The second in a series
I have been writing articles for Shore Local for some time now and I have talked a lot about many things dealing with funeral service but I have not talked about the most obvious subject: why would be would anyone want to be a funeral director. Yes, I have my own story of how I got into this profession but let’s keep it generic for now.
Let’s first start by defining what a funeral director is. A funeral director is a licensed professional who helps families plan, arrange and carry out funeral and memorial services. Many people would characterize funeral directors as coordinators, but their function goes much deeper than that. As a funeral director you facilitate the grief process, council families through difficult choices and help them say goodbye to their loved ones with dignity. Many a funeral director finds great meaning in their career. This alone keeps them going to work every day. This is the best thing about my job.
The next pro is you can expect good compensation for doing the work of a funeral director. Now I know many funeral directors who would argue this “pro” but this is according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the national median salary for funeral directors is about $50,000 to $60,000 with the top 10% of earners about $85,000. However, in New Jersey the average base salary is notably higher, ranging from $60,000 to $80,000 annually. The compensation varies widely based on experience, location and whether the funeral director owns the establishment.
Another pro is the strong job security in the funeral industry.
There will always be a need for funeral directors in some capacity in our current society. Funeral service in general is an important aspect of the life cycle and will therefore always be in demand in some form. According to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics funeral service workers will see employment growth of about three percent between 2021 and 2031. About 5,700 job openings for funeral service workers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. These job openings will stem from the need to replace retiring workers, as well as the aging baby boomer population planning for their passing.
The last major pro for becoming a funeral director is the large span of unique work experiences that you will have. No day of work is the same when you are a funeral director. Funeral directors work with diverse people and populations in a variety of ways. One day you might be arranging a Catholic burial and the next day you are planning a Buddhist cremation. Also, the work itself can vary on the very same day as you may be talking with a family in the morning about a prearrangement but in the afternoon, you are doing an embalming in the morgue. Every death and every person’s story are different in some way. You will constantly be exposed to new situations, new challenges and new opportunities in your career. So really funeral directors wear many hats in a full week’s worth of work.
As far as a career option, you may be questioning if the road less traveled Is the right road for you. There’s no doubt that working in the death care industry is an unconventional path. Unlike me, there are not many high school seniors that list “Funeral Director” as their desired future occupation.
We will get into some of the negative aspects of the job in my next article.
Stay tuned! Thanks for reading.
Andrew B. Hoffman is a funeral director at Jeffries and Keates and Keates-Plum Funeral Homes. He is a twenty-two year veteran of the funeral industry.
