Embalmer

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Work Tasks

• Prepare bodies for funerals and burial
• Follow strict rules for embalming bodies
• Replace body fluids with embalming fluid, and pack bodies with cotton
• Reshape or repair injured bodies; put makeup on bodies so they look natural; dress bodies and place them in caskets
• Work for funeral homes and crematoriums and in county coroner offices
• Work with dead bodies, germicide soap, towels and hot air dryers, embalming equipment such as pumps, embalming fluids; clay, cotton, plaster of Paris, and wax, cosmetics, needles, thread, wire, sutures, and clothing

Salary, Size & Growth

• $43,500 average per year ($21.00 per hour)
• A small occupation (6,800 workers in 2010)
• Expected to grow slowly (0.5% per year)

Education/Training

• Minimum for Entry: Three years of on-the-job training plus apprenticeship experience
• Employers Prefer: A 4-year degree plus apprenticeship experience
• Skills/Courses: College courses include anatomy, physiology, pathology, embalming techniques, restorative art, business management, and client services.
• Certification/Licensing: Embalmers must be licensed in all states.