Interactive State Salary Map
Compare BLS May 2025 median salary, employment, and job density for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers.
Top Median Pay
- Delaware $82k
- Utah $73k
- Illinois $70k
- New Jersey $69k
- Nebraska $64k
Lowest Median Pay
- Arkansas $36k
- South Carolina $40k
- Arizona $42k
- Missouri $43k
- Kentucky $43k
Most Jobs
- California 2,240
- Florida 1,510
- Texas 1,500
- Ohio 1,370
- Illinois 1,320
Highest Density
- South Dakota 2.72
- Iowa 2.54
- Mississippi 1.71
- Arkansas 1.69
- Missouri 1.66
The best-paying state for morticians in the current BLS May 2025 data is Delaware, with a median salary of $81,530. The lowest-paying state with publishable data is Arkansas, at $36,120. The national median for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers is $55,010.
Use this page to compare state salary, job availability, salary range, and market density before choosing where to work, relocate, or attend mortuary school. BLS suppresses some state estimates when the sample is too small; in this dataset, Alaska and Virginia do not have publishable state-level rows.
This page owns geography comparison only (mortician salary by state, average/median by state, jobs + density). For the national U.S. salary baseline, average-vs-median explanation, and 2026 source comparison, read the main how much morticians make nationally guide first.
If your question is simply “how much does a mortician make” or “mortician salary,” use Mortician Salary 2026 as the primary answer instead of treating this comparison table as the national number.
Quick Answer: What Is Mortician Salary by State?
Mortician salary by state ranges from $36,120 in Arkansas to $81,530 in Delaware among states with publishable BLS May 2025 data. The national median is $55,010, but the best state is not always the highest-paying state. A practical choice also needs enough jobs, reasonable licensing fit, and a cost of living that makes the salary usable.
If you searched for average mortician salary by state, use the mean column in the complete table below. If you are planning your own career, use the median column first because it better reflects a typical working mortician. Then compare job count and location quotient so you do not choose a high-paying state with too few realistic openings.
| Average mortician salary by state snapshot | BLS May 2025 answer |
|---|---|
| Highest average state | Delaware - $84,160 mean annual wage |
| Lowest publishable average state | Arkansas - $41,510 mean annual wage |
| Highest median state | Delaware - $81,530 median annual wage |
| National median | $55,010 |
| Most practical comparison | Median salary plus employment count, location quotient, and licensing fit |
| Fast answer | BLS May 2025 result |
|---|---|
| Highest median state | Delaware - $81,530 median |
| Lowest publishable median state | Arkansas - $36,120 median |
| National median | $55,010 |
| Best large-market salary signal | Illinois - $69,600 median and 1,320 jobs |
| Best pay-density mix | Iowa - $63,700 median and 2.54 location quotient |
For local pages already worth checking next, compare New York salary, Albany NY salary, Georgia salary, Los Angeles salary, and St. Louis MO salary. These state and city pages are most useful when paired with the matching license rules and nearby school options.
Average Mortician Salary by State vs Median Pay
If you searched for the average mortician salary by state, use the BLS mean annual wage for the average and the BLS median wage for typical worker pay. Median pay is usually better for career planning because it is less distorted by owners, managers, and a small number of high earners. Use the mean to judge the overall payroll market; use the median to estimate a realistic wage.
| Salary question | Best number to use | Why |
|---|---|---|
| What does a typical mortician earn in this state? | Median annual wage | Best single planning number |
| How strong is the state’s overall pay market? | Mean annual wage | Shows whether high earners lift the market |
| Is there enough opportunity? | Employment count and location quotient | Salary alone can hide tiny markets |
| Can I afford school or relocation? | Salary plus cost of living | High nominal pay can still be weak after expenses |
For a personal estimate, use the Salary Calculator after you compare the table below. It lets you move from a state-level wage to a more practical city and planning estimate.
Quick Answer: Best States for Mortician Pay
If you only care about median salary, the top states are Delaware, Utah, Illinois, New Jersey, and Nebraska. If you also care about job availability, Illinois, Iowa, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Michigan, Ohio, and Florida are more practical markets because they combine meaningful job counts with usable wage data.
The best state depends on the question you are actually asking:
- Highest pay: Delaware has the highest median, but only 80 jobs.
