Cemeteries and Crematories — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the cemeteries and crematories industry earns $52,931 per year ($25.45/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Cemeteries and Crematories Workers Earn?
At $52,931/year (equivalent to $25.45/hour for a full-time worker), cemeteries and crematories wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical cemeteries and crematories business employs 7 people. These are mid-sized operations where payroll is a significant but manageable expense.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average cemeteries and crematories business generating $1.1M/year with 7 employees at $52,931 each, total payroll represents roughly 34.3% of revenue. Labor is a significant cost but leaves room for other expenses and profit.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a cemeteries and crematoriesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $68,810/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 7 employees = ~$370,517/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $25.45/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $1.1M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Cemeteries and Crematories revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do cemeteries and crematories employees make?
- The average cemeteries and crematories employee earns $52,931 per year, which is equivalent to $25.45/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the cemeteries and crematories industry?
- The cemeteries and crematories industry employs 31,118 workers across 4,409 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 7 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).