Personal Care and Service · Career brief

Embalmers

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Embalmers at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$58,780

Middle-of-the-pack pay

2025 national median. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

0.7%

Slow projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Below the middle of ChooseField careers for growth.

3Openings

700

Low national opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Bottom quarter for openings among careers on ChooseField.

4Route in

Associate degree

Usually a two-year-level credential or equivalent route

Associate's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

Hands-on

Practical work with tools, systems, or physical environments

Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.7%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

ChooseField take

The national benchmarks are mixed, so the work itself and the route in matter more than any standout pay or demand signal. It makes the most sense if hands-on work appeals to you and you are comfortable with an associate-degree path. Main tradeoff: BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.7%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.

Before choosing, compare:Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Barbers Funeral Attendants

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Embalmers with another field Explore rankings in Personal Care and Service Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$58,780

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

0.7%employment growth700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Associate's degree; More than 12 months of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

3,900

A small national occupation; local availability may be uneven.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Embalmers (39-4011).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
Make incisions in arms or thighs and drain blood from circulatory system and replace it with embalming fluid, using pump.
Perform the duties of funeral directors, including coordinating funeral activities.
Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

BLS projects essentially flat employment (0.7%) through 2035. Annual openings mostly reflect replacement, not a rapidly expanding field.
Deadline pressure is a recurring condition rather than an occasional emergency.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Assisting and Caring for Others4.6
Documenting/Recording Information4.4
Handling and Moving Objects4.3
Making Decisions and Solving Problems4.3
Getting Information4.2

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Realistic5.8
Conventional3.9
Social3.4
Enterprising2.7
Investigative2.6
Artistic1.6

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Chemistry Psychology Law and Government Biology

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Volunteer in a structured, supervised role long enough to learn whether sustained responsibility for other people's needs feels meaningful or draining.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Embalmers nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Speaking, Active Listening, Critical Thinking among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options

Compare before committing

The useful question is not whether one field wins overall, but what changes when you choose a nearby path. Explore the full career guides for Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers, Barbers, Funeral Attendants, Animal Trainers.