- Best pay-and-density mix: Iowa combines a $63,700 median with a 2.54 location quotient.
- Best large-market pay: Illinois combines a $69,600 median with 1,320 jobs.
- Most job options: California has the most jobs, but its median pay is below the national median.
For career planning, do not pick a state from salary alone. Compare median pay, job count, location quotient, cost of living, and licensing rules together. If your question is which state is a practical place to begin the career, use Best States to Start a Mortician Career as the decision layer on top of this wage table. If you are still deciding whether the field is worth entering, pair this page with How to Become a Mortician and the Mortician Job Outlook.
| Category | Best state | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Highest median salary | Delaware | $81,530 median, but only 80 jobs |
| Best high-pay/high-density mix | Iowa | $63,700 median and 2.54 location quotient |
| Most jobs | California | 2,240 jobs, but below national median pay |
| Strongest job density | South Dakota | 2.72 location quotient, but only 200 jobs |
| Best large-market pay | Illinois | $69,600 median and 1,320 jobs |
Practical read: high pay is most useful when it comes with enough employers and a license path you can actually complete. Delaware looks excellent on median wage but has only 80 jobs in this dataset. Illinois, Iowa, Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Michigan are often more useful shortlists because they combine pay, job count, or density with a more practical hiring market.
Top 10 Highest-Paying States
These states have the highest median annual salary in BLS OEWS May 2025 state data.
| Rank | State | Median | Mean | Jobs | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $81,530 | $84,160 | 80 | 0.99 |
| 2 | Utah | $72,800 | $70,730 | 240 | 0.86 |
| 3 | Illinois | $69,600 | $74,280 | 1,320 | 1.34 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $69,110 | $64,290 | 580 | 0.84 |
| 5 | Nebraska | $64,310 | $63,910 | 210 | 1.26 |
| 6 | Iowa | $63,700 | $66,430 | 640 | 2.54 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $63,580 | $66,810 | 910 | 0.93 |
| 8 | New York | $63,090 | $68,640 | 1,030 | 0.66 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $62,120 | $64,870 | 430 | 0.73 |
| 10 | Indiana | $60,890 | $63,430 | 630 | 1.23 |
For city/state context, see New York mortician salary.
The headline ranking is not the whole decision. Delaware leads on pay, but the market is tiny. Illinois is the strongest large-market entry in the top five because it combines high median pay, 1,320 jobs, and above-average job concentration.
Bottom 10 Lowest-Paying States
These states have the lowest median salary among states with publishable BLS May 2025 data.
| Rank | State | Median | Mean | Jobs | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | $36,120 | $41,510 | 360 | 1.69 |
| 2 | South Carolina | $40,020 | $50,420 | 400 | 1.07 |
| 3 | Arizona | $41,870 | $44,350 | 360 | 0.70 |
| 4 | Missouri | $42,940 | $51,390 | 790 | 1.66 |
| 5 | Kentucky | $43,320 | $43,130 | 470 | 1.44 |
| 6 | Montana | $43,680 | $52,050 | 110 | 1.37 |
| 7 | Nevada | $43,940 | $43,160 | 280 | 1.12 |
| 8 | Alabama | $44,930 | $45,850 | 420 | 1.24 |
| 9 | Tennessee | $46,180 | $49,080 | 550 | 1.04 |
| 10 | Hawaii | $46,310 | $44,740 | 150 | 1.52 |
Low salary does not always mean low demand. Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky, and Hawaii all have above-average job concentration, which means local demand exists even when wages are weak.
States With the Most Mortician Jobs
Job count matters because some high-paying states are too small to offer many openings.
| Rank | State | Jobs | Median | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 2,240 | $50,750 | 0.76 |
| 2 | Florida | 1,510 | $48,510 | 0.94 |
| 3 | Texas | 1,500 | $46,630 | 0.66 |
| 4 | Ohio | 1,370 | $57,800 | 1.53 |
| 5 | Illinois | 1,320 | $69,600 | 1.34 |
| 6 | New York | 1,030 | $63,090 | 0.66 |
| 7 | North Carolina | 1,000 | $60,730 | 1.25 |
| 8 | Pennsylvania | 910 | $63,580 | 0.93 |
| 9 | Michigan | 810 | $60,450 | 1.15 |
| 10 | Missouri | 790 | $42,940 | 1.66 |
California, Florida, and Texas have the largest employment totals, but all three pay below the national median. For a better balance of pay and opportunity, compare Illinois, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, and Iowa.
