Explore This Path

Embalmer

💰 Earn $51K-$76K

📚 Associate Degree

⏱️ 12–24 Month Training

📈 0.7% Job Growth

Ideal for those passionate about honoring life and providing comfort to families.
Play a vital role in ensuring respectful and dignified farewells for loved ones.
Unique opportunity to blend artistry with science in preserving memories.

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What Embalmers DoPrepare bodies for interment in conformity with legal requirements.

Conform to laws of health and sanitation and ensure that legal requirements concerning embalming are met.
Apply cosmetics to impart lifelike appearance to the deceased.
Join lips, using needles and thread or wire.
Close incisions, using needles and sutures.
Incise stomach and abdominal walls and probe internal organs, using trocar, to withdraw blood and waste matter from organs.

Embalmers Education, Salary, and Growth

Minimum EducationAssociate Degree

Career ProspectsSteady (Staying constant (within 1%))

Training Time1 to 2 years

Job Openings700 Annually

Median earnings

California Median

$60,060

Most earn within this range

median ▾

$51K25th percentile

$76K75th percentile

National Median

$58,780

Most earn within this range

median ▾

$48K25th percentile

$66K75th percentile

Only you can decide how much you need to earn — but knowing what it actually costs to live in your area can help. The Family Budget Calculator can guide you.

Real Talk Reel

We've curated a playlist for you to get a glimpse into a day in the life of this career.

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Is This Career Right For You?

YOU Like

Thinking and problem solving
Using data or completing tasks
Working with my hands

you value

Having support
Having freedom
Personal relationships

you are skilled in

Speaking
Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Service Orientation
Coordination

Go Deeper: Embalmers Explained

EmbalmerExplore career pathways, key skills, and what each role has to offer.

How Do You Train for This Career?

Learn about the education and training paths that can lead to this career — and what to expect from each one.

Associate's DegreeAn associate's degree typically provides graduates with foundational knowledge and skills for entry-level jobs in the graduate's industry, or serves as a stepping stone towards further education.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 2-3 years

Bachelor's DegreeA bachelor's degree typically results in increased knowledge about a variety of academic subjects, specialized knowledge in a focused field of study, and is considered the foundational qualification for many careers.

🎓 College

⏱️ Finish in 4-5+ years

Vocational SchoolA vocational school typically equips students with specialized skills and practical training in specific trades or occupations, enhancing their employability and providing direct pathways to relevant careers.

🎓 Skills-Focused

⏱️ Finish in 6 months - 2 years

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