Tamhu

Occupations · Personal Care and Service

Crematory Operators

Operate crematory equipment to reduce human or animal remains to bone fragments in accordance with state and local regulations. Duties may include preparing the body for cremation and performing general maintenance on crematory equipment. May use traditional flame-based cremation, calcination, or alkaline hydrolysis.

O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 39-4012.00

$42,880median annual wage, May 2024
2,950people employed, United States
▲ 3.3%projected change, 2024→2034
600openings a year, incl. replacements

What it pays

A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.

Lowest 10%$31,970Lower quarter$35,890Median$42,880Upper quarter$49,800Top 10%$60,260

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage

Pay over time

Median up 14% between 2021 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.

$42,880 202120232024$31,900$57,600

BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.

Where the jobs are

Metro areaMedian wageEmployed
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL$38,500110
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD$57,340110
Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL$37,29080
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI$43,39080
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX$34,91070
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$49,30060
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA$47,53060
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA$54,81060
Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL$36,81050
Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN$42,60040
Indianapolis-Carmel-Anderson, IN$37,93040
Scranton--Wilkes-Barre--Hazleton, PA$48,48040

BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation

Typical education to enter: High school diploma or equivalent · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34

Software and tools

A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft WordBelmar & Associates MortwareHMIS Advantage

O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag

What this work is actually like

Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.

2 / 5Some preparation — a school diploma and a few months of on-the-job training.

O*NET 30.3 Job Zones

What kind of person the work suits

Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.

Realistic6.0
Conventional4.4
Social2.7

O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)

How this job is advertised

The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.

CrematorCremation ArrangerCrematory OperatorPet Crematory OperatorRemoval Technician (Removal Tech)Operations Team Member (Ops Team Member)

O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation

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Related jobs

O*NET 30.3 related occupations

Also called

CrematorCrematory OperatorCremation ArrangerPet Crematory OperatorRemoval Technician (Removal Tech)Operations Team Member (Ops Team Member)

O*NET 30.3 alternative titles

The same work in Europe

ESCO occupationISCOMatch
embalmer5163.2broader

Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)

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