States With the Highest Job Density
Location quotient (LQ) measures concentration relative to the national average. An LQ of 2.00 means mortician jobs are twice as concentrated as they are nationally.
| Rank | State | LQ | Jobs | Median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | 2.72 | 200 | $47,840 |
| 2 | Iowa | 2.54 | 640 | $63,700 |
| 3 | Mississippi | 1.71 | 320 | $48,350 |
| 4 | Arkansas | 1.69 | 360 | $36,120 |
| 5 | Missouri | 1.66 | 790 | $42,940 |
| 6 | West Virginia | 1.59 | 180 | $47,960 |
| 7 | North Dakota | 1.55 | 110 | $59,760 |
| 8 | Ohio | 1.53 | 1,370 | $57,800 |
| 9 | Hawaii | 1.52 | 150 | $46,310 |
| 10 | Kentucky | 1.44 | 470 | $43,320 |
Iowa is the clear standout in this table: it has very high job density, above-national median pay, and enough jobs to be a practical market. South Dakota has the highest concentration but a smaller job base and lower median pay.
Cost-of-Living Adjusted Salary
Nominal salary is only the first filter. A $63,700 salary in Iowa can buy more than a $69,110 salary in New Jersey because housing, taxes, and everyday costs differ by state.
The estimates below use the project’s cost-of-living index field and this formula: median salary / COL index x 100. Treat this as a planning estimate, not a precise take-home-pay calculation.
| Rank | State | Median | COL Index | Est. real purchasing power | Jobs | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $81,530 | 105 | $77,648 | 80 | 0.99 |
| 2 | Iowa | $63,700 | 88 | $72,386 | 640 | 2.54 |
| 3 | Nebraska | $64,310 | 92 | $69,902 | 210 | 1.26 |
| 4 | Utah | $72,800 | 105 | $69,333 | 240 | 0.86 |
| 5 | Indiana | $60,890 | 91 | $66,912 | 630 | 1.23 |
| 6 | Kansas | $58,580 | 89 | $65,820 | 230 | 0.98 |
| 7 | Michigan | $60,450 | 92 | $65,707 | 810 | 1.15 |
| 8 | Illinois | $69,600 | 107 | $65,047 | 1,320 | 1.34 |
| 9 | Ohio | $57,800 | 90 | $64,222 | 1,370 | 1.53 |
| 10 | North Carolina | $60,730 | 96 | $63,260 | 1,000 | 1.25 |
This is why Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana, and North Carolina deserve more attention than their raw salary rank alone suggests.
Complete State Salary Table
Sorted by median annual salary. Puerto Rico is included separately because BLS publishes it in the same state-level file, but it should not be compared directly with state labor markets.
