Crematory Operators Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for crematory operators in the U.S. is $43,650 ($20.98 per hour), according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program, May 2025 estimates.
- Median annual wage
- $43,650
- Mean annual wage
- $45,670
- Median hourly wage
- $20.98
- Employment
- 2,970
2,970 employed
Wage percentiles
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $33,270 | $16.00 |
| 25th percentile | $37,020 | $17.80 |
| Median (50th) | $43,650 | $20.98 |
| 75th percentile | $50,380 | $24.22 |
| 90th percentile | $62,460 | $30.03 |
Highest-paying states for crematory operators
| State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | $64,220 | — |
| Massachusetts | $56,050 | 30 |
| Washington | $53,580 | 70 |
| Colorado | $52,060 | 70 |
| Delaware | $50,320 | 30 |
| Arizona | $49,970 | 40 |
| California | $49,780 | 240 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,980 | 140 |
| Connecticut | $47,160 | 100 |
| Kansas | $46,490 | 50 |
Lowest-paying states
- Texas: $33,270 median annual wage
- Alabama: $33,840 median annual wage
- Iowa: $35,120 median annual wage
- Tennessee: $35,880 median annual wage
- Oregon: $37,020 median annual wage
About this occupation
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.
Education of the current workforce — typical entry: High school diploma or equivalent
| Education level | Share of workers |
|---|---|
| Less than high school diploma | 4.7% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 26.6% |
| Some college, no degree | 22.5% |
| Associate's degree | 17.5% |
| Bachelor's degree | 21.6% |
| Master's degree | 6.5% |
| Doctoral or professional degree | 0.6% |
Occupation profile data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor.
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About this data
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — data period May 2025, retrieved August 13, 2026.
- CareerOneStop Occupation Profiles — data period 2026-08, retrieved August 14, 2026.
Figures are shown exactly as published by the source or derived by the documented formulas on our methodology page. Where a source suppresses an estimate, we show “—” rather than a substitute value.