Embalmers Salary
In Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN, embalmers earn $45,740 at the median, or about $21.99 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.07), which stretches that salary to about $49,146 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,272/month, about 40.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $46K get you in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Louisville/Jefferson County’s Regional Price Parity (93.07). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About embalmers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Louisville/Jefferson County
Pay for embalmers in Louisville/Jefferson County runs about 22% below the U.S. median of $59K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,272/month, which is 41.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.07 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for embalmerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for embalmers in metros near Louisville/Jefferson County, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $63K | $66K |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $57K | $59K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN
Entry-level embalmers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Embalmers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Embalmers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio | $72K | +22% | 80 |
| Pennsylvania | $70K | +19% | 50 |
| North Carolina | $69K | +17% | 70 |
| Missouri | $66K | +13% | 160 |
| Virginia | $64K | +9% | 120 |
| Kansas | $63K | +7% | 120 |
| Indiana | $62K | +6% | N/A |
| South Carolina | $62K | +5% | 140 |
| Illinois | $62K | +5% | 60 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | +3% | 40 |
| Florida | $60K | +2% | 300 |
| California | $60K | +2% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $59K | +0% | 40 |
| Arkansas | $58K | -1% | 90 |
| Texas | $57K | -2% | 680 |
| Oregon | $57K | -3% | 70 |
| Colorado | $57K | -3% | 70 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -6% | 180 |
| Georgia | $55K | -6% | 50 |
| Louisiana | $55K | -7% | 150 |
| Massachusetts | $54K | -8% | 100 |
| West Virginia | $54K | -8% | 50 |
| Alabama | $53K | -10% | 90 |
| Washington | $51K | -14% | 40 |
| Kentucky | $50K | -15% | 280 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -16% | 90 |
| New Mexico | $45K | -23% | 30 |
| Iowa | $39K | -33% | N/A |
Showing 1–10 of 28 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track embalmers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Louisville/Jefferson County numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a embalmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisville/Jefferson County?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 41.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,272/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for embalmers in Louisville/Jefferson County?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new embalmers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,076/month. At HUD’s $1,272/month FMR, rent would take 61% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is embalmer a high-paying job in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Local pay runs 22% below the national median — $46K here vs. $59K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Louisville/Jefferson County compare to the national average for embalmers?
Louisville/Jefferson County pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s -22%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.07), the purchasing-power equivalent is $49K — below the national median.
How much do embalmers make in Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN?
The median is $45,740 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,600, and experienced embalmers can clear $68,440. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Louisville/Jefferson County?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,080/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,272/month, which eats 41.3% 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 embalmers salary go in Louisville/Jefferson County?
Louisville/Jefferson County has a Regional Price Parity of 93.07 (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 embalmers salary is worth about $49,146 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do embalmers 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.