Career Overview
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.
Also Known As
- Funeral Director
- Funeral Home Manager
- Funeral Service Manager
- Location Manager
Alternate Job Titles
- Advanced Planning Director
- Arranging Funeral Director
- Funeral Counselor
- Funeral Director
- Funeral Home Director
- Funeral Home GM (Funeral Home General Manager)
- Funeral Home Location Manager
- Funeral Home Manager
- Funeral Home Owner
- Funeral Sales Manager
- Funeral Service Manager
- Licensed Funeral Director
- Location Manager
- Mortuary Operations Manager (Mortuary Ops Manager)
- Prearranged Funeral Sales Manager
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- 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.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Customer and Personal Service
- Administration and Management
- English Language
- Administrative
- Economics and Accounting
- Sales and Marketing
- Psychology
- Personnel and Human Resources
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Service Orientation
- Active Listening
- Social Perceptiveness
- Reading Comprehension
- Time Management
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Comprehension
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Near Vision
- Speech Clarity
- Speech Recognition
- Deductive Reasoning
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Dependability
- Empathy
- Cooperation
- Sincerity
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Achievement
- Independence
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months
Education Details: Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
Experience Required: 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.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Airbrushing devices
- Arterial tubes
- Body bridges
- Cannula sets
- Casket carriages
- Casket lowering devices
- Centrifugal force pumps
- Chemical pillows
- Compaction tampers
- Cremation stands
- Curved suture needles
- Dump trailers
- Electric mortuary aspirators
- Embalming machines
- Embalming tables
Work Environment
- Telephone Conversations
- Contact With Others
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $45,820 |
| Median | $76,830 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $132,470 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 13,120
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $49,800
Funeral Attendants
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $34,610
Crematory Operators
Education: Not specified
Median Salary: $42,880
Social and Community Service Managers
Education: Bachelor's Degree
Median Salary: $78,240
Embalmers
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $56,280
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.