  • Complete and maintain records, such as state-required documents, tracking documents, or product inventories.
  • Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
  • Plan and implement changes to service offerings to meet community needs or increase funeral home revenues.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 2,600 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

  • Self-employed (their own business)58.1%
  • Death care services40.1%

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

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

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

Typical education: Associate degreeExperience before this job: 1 to 2 years

This is not a job you usually start straight out of high school. Most people first earn an associate degree and work in funeral service for about 1 to 2 years before taking on management, and many states also require a license.

  1. Associate degree in funeral service or mortuary science

    2 years

    You learn funeral directing, embalming basics, grief support, and business and legal rules for funeral homes, which prepares you for hands-on work with families and staff.

  2. Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers

    1-2 years

    You meet with families, plan services, and handle arrangements, building the people skills and funeral home know-how that managers rely on. Check your state's licensing rules during this stage.

  3. Funeral Home Manager

    Ongoing

    You plan and direct the funeral home's services, set prices for services and merchandise, and manage the building, staff, and budget.

Where it can lead

  1. General Operations Manager

    3-5 years as a funeral home manager of experience first

    You oversee a wider range of departments or a larger organization, which takes strong budgeting, leadership, and planning skills across more than one area of business.

  2. Administrative Services Manager

    2-4 years in a management role of experience first

    You take charge of support functions like facilities, records, and purchasing for a larger organization, which builds on the facility and staff management you already do.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take business or accounting classesBasic math and business skills help you understand pricing, budgets, and how a service business is run.
  • Take a speech or public speaking classClear speaking helps you talk with grieving families and lead staff later on.
  • Get a starter job in customer serviceA job at a store, restaurant, or front desk teaches you to stay calm and kind with people who may be upset.
  • Volunteer with a hospice, nursing home, or community support groupVolunteering shows you how to support people through loss and helps you decide if this field feels right for you.
  • Talk with a funeral home director about the jobAsking a local professional about their daily work gives you a realistic picture of the career.

In college

  • Enroll in an associate degree program in funeral service or mortuary scienceThis is the education level most often listed for this career, and it covers the core funeral service knowledge you will need.
  • Work a part-time or seasonal job at a funeral homeHands-on experience with families, arrangements, and facility upkeep builds the 1 to 2 years of background employers typically look for.
  • Take accounting, business, or management coursesThese classes prepare you to set prices, manage budgets, and run a funeral home as a business.
  • Join a student organization focused on leadership or businessLeading a club or project builds the management and teamwork skills used every day in this job.
  • Look into your state's licensing requirements earlyKnowing what your state requires for licensing helps you plan your coursework and training so you are ready when you finish school.

Tips for getting started

  • Work part-time or seasonally at a funeral home, even in a support role like a funeral attendant, to see how the business runs and build experience while you study.
  • Build strong customer service and communication skills, since families are often dealing with grief and need calm, clear guidance.
  • Learn basic bookkeeping and how to read a budget, because managers set prices and oversee money for the whole funeral home.

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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