When you own and operate a funeral home, you have a lot of responsibilities to take care of. From the funeral arrangements to the actual funeral service, many things need to be handled properly. And while you may be able to handle some of these tasks on your own, others require specific training and licensing. That’s why funeral homes typically have a staff of funeral home employees.
Do You Need to Hire Funeral Home Workers?
The answer to this question depends on the size of your funeral home and the services you offer. If you have a small funeral home with only a few employees, you may not need to hire any funeral home workers. However, if you have a larger funeral home or one that offers various services, you will likely need to hire funeral home employees.
There are several types of funeral home employees, each with different training and licensing requirements.
Licensed Funeral Director
The most common type of funeral home employee is the licensed funeral director. Funeral directors must be licensed to perform their duties, which include making funeral arrangements, transporting bodies, and overseeing funeral services. Funeral directors typically have a degree in funeral science or a related field.
The average salary for a licensed funeral director is $53,000 annually.
Funeral Home Managers
Another common type of funeral home employee is the funeral home manager. Funeral home managers are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the funeral home, including managing staff, handling finances, and coordinating funeral services. Funeral home managers typically have a degree in business administration or a related field.
The typical salary for funeral home managers is $62,000 per year.
Certified Morticians Undertakers
In some states, funeral directors and funeral home managers must be certified morticians or undertakers. Funeral directors and funeral home managers who are not certified morticians or undertakers can still perform their duties, but they may be subject to additional regulations.
The average salary is $58,000 annually for certified morticians and undertakers.
Funeral Arrangement Director
Another type of funeral home employee is the funeral arrangement director. Funeral arrangement directors are responsible for making funeral arrangements, including selecting caskets and cremation urns, setting up funeral services, and coordinating with funeral homes and funeral directors. Funeral arrangement directors typically have a degree in funeral science or a related field.
Funeral arrangement directors typically make an average salary of $44,000 annually.
On-site Embalmer
Some funeral homes also have on-site embalmers. Embalmers are responsible for preparing bodies for funeral services, including washing and dressing the body, applying makeup, and setting hair. Embalmers must be licensed to perform their duties.
On-site embalmers typically make an average salary of $64,000 per year.
On-site Cremation Specialist
Funeral homes that offer cremation services also have on-site cremation specialists. Cremation specialists are responsible for operating the cremation equipment and ensuring that the bodies are properly cremated. Cremation specialists must be licensed to perform their duties.
Cremation specialists typically make an average salary of $40,000 per year.
Business Operations Funeral Home Employee
Funeral homes also have employees who handle the business operations of the funeral home, such as accounting, marketing, and human resources. These employees typically have a degree in business administration or a related field.
Business operations funeral home employees typically make an average salary of $50,000 per year.
Conclusion
When deciding whether or not to hire funeral home employees, you will need to consider the size of your home and the services you offer. If you have a small funeral home with only a few employees, you may not need to hire any funeral home workers.
However, if you have a larger funeral home or one that offers various services, you will likely need to hire funeral home employees. You can also scale the size of your staff with your business.