Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers Salary
The median pay for a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD is $75,470/year ($36.28/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $94K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.55), that's roughly $73,593 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,810/month, about 35.8% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $75K get you in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington’s Regional Price Parity (102.55). 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
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What this looks like in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington sits well above the national pay line for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers, local pay runs about 37% higher than the U.S. median of $55K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,810/month, which is 36.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers in metros near Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $62K | $66K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $60K | $60K |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $62K | $66K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $64K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD
Entry-level morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $94K or more, a $59K 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a morticians, undertakers, and funeral arranger afford a 2BR apartment alone in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 36.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,810/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,124/month. At HUD’s $1,810/month FMR, rent would take 85% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Local pay is 37% above the national median — $75K here vs. $55K nationally.
How does Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington compare to the national average for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $55K — that’s +37%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $74K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers make in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD?
The median is $75,470 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $35,400, and experienced morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers can clear $94,490. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,930/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,810/month, which eats 36.7% 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 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington?
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.55 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers salary is worth about $73,593 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.