Nominal salary rankings for morticians are misleading. A $50,750 salary in California and a $63,700 salary in Iowa are not comparable numbers — the Iowa salary has more than twice the purchasing power. This page adjusts BLS May 2025 state salary data for cost of living to show which states actually pay morticians best in real terms.
2-Minute Version
- Delaware has the highest real mortician compensation: $81,530 median + COL index 105 = ~$77,648 real purchasing power
- Iowa is the strongest practical high-value market: $63,700 median + COL index 88 = ~$72,386 real purchasing power, with 640 jobs and 2.54 LQ
- Hawaii has the lowest real value among published rows, while California is the weakest major job market: $50,750 median + COL index 150 = ~$33,833 real purchasing power
- The gap between best and worst real compensation is over $50,000/year when cost of living is factored in
- Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, and North Carolina are underrated because they combine usable salaries with moderate cost of living
Methodology
Nominal salary: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 39-4031, state-level medians.
Cost of living index: Project cost-of-living field based on state-level COL benchmarks. National average = 100. Higher = more expensive.
Real purchasing power formula: (Nominal Salary ÷ COL Index) × 100
This gives an apples-to-apples comparison of what each state’s salary actually buys.
Full State Rankings: Real Purchasing Power
Top 15 states by real mortician compensation
| State | Median Salary | COL Index | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $81,530 | 105 | $77,648 |
| Iowa | $63,700 | 88 | $72,386 |
| Nebraska | $64,310 | 92 | $69,902 |
| Utah | $72,800 | 105 | $69,333 |
| Indiana | $60,890 | 91 | $66,912 |
| Kansas | $58,580 | 89 | $65,820 |
| Michigan | $60,450 | 92 | $65,707 |
| Illinois | $69,600 | 107 | $65,047 |
| Ohio | $57,800 | 90 | $64,222 |
| North Carolina | $60,730 | 96 | $63,260 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,580 | 101 | $62,950 |
| Idaho | $60,250 | 96 | $62,760 |
| Wisconsin | $58,250 | 95 | $61,316 |
| North Dakota | $59,760 | 98 | $60,980 |
| Wyoming | $55,570 | 96 | $57,885 |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2025; project cost-of-living index field
Bottom 10 states by real mortician compensation
| State | Median Salary | COL Index | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46,310 | 193 | $23,995 |
| California | $50,750 | 150 | $33,833 |
| Massachusetts | $62,120 | 162 | $38,346 |
| Arizona | $41,870 | 103 | $40,650 |
| Arkansas | $36,120 | 88 | $41,045 |
| Nevada | $43,940 | 107 | $41,065 |
| South Carolina | $40,020 | 96 | $41,688 |
| Oregon | $48,630 | 115 | $42,287 |
| Vermont | $48,740 | 114 | $42,754 |
| New York | $63,090 | 139 | $45,388 |
The Outliers Explained
Iowa: The best real compensation in the U.S.
Iowa’s combination is unique: $63,700 median (16% above national) + COL index of 88 (12% below national average). The result is real purchasing power of ~$72,386 — one of the highest state values in the dataset.
Iowa also has a 2.54 Location Quotient — meaning mortician jobs are more than twice as concentrated there as the national average. High pay, high job density, low cost of living. For morticians willing to relocate, Iowa is the strongest practical financial case.
Delaware: highest real value, tiny market
Delaware’s $81,530 median is the highest published state salary in the BLS May 2025 dataset. With a COL index of 105, real purchasing power is ~$77,648 — the top state-level real value in the current table. The catch: only 80 employed morticians statewide, so openings are limited.
Nebraska and Utah: high real value, smaller markets
Nebraska ($64,310 median, ~$69,902 real purchasing power) and Utah ($72,800 median, ~$69,333 real purchasing power) both rank near the top after cost-of-living adjustment. Both are smaller markets than Illinois, Ohio, or North Carolina, so job count still matters.
California: The worst real compensation
California’s $50,750 median is already below the national median. After adjusting for a COL index of 150, real purchasing power drops to ~$33,833 — roughly equivalent to earning $33,833 in a state with average cost of living. California has the most mortician jobs, but the real-pay math is weak.
Hawaii: The extreme case
Hawaii’s COL index of 193 is the highest in this table. A $46,310 median salary in Hawaii has real purchasing power of only ~$23,995 — the lowest state-level real value in the dataset.
New York: High nominal, mediocre real
New York’s $63,090 median looks strong — but a COL index of 139 reduces real purchasing power to ~$45,388. That’s below the national median in real terms. New York’s high nominal salary is largely consumed by housing costs.