| State | Median | Mean | P10 | P90 | Jobs | LQ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $81,530 | $84,160 | $59,240 | $123,700 | 80 | 0.99 |
| Utah | $72,800 | $70,730 | $43,960 | $100,980 | 240 | 0.86 |
| Illinois | $69,600 | $74,280 | $42,740 | $104,570 | 1,320 | 1.34 |
| New Jersey | $69,110 | $64,290 | $33,000 | $94,810 | 580 | 0.84 |
| Nebraska | $64,310 | $63,910 | $34,890 | $86,700 | 210 | 1.26 |
| Iowa | $63,700 | $66,430 | $34,540 | $94,950 | 640 | 2.54 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,580 | $66,810 | $46,570 | $92,830 | 910 | 0.93 |
| New York | $63,090 | $68,640 | $46,780 | $94,990 | 1,030 | 0.66 |
| Massachusetts | $62,120 | $64,870 | $46,190 | $100,360 | 430 | 0.73 |
| Indiana | $60,890 | $63,430 | $31,680 | $96,390 | 630 | 1.23 |
| Maine | $60,880 | $63,230 | $34,650 | $95,580 | 80 | 0.81 |
| Colorado | $60,850 | $70,690 | $38,000 | $138,880 | 320 | 0.68 |
| North Carolina | $60,730 | $62,110 | $29,950 | $84,920 | 1,000 | 1.25 |
| Michigan | $60,450 | $60,660 | $37,440 | $87,340 | 810 | 1.15 |
| Idaho | $60,250 | $66,720 | $45,900 | $100,230 | 160 | 1.15 |
| North Dakota | $59,760 | $66,650 | $44,700 | $94,250 | 110 | 1.55 |
| Connecticut | $59,710 | $65,810 | $34,010 | $94,620 | 300 | 1.10 |
| Washington | $59,700 | $61,710 | $45,290 | $77,470 | 400 | 0.71 |
| Kansas | $58,580 | $57,780 | $32,150 | $79,990 | 230 | 0.98 |
| Wisconsin | $58,250 | $62,190 | $38,170 | $92,220 | 580 | 1.23 |
| Maryland | $58,060 | $64,930 | $36,330 | $100,330 | 500 | 1.13 |
| Ohio | $57,800 | $58,870 | $29,290 | $82,430 | 1,370 | 1.53 |
| New Hampshire | $57,630 | $72,360 | $46,850 | $121,720 | 80 | 0.73 |
| Wyoming | $55,570 | $59,020 | $33,970 | $90,320 | 40 | 0.78 |
| Rhode Island | $55,420 | $79,510 | $54,360 | $139,100 | 40 | 0.51 |
| California | $50,750 | $56,130 | $37,030 | $77,850 | 2,240 | 0.76 |
| New Mexico | $50,380 | $52,280 | $37,440 | $69,470 | 100 | 0.70 |
| Georgia | $49,990 | $54,720 | $35,810 | $78,290 | 780 | 0.99 |
| Minnesota | $49,760 | $60,600 | $37,440 | $104,770 | 500 | 1.05 |
| Vermont | $48,740 | $54,620 | $45,490 | $81,880 | 40 | 0.74 |
| Oregon | $48,630 | $52,500 | $35,640 | $78,000 | 220 | 0.68 |
| Florida | $48,510 | $53,820 | $30,580 | $77,770 | 1,510 | 0.94 |
| Mississippi | $48,350 | $47,360 | $26,360 | $60,570 | 320 | 1.71 |
| West Virginia | $47,960 | $50,310 | $31,340 | $59,970 | 180 | 1.59 |
| South Dakota | $47,840 | $55,200 | $43,780 | $78,940 | 200 | 2.72 |
| Oklahoma | $47,780 | $56,510 | $26,200 | $97,290 | 380 | 1.37 |
| Louisiana | $46,730 | $49,500 | $27,190 | $78,770 | 440 | 1.40 |
| Texas | $46,630 | $45,600 | $24,120 | $62,070 | 1,500 | 0.66 |
| Hawaii | $46,310 | $44,740 | $33,580 | $53,620 | 150 | 1.52 |
| Tennessee | $46,180 | $49,080 | $33,600 | $68,990 | 550 | 1.04 |
| Alabama | $44,930 | $45,850 | $30,660 | $61,440 | 420 | 1.24 |
| Nevada | $43,940 | $43,160 | $28,360 | $55,710 | 280 | 1.12 |
| Montana | $43,680 | $52,050 | $35,040 | $79,450 | 110 | 1.37 |
| Kentucky | $43,320 | $43,130 | $27,520 | $61,230 | 470 | 1.44 |
| Missouri | $42,940 | $51,390 | $28,600 | $86,700 | 790 | 1.66 |
| Arizona | $41,870 | $44,350 | $36,260 | $55,960 | 360 | 0.70 |
| South Carolina | $40,020 | $50,420 | $29,510 | $83,650 | 400 | 1.07 |
| Arkansas | $36,120 | $41,510 | $30,540 | $60,040 | 360 | 1.69 |
| Puerto Rico | $25,630 | $25,630 | $21,840 | $33,800 | 70 | 0.47 |
How to Use This Data
If you are choosing where to relocate: Start with median salary, then check job count and LQ. A state with 80 jobs can rank well on salary but still be hard to enter.
If you are choosing a school: Compare your target school’s state with nearby states. A lower-tuition school can still be a poor ROI choice if the local wage market is weak.
