Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Salary
The median pay for a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in Memphis, TN-MS-AR is $46,970/year ($22.58/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $36K at the entry level to $65K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.18), which stretches that salary to about $50,955 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,274/month, about 37.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $47K get you in Memphis?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Memphis’s Regional Price Parity (92.18). 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 Memphis
Pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in Memphis runs about 15% below the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,274/month, which is 38.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in metros near Memphis, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $49K | $51K |
| Chattanooga | $46K | $51K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $45K | $53K |
| 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, Memphis, TN-MS-AR
Entry-level morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers (10th percentile) start around $36K. Mid-career wages sit at $47K. Top earners bring in $65K or more, a $29K 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 Memphis numbers change.
Related careers in Personal Care
Frequently asked questions
Can a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Memphis?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $47K, rent takes 38.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,274/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 Memphis?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers typically earn — is $36K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,144/month. At HUD’s $1,274/month FMR, rent would take 59% 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 Memphis?
Local pay runs 15% below the national median — $47K here vs. $55K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Memphis compare to the national average for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers?
Memphis pays $47K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s -15%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers make in Memphis, TN-MS-AR?
The median is $46,970 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,740, and experienced morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers can clear $65,080. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $47K enough to live in Memphis?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,315/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,274/month, which eats 38.4% 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 morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers salary go in Memphis?
Memphis has a Regional Price Parity of 92.18 (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 $50,955 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.