Funeral Homes and Funeral Services Revenue Benchmarks
The average funeral homes and funeral services business in the United States generates $1.0M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 10,931 funeral homes and funeral services businesses in the U.S., employing 102,195 workers with an average profit margin of 8.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $47K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Funeral Homes and Funeral Business Actually Do?
Businesses handling the logistics and ceremony of death — body preparation (embalming or cremation), viewings, funerals, cemetery coordination. Includes traditional funeral homes plus direct-cremation providers.
Who buys: Bereaved families arranging services, plus pre-need customers pre-paying for their own arrangements.
Average Revenue
$1.0M
per year
Profit Margin
8.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$112K
per year
Total Businesses
10,931
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$84K
small business avg
Labor Cost
38.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$47K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
3.3
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Funeral Homes and Funeral Services Charge?
Funeral homes charge a general service fee plus itemized fees for casket, embalming, and other services.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Basic service fee (non-declinable) | $2,000–4,500 |
Embalming | $800–1,500 |
Casket (mid-range) | $2,000–5,000 |
Cremation container | $300–800 |
Direct cremation (no service) | $1,000–3,500 |
Full traditional funeral | $7,500–15,000+ |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete funeral homes and funeral business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a funeral homes and funeral services business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the funeral homes and funeral services industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Supplies & materials | $16 | $170K | Direct consumables — parts for repair shops, chemicals for laundries, etc. |
Wages & benefits | $38 | $398K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $11 | $113K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $5 | $57K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $22 | $226K | Insurance, licensing, tools, uniforms, small equipment. |
Net profit | $8 | $84K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
4.21%
openings/year
Closure Rate
5.3%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
-1.72%
annual
Businesses Closed
678
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Funeral Homes and Funeral Business?
Startup Cost
$30K – $150K
Break-Even
13 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a funeral homes and funeral services business do?
- Businesses handling the logistics and ceremony of death — body preparation (embalming or cremation), viewings, funerals, cemetery coordination. Includes traditional funeral homes plus direct-cremation providers. Bereaved families arranging services, plus pre-need customers pre-paying for their own arrangements.
- How much do funeral homes and funeral services charge?
- Funeral homes charge a general service fee plus itemized fees for casket, embalming, and other services. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average funeral homes and funeral services make per year?
- The average funeral homes and funeral services business generates $1.0M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $84K per year at a 8.0% profit margin.
- How many funeral homes and funeral services businesses are there in the US?
- There are 10,931 funeral homes and funeral services businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 102,195 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a funeral homes and funeral services business?
- Startup costs for a funeral homes and funeral services business typically range from $30K to $150K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the funeral homes and funeral services industry?
- The average employee in the funeral homes and funeral services industry earns $47K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The funeral homes and funeral services industry is relatively stable — with a net job growth rate of -1.7%. Entry and exit rates are balanced at 4.2% and 5.3% respectively.
Approximately 76% of funeral homes and funeral services businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 678 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the funeral homes and funeral services industry earns $46,581/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 13,892 establishments employing 105,300 people, the typical business has about 8 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The funeral homes and funeral services industry has declined 12% since 2000 (from 14,945 to 13,145 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Funeral Homes and Funeral Services revenue with other industries: