Crematory Operators Salary
Crematory Operators in Indiana make a median of $40,650 a year, or about $19.54 an hour. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $44,276 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 40.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $41K actually covers in Indiana, month by month
About crematory operators
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What this looks like in Indiana
Crematory operators pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $41K locally vs. $44K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 41% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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, Indiana
Entry-level crematory operators (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $41K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Crematory Operators salary by metro in Indiana
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $39K | -4% | 80 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a crematory operator afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $41K, rent takes 41% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new crematory operators typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,516/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $41K locally vs. $44K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for crematory operators?
Indiana pays $41K median vs. the U.S. average of $44K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do crematory operators make in Indiana?
The median is $40,650 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $36,420, and experienced crematory operators can clear $61,580. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $41K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,788/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 41% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $44,276 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.