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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers

Part of Human Services, in the Personal Care Services pathway.

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 39-4031.00

What the work is

Perform various tasks to arrange and direct individual funeral services, such as coordinating transportation of body to mortuary, interviewing family or other authorized person to arrange details, selecting pallbearers, aiding with the selection of officials for religious rites, and providing transportation for mourners.

On a typical day

  • Consult with families or friends of the deceased to arrange funeral details, such as obituary notice wording, casket selection, or plans for services.
  • Obtain information needed to complete legal documents, such as death certificates or burial permits.
  • Oversee the preparation and care of the remains of people who have died.
  • Contact cemeteries to schedule the opening and closing of graves.
  • Provide information on funeral service options, products, or merchandise, and maintain a casket display area.
  • Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.

What it pays

$47,760
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $28,500
Experienced workers reach $61,870
  1. $29k10th
  2. $34k25th
  3. $48kMedian
  4. $58k75th
  5. $62k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $28,500, 25th $34,250, Median $47,760, 75th $57,600, 90th $61,870

About 120 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+21.6%

employment change in the Alamo region, 148 to 180 jobs · U.S. +3%

21

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 3,200

148

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 27,500

Typical entry education: Associate's degree · Training: Long-term on-the-job training

Skills this career uses

The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.

  1. Social Perceptiveness4.4
  2. Active Listening4.0
  3. Service Orientation4.0
  4. Speaking4.0
  5. Coordination4.0
  6. Time Management3.5
  7. Reading Comprehension3.9
  8. Writing3.9

Education people in this job have

Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.

  1. High school or less15%
  2. Associate degree73%
  3. Bachelor's degree11%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • San Antonio
  1. Mortuary Science

    Degree · Certificate · Public Service

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