The COL-Adjusted Tier System
Tier 1: Strongest real compensation (real PP > $65,000)
- Delaware (~$77,648)
- Iowa (~$72,386)
- Nebraska (~$69,902)
- Utah (~$69,333)
- Indiana (~$66,912)
- Kansas (~$65,820)
- Michigan (~$65,707)
- Illinois (~$65,047)
Tier 2: Above-average real compensation ($60,000–$65,000)
- Ohio (~$64,222)
- North Carolina (~$63,260)
- Pennsylvania (~$62,950)
- Idaho (~$62,760)
- Wisconsin (~$61,316)
- North Dakota (~$60,980)
Tier 3: Near-average real compensation ($45,000–$60,000)
- Wyoming, New Jersey, Maine, Colorado, Connecticut, Washington, Texas, Minnesota, and New York
Tier 4: Below-average real compensation (< $45,000)
- Vermont, Oregon, South Carolina, Nevada, Arkansas, Arizona, Massachusetts, California, and Hawaii
Practical Implications for Career Planning
If you’re choosing where to start your career
The Tier 1 states offer the best real compensation. Iowa is the most practical choice for many people — it has strong job density (LQ 2.54), above-median pay, and low cost of living. Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio are also practical because they combine stronger job counts with better real purchasing power than the raw salary table suggests.
Delaware, Utah, Nebraska, and North Dakota can look excellent on real pay, but each has a smaller job base than the large-market states.
If you’re already in a Tier 4 state
The real compensation gap between California and Iowa is nearly $40,000/year. Over a 10-year career, that’s almost $400,000 in purchasing power. If you’re in California, Hawaii, Massachusetts, or another Tier 4 state and have flexibility to relocate, the financial case for moving is substantial.
The “no state income tax” adjustment
Some states with no state income tax (Washington, Nevada, Texas, Florida) effectively increase take-home pay. However:
- Washington’s COL index (~118) partially offsets the tax benefit
- Nevada’s COL (107) and low nominal salary ($43,940) still result in below-average real compensation
- Texas has no income tax but pays below the national mortician median ($46,630)
The no-income-tax benefit is real but rarely large enough to overcome a significant COL or nominal salary disadvantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state is best for mortician salary after cost of living?
Delaware has the highest cost-of-living-adjusted value in the current table: $81,530 median salary, COL index of 105, and real purchasing power of ~$77,648. Iowa is the strongest practical option for many workers because it combines $63,700 median salary, COL index of 88, real purchasing power of ~$72,386, 640 jobs, and a 2.54 location quotient.
Is California a good state for mortician pay?
No — California has the weakest real mortician compensation among major job markets. The $50,750 median is already below the national median, and a COL index of 150 reduces real purchasing power to ~$33,833. Despite having the most mortician jobs (2,240), California is one of the worst states for real compensation.
Does cost of living matter more than nominal salary for morticians?
Yes, significantly. The nominal salary gap between the highest and lowest publishable state medians is about $45,000 ($81,530 Delaware vs. $36,120 Arkansas). The real purchasing power gap is over $50,000 when COL is factored in. Location choice is the single biggest financial decision a mortician can make.
What about states with no income tax?
The no-income-tax benefit (Washington, Nevada, Texas, Florida) adds roughly 3–7% to take-home pay depending on income level. This is real but rarely large enough to overcome a significant COL or nominal salary disadvantage. Texas, for example, has no income tax but pays $46,630 median — still below the national median.
Want the Complete 50-State Comparison?
This page covers the key states. The Mortician Salary Toolkit has the full dataset — every state, every percentile, COL-adjusted — in a sortable spreadsheet you can filter by real purchasing power, nominal salary, or job density.
What the toolkit adds:
- All 50 states with P10–P90 percentiles + COL-adjusted real purchasing power in Excel + CSV
- State comparison report template — compare any 2–3 states side by side with a built-in relocation break-even calculator
- Pre-filled examples: Iowa vs. California, Delaware vs. Ohio
- Negotiation scripts for once you’ve identified your target state
One-time download, $24.99. See what’s included →
Next Step: Compare Your Options
Use the free Salary Calculator to check pay in your target state, then compare programs in the School Finder and run the Career ROI Calculator before you commit to a school or relocation plan.
If you want a more guided path, compare Free vs Pro or request a personalized deep report during the launch period.
Data Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025 — SOC 39-4031 state-level median salaries and location quotient data
- Project cost-of-living index field — state-level cost context used for real purchasing power estimates
→ See also: Mortician Salary by State (All 50) | Mortician Salary in California | Mortician Salary in Delaware | States With the Most Mortician Jobs