Funeral attendants
Perform a variety of tasks during funeral, such as placing casket in parlor or chapel prior to service, arranging floral offerings or lights around casket, directing or escorting mourners, closing casket, and issuing and storing funeral equipment.
Funeral attendants perform a variety of tasks during funeral, such as placing casket in parlor or chapel prior to service, arranging floral offerings or lights around casket, directing or escorting mourners, closing casket, and issuing and storing funeral equipment. The role reports a median annual salary of $34,610 in the US and is projected to grow 3% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a High school diploma or equivalent, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.42 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include maintain personal hygiene standards, greet guests, transfer coffins, promote human rights, maintain customer service.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £30,894 a year for Undertakers, mortuary and crematorium assistants (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 6138). ONS rates this estimate reasonably precise. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Service and sales workers” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Funeral attendants, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 5. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Administrative
- Transportation
- Computers and Electronics
- Law and Government
- Communications and Media
- Sales and Marketing
What you'd actually do
- Greet people at the funeral home.
- Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned.
- Close caskets at appropriate point in services.
- Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held.
- Place caskets in parlors or chapels prior to wakes or funerals.
- Offer assistance to mourners as they enter or exit limousines.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Funeral attendants do?
Perform a variety of tasks during funeral, such as placing casket in parlor or chapel prior to service, arranging floral offerings or lights around casket, directing or escorting mourners, closing casket, and issuing and storing funeral equipment.
How much does Funeral attendants earn?
The median annual salary for Funeral attendants in the US is $34,610.
What is the job outlook for Funeral attendants?
The role is projected to grow 3% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 32,500 workers.
How do I become funeral attendants?
The typical entry education is a High school diploma or equivalent. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Funeral attendants need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include maintain personal hygiene standards, greet guests, transfer coffins, promote human rights, maintain customer service, provide directions to guests. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Funeral attendants?
Our AI-durability model gives Funeral attendants a score of 0.42 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Funeral attendants has low barrier to entry — generally accessible — you can enter with basic credentials and on-the-job learning.