Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Salary
The median pay for a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA is $45,440/year ($21.85/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $30K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $52,562 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,044/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $45K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Kingsport-Bristol
Pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in Kingsport-Bristol runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $55K. Rent runs $1,044/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.5% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 86.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in metros near Kingsport-Bristol, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $49K | $51K |
| Memphis | $47K | $51K |
| Chattanooga | $46K | $51K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $56K | $56K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers (10th percentile) start around $30K. Mid-career wages sit at $45K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $38K spread from bottom to top.
Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | $82K | +48% | 80 |
| Utah | $73K | +32% | 240 |
| Illinois | $70K | +27% | 1,320 |
| New Jersey | $69K | +26% | 580 |
| Nebraska | $64K | +17% | 210 |
| Iowa | $64K | +16% | 640 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | +16% | 910 |
| New York | $63K | +15% | 1,030 |
| Massachusetts | $62K | +13% | 430 |
| Indiana | $61K | +11% | 630 |
| Maine | $61K | +11% | 80 |
| Colorado | $61K | +11% | 320 |
| North Carolina | $61K | +10% | 1,000 |
| Michigan | $60K | +10% | 810 |
| Idaho | $60K | +10% | 160 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +9% | 110 |
| Connecticut | $60K | +9% | 300 |
| Washington | $60K | +9% | 400 |
| Kansas | $59K | +6% | 230 |
| Wisconsin | $58K | +6% | 580 |
| Maryland | $58K | +6% | 500 |
| Ohio | $58K | +5% | 1,370 |
| New Hampshire | $58K | +5% | 80 |
| Wyoming | $56K | +1% | 40 |
| Rhode Island | $55K | +1% | 40 |
| California | $51K | -8% | 2,240 |
| New Mexico | $50K | -8% | 100 |
| Georgia | $50K | -9% | 780 |
| Minnesota | $50K | -10% | 500 |
| Vermont | $49K | -11% | 40 |
| Oregon | $49K | -12% | 220 |
| Florida | $49K | -12% | 1,510 |
| Mississippi | $48K | -12% | 320 |
| West Virginia | $48K | -13% | 180 |
| South Dakota | $48K | -13% | 200 |
| Oklahoma | $48K | -13% | 380 |
| Louisiana | $47K | -15% | 440 |
| Texas | $47K | -15% | 1,500 |
| Hawaii | $46K | -16% | 150 |
| Tennessee | $46K | -16% | 550 |
| Alabama | $45K | -18% | 420 |
| Nevada | $44K | -20% | 280 |
| Montana | $44K | -21% | 110 |
| Kentucky | $43K | -21% | 470 |
| Missouri | $43K | -22% | 790 |
| Arizona | $42K | -24% | 360 |
| South Carolina | $40K | -27% | 400 |
| Arkansas | $36K | -34% | 360 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kingsport-Bristol numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Kingsport-Bristol?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $45K, rent takes 32.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,044/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in Kingsport-Bristol?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers typically earn — is $30K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,790/month. At HUD’s $1,044/month FMR, rent would take 58% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger a high-paying job in Kingsport-Bristol?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $45K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 14% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Kingsport-Bristol compare to the national average for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers?
Kingsport-Bristol pays $45K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 86.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $53K — below the national median.
How much do morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $45,440 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,830, and experienced morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers can clear $67,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $45K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,213/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 32.5% 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 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers salary go in Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (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 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers salary is worth about $52,562 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers 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.