Funeral Director Salary Guide 2026
Funeral directors manage all aspects of funeral services, from meeting with bereaved families to coordinating ceremonies. Salaries vary significantly by state, experience level, and whether the funeral home is independently owned or part of a corporate chain.
$43,163
National Average
$36,000
Entry Level
$95,000
Top Earners
The funeral director profession offers a stable career path with competitive compensation. As the primary point of contact for grieving families, funeral directors require a unique combination of business acumen, compassion, and regulatory knowledge.
Entry-level funeral directors typically start in the $36,000–$45,000 range, while experienced directors at established funeral homes can earn $70,000–$95,000 or more. Directors who own their funeral homes or manage large facilities often earn significantly higher.
Factors affecting salary include geographic location, size of the funeral home, whether the position includes on-call duties, and the local cost of living. Metropolitan areas generally offer higher salaries but also higher competition.
Funeral Director Salary by State
| State | Average Salary | Range | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| South Carolina | $95,833 | $50,000 – $300,000 | 6 |
| Wyoming | $92,500 | $80,000 – $105,000 | 1 |
| West Virginia | $90,000 | $80,000 – $100,000 | 1 |
| North Dakota | $85,000 | $80,000 – $90,000 | 1 |
| New Jersey | $81,250 | $50,000 – $125,000 | 5 |
| New Hampshire | $81,250 | $60,000 – $100,000 | 2 |
| South Dakota | $80,000 | $65,000 – $95,000 | 1 |
| Virginia | $77,000 | $50,000 – $100,000 | 12 |
| Connecticut | $73,000 | $60,000 – $100,000 | 5 |
| Arkansas | $70,000 | $60,000 – $80,000 | 1 |
| Vermont | $70,000 | $50,000 – $100,000 | 3 |
| Iowa | $67,500 | $50,000 – $85,000 | 1 |
| Montana | $66,250 | $55,000 – $75,000 | 2 |
| Pennsylvania | $65,407 | $40,000 – $90,000 | 14 |
| Idaho | $64,500 | $58,000 – $75,000 | 2 |
| North Carolina | $63,316 | $25,000 – $100,000 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | $62,894 | $17 – $150,000 | 14 |
| Ohio | $61,172 | $34,671 – $90,000 | 11 |
| Oklahoma | $60,625 | $35,000 – $90,000 | 4 |
| Alaska | $60,000 | $50,000 – $70,000 | 1 |
| Missouri | $59,000 | $40,000 – $85,000 | 5 |
| Kentucky | $58,434 | $41,600 – $70,000 | 3 |
| Florida | $57,341 | $23 – $90,341 | 19 |
| Maine | $55,506 | $27 – $80,000 | 5 |
| Nebraska | $55,000 | $50,000 – $60,000 | 1 |
| Maryland | $53,008 | $18 – $120,000 | 10 |
| Minnesota | $52,347 | $32 – $100,000 | 15 |
| Indiana | $51,671 | $17 – $80,000 | 6 |
| Georgia | $50,810 | $34,428 – $70,000 | 2 |
| Massachusetts | $48,926 | $20 – $150,000 | 23 |
| Tennessee | $43,200 | $800 – $75,000 | 5 |
| Michigan | $41,870 | $25 – $120,000 | 7 |
| Texas | $41,417 | $15 – $92,353 | 19 |
| Rhode Island | $41,266 | $30 – $90,000 | 2 |
| New York | $36,184 | $16 – $100,000 | 27 |
| Arizona | $34,397 | $23 – $94,529 | 9 |
| Illinois | $33,203 | $20 – $107,210 | 16 |
| Louisiana | $33,062 | $15 – $65,638 | 3 |
| Oregon | $29,898 | $27 – $66,000 | 5 |
| Alabama | $24,920 | $20 – $73,579 | 8 |
| Nevada | $22,510 | $18 – $50,000 | 2 |
| US | $21,490 | $15 – $80,000 | 9 |
| Colorado | $14,590 | $19 – $110,000 | 30 |
| California | $6,838 | $17 – $94,000 | 23 |
| Washington | $2,658 | $22 – $55,000 | 19 |
| Hawaii | $28 | $20 – $40 | 2 |
| DC | $22 | $21 – $23 | 1 |