If you are already working: Use the P10-P90 range to benchmark your pay. Being below P25 in your state is a stronger negotiation signal than being below the national median.
If you want a fast shortlist: Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Indiana are worth deeper review because they combine pay, employment, or density better than most states.
Turn State Salary Into a Career Decision
State salary is only useful when it is connected to licensing, school cost, and local opportunity. Use this sequence before you choose a state or program:
| Decision layer | What to check | Best next page or tool |
|---|---|---|
| License path | Education, exam, apprenticeship, renewal, and age rules. | License Requirements by State |
| School options | ABFSE status, tuition, debt, completion, and location. | School Finder |
| Pay range | Median, P25, P75, job count, and location quotient. | This page, then Salary Calculator |
| Career ROI | Tuition plus lost income vs first licensed salary and 10-year outcome. | Career ROI Calculator |
The best state is the one where those layers work together, not the state with the highest median wage in isolation.
Salary Factors the Table Does Not Fully Capture
Public wage tables do not tell you whether a role includes embalming, arranging, removals, on-call shifts, management duties, commission, or profit sharing. They also do not tell you whether a state has a slow licensing pipeline or a shortage of supervisors willing to take apprentices. Before you relocate or borrow for school, check these factors:
- License fit: confirm the state’s education, exam, apprenticeship, and renewal rules in the Licensing Wizard.
- Employer mix: corporate funeral homes, family-owned homes, cremation providers, and high-volume metro firms can pay differently.
- Apprenticeship access: a state with strong median pay can still be hard to enter if supervised roles are scarce.
- Real costs: housing, commute, license fees, school debt, and unpaid study time can erase a higher wage.
The best state is usually not the highest-paying state on paper. It is the state where the license path, first job, and pay range work together.
FAQ
What is the average mortician salary by state?
Average mortician salary by state means the BLS mean annual wage. In the May 2025 state data, the mean ranges from $41,510 in Arkansas to $84,160 in Delaware among states with publishable data. For worker-level planning, compare the median column too.
What is the best way to compare mortician pay by state?
Start with the state median salary, then check the mean wage, job count, and location quotient. The median shows typical worker pay; the mean shows the broader payroll market; job count and density show whether the market is large enough to enter.
Which state pays morticians the most on average?
Delaware pays morticians the most on average in BLS May 2025 state data, with a mean annual wage of $84,160 and a median wage of $81,530. Utah, Illinois, New Jersey, and Nebraska are also top-paying states by median wage.
Is median or average salary better for career planning?
Median salary is usually better for career planning because it is less distorted by owners, managers, and a small number of high earners. Average or mean pay is useful for judging the overall payroll market, but the median is the cleaner estimate for a typical worker.
What is the national median salary for morticians?
The national median salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers is $55,010 in BLS OEWS May 2025 data.
Which state has the most mortician jobs?
California has the most mortician jobs in the BLS May 2025 state dataset, with 2,240 jobs. Florida and Texas follow with 1,510 and 1,500 jobs.
Which state has the strongest job density?
South Dakota has the highest location quotient at 2.72, meaning mortician jobs are much more concentrated there than the national average. Iowa is second at 2.54 and has a stronger pay/job-count mix.
Is the highest-paying state always the best state?
No. Delaware has the highest median salary, but it has only 80 jobs in the May 2025 state dataset. For many students and new graduates, a state like Illinois, Iowa, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, or Ohio may be more practical because it combines salary with job count or density.
Why are Alaska and Virginia missing?
BLS does not publish every state estimate every year. Alaska and Virginia are missing from the May 2025 state table because their estimates were suppressed or not publishable for this occupation.
Next Step: Compare Your Options
Use the free Salary Calculator to check your target state, then compare school cost in the School Finder and model debt in the Career ROI Calculator.
For deeper planning, compare Free vs Pro or request a personalized deep report during the launch period.
Data Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025 - SOC 39-4031, Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers.
- Cost-of-living index field - project dataset used for planning estimates; real purchasing power is calculated as median salary divided by COL index times 100.
- PayScale 2026 city estimates - used separately in the Salary Calculator city tab.
For national wage context, see how much morticians make. For job count analysis, see Mortician Jobs by State.