A licensed mortician usually earns more than an apprentice or support worker, but licensure alone does not guarantee a high salary. The actual number depends on state, employer, license type, duties, on-call work, benefits, and whether the role includes funeral directing, embalming, arrangements, or management responsibility.
Use this page for the post-license pay question. If your question is simply “how much does a mortician make?” or “mortician salary,” read the mortician salary guide first for the national baseline. For career-stage pay before and after licensure, read Mortician Salary by Experience.
Quick Answer: What Is a Licensed Mortician Salary?
For licensed morticians, the best national baseline is the BLS May 2025 wage data for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers: $55,010 median, $58,160 mean, and a middle-half range of $42,430 to $72,010. A newly licensed worker may start closer to the state P25, while experienced licensed workers, dual-license roles, and management-track roles can move toward P75 or higher.
| Career stage | Salary planning anchor | What to compare |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice or intern | Often below licensed benchmarks | State apprentice rules and employer pay. |
| Newly licensed mortician | State P25 to median | Duties, supervision, and first-year responsibility. |
| Established licensed mortician | State median to P75 | Experience, on-call schedule, and license type. |
| Senior or dual-license role | P75 or stronger local offers | Embalming, arrangements, supervision, and market demand. |
| Manager or owner path | Separate management economics | Operations, staff, sales, profit, and ownership. |
What Changes After Licensure?
Licensure changes your market value because you can take on work that an apprentice or support worker cannot do independently.
Depending on the state and employer, a licensed mortician may be responsible for:
- arrangement conferences;
- embalming or preparation;
- funeral directing;
- death certificate and permit workflow;
- family communication;
- case management;
- on-call removals or first calls;
- supervision of apprentices or assistants;
- compliance with state funeral rules.
If your pay does not change after licensure, ask whether your duties also stayed apprentice-level. If the duties changed but the pay did not, compare state P25 and median wages before your next review.
National Licensed Mortician Pay Baseline
The national BLS wage distribution is:
| Measure | Annual pay | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| P10 | $33,350 | Low-wage or trainee-adjacent markets. |
| P25 | $42,430 | Early-career licensed benchmark. |
| Median | $55,010 | Typical licensed worker planning number. |
| Mean | $58,160 | Average base wage. |
| P75 | $72,010 | Experienced or stronger-market target. |
| P90 | $88,620 | Senior, high-pay state, or management-track signal. |
The state number matters more than the national number. A licensed mortician in a low-wage state may earn less than the national median, while a new licensee in a high-paying state can out-earn a more experienced worker elsewhere.
Newly Licensed vs Experienced Licensed Pay
Newly licensed workers should usually compare offers against state P25 and median pay. Experienced licensed workers should look higher, especially if they handle independent cases, embalming, arrangement conferences, on-call rotations, or supervision.
| If your role includes… | Your pay argument is stronger because… |
|---|---|
| Full arrangement responsibility | You are doing family-facing licensed work. |
| Embalming plus directing | You bring broader operational value. |
| Heavy on-call rotation | Schedule burden should be reflected in pay or stipend. |
| Case supervision | You are adding training and compliance value. |
| Management duties | The role may belong closer to manager pay, not ordinary staff pay. |
For negotiation details, read Newly Licensed Funeral Director Salary and Mortician Salary Negotiation.
Licensed Mortician Salary by State
State variation is large enough that “licensed mortician salary” should always be checked locally. Use the Mortician Salary by State hub or Salary Calculator before accepting an offer.
When comparing states, look at:
- state median;
- state P25 for early-career licensed roles;
- state P75 for experienced roles;
- job count and local employer density;
- cost of living;
- whether the state separates funeral director and embalmer licenses.
What Raises Licensed Mortician Pay?
The biggest pay levers are usually:
- moving to a stronger state or metro market;
- becoming useful in both arranging and embalming;
- taking on on-call work with clear compensation;
- developing restorative art or bilingual communication value;
- moving into funeral home management;
- negotiating salary after the license is issued;
- pursuing ownership or profit-sharing if that fits your goals.
Experience helps, but the role and market matter more than years alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a licensed mortician make?
Use the BLS national median of $55,010 as the baseline, then compare your state. Newly licensed workers may start closer to state P25, while experienced licensed workers may move toward median, P75, or higher.
Does getting licensed automatically increase pay?
Not automatically. It should create a stronger case for higher pay if your responsibilities expand. If duties stay limited, the pay may not move much.
What should a newly licensed mortician ask for?
Start with the state P25 and median wage, then adjust for duties, license type, on-call schedule, benefits, and employer size. Ask for a written review timeline if the first offer is low.
Is licensed mortician pay different from funeral director pay?
Sometimes. Titles overlap by state and employer. In many settings, the same person may handle mortician and funeral director duties. Compare the actual duties, not just the title.
Next Step
Use these pages together:
- Mortician Salary Guide
- Mortician Salary by Experience
- Mortician Salary by State
- Newly Licensed Funeral Director Salary
- Mortician Requirements
Data Sources and Method
- BLS OEWS May 2025: national wage distribution for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers.
- State salary data in site tools: state-level wage context used for local offer comparison.
- State licensing boards: license title and scope vary by state.
- Method: this page separates apprentice, newly licensed, established licensed, and management-track pay so readers do not overgeneralize one salary number.
- Limits: actual compensation can differ because benefits, on-call pay, bonuses, commissions, ownership, and local employer structure are not fully captured in public wage data.