Rhode Island employs 40 morticians as of BLS May 2025, with a median salary of $55,420 — 1% above the national median of $55,010.
Quick Facts
- Median salary: $55,420 (1% above national avg of $55,010)
- Mean salary: $79,510
- Salary range: $54,360 (P10) to $139,100 (P90) — top earners break six figures
- Employment: 40 jobs | Location Quotient: 0.51 — below average demand
- Avg burial cost: $9,213 | Avg cremation: $6,765
- Cremation rate: 50% — 50% of families choose traditional burial
Rhode Island Mortician Salary: Full Breakdown
| Percentile | Rhode Island | National | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| P10 (Entry) | $54,360 | $33,350 | +$21,010 |
| P25 | $54,870 | $42,430 | +$12,440 |
| Median (P50) | $55,420 | $55,010 | +$410 |
| Mean | $79,510 | $58,160 | +$21,350 |
| P75 | $139,100 | $72,010 | +$67,090 |
| P90 (Top) | $139,100 | $88,620 | +$50,480 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
The gap between P10 ($54,360) and P90 ($139,100) is $84,740, showing wider salary variation than the national range.
Job Demand & Employment
The Location Quotient (LQ) is 0.51 — below average demand. This means Rhode Island has fewer mortician jobs per capita than average — competition for positions may be tighter.
With 40 employed morticians, Rhode Island ranks as a smaller market, though job stability in funeral service tends to be high regardless of state size.
Funeral Industry Market
The cremation rate is 50%, meaning about half of families still choose traditional services — a balanced market.
The average cost of a burial funeral in Rhode Island is $9,213, while the average cremation service costs $6,765. These are among the higher service costs nationally, which can support higher mortician compensation.
Education & Schools
There are no ABFSE-accredited mortuary science programs in Rhode Island. Students must attend school in another state and return to complete state-specific licensing requirements.
Use the School Finder to compare all 58 ABFSE-accredited programs by tuition, debt, and outcomes.
Is Rhode Island a Good State for Morticians?
Rhode Island pays well but has moderate demand. The $55,420 median is above average, but the LQ of 0.51 suggests job density is not as strong.
Compare With Neighboring States
- Mortician Salary in Connecticut — $59,710 median
- Mortician Salary in Massachusetts — $62,120 median
States With Similar Salary Levels
- New Hampshire — $57,630
- Wyoming — $55,570
- California — $50,750
- New Mexico — $50,380
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do morticians make in Rhode Island?
Morticians in Rhode Island earn a median salary of $55,420 according to BLS May 2025 data. The typical salary range runs from $54,360 at the 10th percentile to $139,100 at the 90th percentile.
Is Rhode Island a good state for morticians?
Rhode Island can be a good state financially because median pay is above average, though job concentration is more moderate.
Are there mortuary schools in Rhode Island?
Rhode Island has no ABFSE-accredited mortuary science programs in the dataset, so students usually need to compare out-of-state options. Use the School Finder to compare tuition, debt, completion rates, and earnings outcomes.
Plan Your Career in Rhode Island
- Rhode Island Salary Calculator — see the full percentile breakdown prefilled for Rhode Island
- Career ROI Calculator — calculate your return on investment working in Rhode Island
- Best States Ranker — see where Rhode Island ranks on salary, demand, and opportunity
- Market Opportunity Map — visualize demand and opportunity nationwide
- All State Salary Guides — compare all 49 states
Data Sources and Method
- Salary data: BLS OEWS May 2025 for SOC 39-4031, Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers.
- Local context: project salary-tool.json fields for employment, location quotient, funeral cost, cremation rate, and ABFSE school count where available.
- Method: state pages compare median, mean, P10-P90 wage range, employment, and location quotient against national BLS benchmarks.
- Limits: BLS suppresses some state estimates when publication standards are not met; missing or suppressed fields are not estimated.