Career profile · 39-4012
Crematory Operators
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.
What the work can involve
Use the full O*NET occupation profile to investigate tasks and work activities for this role.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
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Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Data base user interface and query software: Belmar & Associates Mortware, HMIS Advantage
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for crematory operators
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- High school diploma or equivalent
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 24 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $33,840 | $16.27 | 40 |
| Arizona | $49,970 | $24.02 | 40 |
| California | $49,780 | $23.93 | 240 |
| Colorado | $52,060 | $25.03 | 70 |
| Connecticut | $47,160 | $22.68 | 100 |
| Delaware | $50,320 | $24.19 | 30 |
| Florida | $38,710 | $18.61 | 320 |
| Illinois | $41,740 | $20.07 | 190 |
| Indiana | $40,650 | $19.54 | 190 |
| Iowa | $35,120 | $16.89 | Not published |
| Kansas | $46,490 | $22.35 | 50 |
| Kentucky | $37,740 | $18.15 | 50 |
| Massachusetts | $56,050 | $26.95 | 30 |
| Michigan | $40,970 | $19.70 | 130 |
| Nevada | $46,190 | $22.21 | 80 |
| North Carolina | $41,350 | $19.88 | 150 |
| Ohio | $43,530 | $20.93 | 60 |
| Oregon | $37,020 | $17.80 | 100 |
| Pennsylvania | $47,980 | $23.07 | 140 |
| Tennessee | $35,880 | $17.25 | Not published |
| Texas | $33,270 | $16.00 | 270 |
| Washington | $53,580 | $25.76 | 70 |
| West Virginia | $43,840 | $21.08 | 30 |
| Wisconsin | $64,220 | $30.88 | Not published |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 8 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Related occupations to compare
Related through shared training-subject mappings. Entry requirements can differ substantially.
Sources and attribution
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 39-4012.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.