Funeral Home Managers
SOC code 11-9171 · O*NET-SOC 11-9171.00 · Medium preparation needed
Funeral Home Managers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$78,790
a year
Hourly
$37.88
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$92,840
$44.63 per hour
Middle 50%
$61,890 – $103,940
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$49,700 – $156,400
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
13,910
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $49,700
- $23.90/hr
- 25th percentile
- $61,890
- $29.75/hr
- Median percentile
- $78,790
- $37.88/hr
- 75th percentile
- $103,940
- $49.97/hr
- 90th percentile
- $156,400
- $75.19/hr
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
- Schedule funerals, burials, or cremations.
- Deliver death certificates to medical facilities or offices to obtain signatures from legally authorized persons.
- Offer counsel and comfort to families and friends of the deceased.
- Monitor funeral service operations to ensure that they comply with applicable policies, regulations, and laws.
- Direct and supervise work of embalmers, funeral attendants, death certificate clerks, cosmetologists, or other staff.
- Complete and maintain records, such as state-required documents, tracking documents, or product inventories.
- Sell funeral services, products, or merchandise to clients.
How to become a funeral home manager
Most people in this role hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree — 50% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 3 — Medium preparation needed
- Education
- Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
- Experience
- Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations. For example, an electrician must have completed three or four years of apprenticeship or several years of vocational training, and often must have passed a licensing exam, in order to perform the job.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need one or two years of training involving both on-the-job experience and informal training with experienced workers. A recognized apprenticeship program may be associated with these occupations.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree50%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)26%
- Post-Secondary Certificate15%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate5%
Common questions
How much does a funeral home manager earn?
The national median is $78,790 a year. The full range runs from $49,700 at the 10th percentile to $156,400 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a funeral home manager without a degree?
Yes — this occupation sits in preparation zone 3, meaning the typical entry route is most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree. A four-year degree is not the standard requirement, though licensing or certification may still apply.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Active Listening3.9/5
- Reading Comprehension3.6/5
- Speaking3.5/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.7/5
- Administration and Management4.4/5
- English Language4.3/5
- Administrative4.0/5
- Economics and Accounting3.7/5
- Sales and Marketing3.6/5
- Psychology3.6/5
- Personnel and Human Resources3.5/5
Transferable strengths: Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Judgment and Decision Making, Management of Personnel Resources.