Crematory Operators Salary
Crematory Operators in Illinois make a median of $41,740 a year, or about $20.07 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.85), which stretches that salary to about $44,475 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,407/month, about 49.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. This is an aggregate across all of Illinois. BLS does not publish metro-level data for this occupation in this state.
So what does $42K get you in Illinois?
About crematory operators
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Illinois
Crematory operators pay in Illinois tracks closely to the national median, $42K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 4% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,407/month, which is 50.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.85 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Illinois
Entry-level crematory operators (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $42K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $11K spread from bottom to top.
Compare to other states
Track crematory operators salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Illinois numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a crematory operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Illinois?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $42K, rent takes 50.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,407/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for crematory operators in Illinois?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crematory operators typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,191/month. At HUD’s $1,407/month FMR, rent would take 64% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is crematory operator a high-paying job in Illinois?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $42K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Illinois compare to the national average for crematory operators?
Illinois pays $42K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.85), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crematory operators make in Illinois?
The median is $41,740 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,520, and experienced crematory operators can clear $47,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $42K enough to live in Illinois?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,793/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,407/month, which eats 50.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a crematory operators salary go in Illinois?
Illinois has a Regional Price Parity of 93.85 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median crematory operators salary is worth about $44,475 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do crematory operators get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.