Coroner

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Work Tasks

• Perform medical examinations and autopsies on dead bodies
• Interview other people present at time of death; testify at court hearings and trials
• Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to the person who died
• Complete death certificates
• Work for state and local government, indoors in offices or labs, or outdoors when examining the site where the body was found
• Work with protective clothes, reports, forms, medical histories, blood samples, lab equipment, and personal property of the person who died

Salary, Size & Growth

• $55,500 average per year ($26.75 per hour)
• A large occupation (164,400 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow rapidly (3.1% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: A 4-year degree in criminal justice administration, biological science or closely related field
• Employers Prefer: A degree in medicine or law enforcement, and an internship in the field
• Certification/Licensing: A license is required for coroners who are also physicians.