Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$47,500
National baseline
Target bonus
$4,000
8.2% of base
Total target cash
$51,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$2,50050th$4,00075th$6,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Crematory Operator is a professional role within the function in the Personal Care and Service job family.
Typical experience: varies by employer. Entry-level roles usually require little or no prior experience; senior roles typically require 5 or more years in the occupation. See the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the specific entry path.
Clean the crematorium, including tables, floors, and equipment.
Document divided remains to ensure parts are not misplaced.
Embalm, dress, or otherwise prepare the deceased for viewing.
Explain the cremation process to family or friends of the deceased.
Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Crematory Operator pay by experience level
Entry level$34,500
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$38,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$45,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$52,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$64,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.3%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
600
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Crematory Operator salary by industry
Personal and Laundry Services
2,800 workers
$47,000
Death Care Services
2,720 workers
$47,500
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
140 workers
$47,500
Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
140 workers
$47,500
Other Personal Services
80 workers
$39,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2021 to 2025: $37,490 to $43,650.
+16.4% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$34,500
Early career25th percentile
$38,500
Median50th percentile
$45,000
Experienced75th percentile
$52,000
Top earners90th percentile
$64,500
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
Clean the crematorium, including tables, floors, and equipment.
Document divided remains to ensure parts are not misplaced.
Embalm, dress, or otherwise prepare the deceased for viewing.
Explain the cremation process to family or friends of the deceased.
Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$47,500
2027$49,000
2028$51,000
2029$52,500
2030$54,500
2031$56,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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The median market pay for a Crematory Operator in the United States is about $47,500 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Crematory Operator?
Most Crematory Operator pay falls between about $38,500 (25th percentile) and $52,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $64,500.
What does a Crematory Operator do?
Core responsibilities include: clean the crematorium, including tables, floors, and equipment; and document divided remains to ensure parts are not misplaced.
Is pay for Crematory Operator roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $37,490 in 2021 to $43,650 in 2025, a change of +16.4% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Crematory Operator pays 0% below the average across 33 roles in the Personal Care and Service job family (family average $47,500).
Need Crematory Operator pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
