Embalmers Salary
In Missouri, embalmers earn $66,490 at the median, or about $31.97 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $77K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $74,733 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 25.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $66K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
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What this looks like in Missouri
Missouri sits well above the national pay line for embalmers, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $59K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,097/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Missouri offers a genuinely strong financial position for embalmers at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level embalmers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $66K. Top earners bring in $77K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Embalmers salary by metro in Missouri
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $63K | -5% | 60 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a embalmer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $66K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for embalmers in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new embalmers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,752/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 40% 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 Missouri?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $66K here vs. $59K nationally.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for embalmers?
Missouri pays $66K median vs. the U.S. average of $59K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do embalmers make in Missouri?
The median is $66,490 a year, that works out to about $32 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,940, and experienced embalmers can clear $76,640. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $66K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,399/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 24.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a embalmers salary go in Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $74,733 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.