Embalmers
Personal Care and Service
Blood is drained from the circulatory system and replaced with embalming fluid. Incisions are closed with sutures, lips are joined with needle and thread or wire, and cosmetics are applied for a lifelike look. Bodies are then dressed and placed in caskets, and the preparation room is cleaned and disinfected. Health, sanitation, and legal rules govern every step, and records call for clear reading and writing. Suits people who like precise, hands-on work with bodies and routines that follow legal and sanitation rules.
Typical education: Associate’s Degree (2-year)
Annual Median Wage in Field (2025)
$58'780
Median Wage Market Position
$58'780
What you might do
- Drain blood and replace it with embalming fluid
- Withdraw fluids from organs with a trocar
- Close incisions with needles and sutures
- Apply cosmetics for a lifelike appearance
- Dress bodies and place them in caskets
- Clean and disinfect the preparation room
Skills that matter
- Following embalming and sanitation laws
- Draining blood and injecting embalming fluid
- Closing incisions with needle and suture
- Cosmetic work for a lifelike appearance
- Dressing bodies and placement in caskets
- Disinfecting rooms where bodies are prepared
AI & the future of this role
Preparing and restoring remains is skilled, regulated hands-on work tied to licensing, liability, and funeral standards that automation is unlikely to absorb. Discretion and technical judgment around each case tend to keep this role firmly human.
Does Embalmers fit your values?
Take the free LostInCareer assessment to see personalized matches based on your core values—not just a personality label.
Related careers
Includes O*NET® 30.3 Database information by USDOL/ETA under CC BY 4.0; modified by LostInCareer. Wage/outlook from BLS. Attribution details