Nominal salary rankings for morticians are misleading. A $47,170 salary in California and a $63,770 salary in Iowa are not comparable numbers — the Iowa salary has roughly twice the purchasing power. This page adjusts BLS May 2024 state salary data for cost of living to show which states actually pay morticians best in real terms.
2-Minute Version
- Iowa has the best real mortician compensation of any state: $63,770 median + COL index ~88 = ~$72,500 real purchasing power
- California has the worst: $47,170 median + COL index ~150 = ~$31,400 real purchasing power
- Delaware pays the highest nominal salary ($80,290) but COL index ~105 reduces real value to ~$76,500 — still excellent
- The gap between best and worst real compensation is over $40,000/year — larger than the nominal gap
- North Dakota and Ohio are underrated: above-median pay + well-below-average COL
Methodology
Nominal salary: BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 39-4031, state-level medians.
Cost of living index: Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) 2024 Annual Average. National average = 100. Higher = more expensive.
Real purchasing power formula: (Nominal Salary ÷ COL Index) × 100
This gives an apples-to-apples comparison of what each state’s salary actually buys.
Full State Rankings: Real Purchasing Power
Top 15 states by real mortician compensation
| State | Median Salary | COL Index | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa | $63,770 | 88 | $72,466 |
| North Dakota | $76,720 | 98 | $78,286 |
| Delaware | $80,290 | 105 | $76,467 |
| Minnesota | $76,490 | 107 | $71,486 |
| Ohio | $49,360 | 90 | $54,844 |
| Kentucky | $52,060 | 91 | $57,209 |
| Indiana | $50,290 | 91 | $55,264 |
| Missouri | $51,200 | 90 | $56,889 |
| Nebraska | $54,830 | 92 | $59,598 |
| Kansas | $50,110 | 89 | $56,303 |
| Wisconsin | $52,440 | 95 | $55,200 |
| Michigan | $48,960 | 92 | $53,217 |
| Pennsylvania | $55,940 | 101 | $55,386 |
| New York | $62,590 | 139 | $45,028 |
| Illinois | $60,680 | 107 | $56,710 |
Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024; MERIC 2024 Annual Average COL Index
Bottom 10 states by real mortician compensation
| State | Median Salary | COL Index | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $47,170 | 150 | $31,447 |
| Hawaii | $46,290 | 193 | $23,984 |
| Massachusetts | $52,870 | 162 | $32,636 |
| New Jersey | $54,760 | 125 | $43,808 |
| Connecticut | $53,200 | 127 | $41,890 |
| Texas | $36,760 | 95 | $38,695 |
| Arkansas | $35,970 | 88 | $40,875 |
| Arizona | $40,560 | 103 | $39,379 |
| Nevada | $44,870 | 107 | $41,935 |
| Washington | $60,010 | 118 | $50,856 |
The Outliers Explained
Iowa: The best real compensation in the U.S.
Iowa’s combination is unique: $63,770 median (28% above national) + COL index of 88 (12% below national average). The result is real purchasing power of ~$72,500 — the highest of any state.
Iowa also has the highest Location Quotient of any state (2.17) — meaning mortician jobs are more than twice as concentrated there as the national average. High pay, high job density, low cost of living. For morticians willing to relocate, Iowa is the strongest financial case.
North Dakota: High pay, overlooked
North Dakota’s $76,720 median is the second-highest in the U.S. after Delaware. With a COL index of 98 (essentially at the national average), real purchasing power is ~$78,286 — actually higher than Delaware in real terms. The catch: only 100 employed morticians statewide, so openings are rare.
Delaware: High nominal, still excellent real
Delaware’s $80,290 median is the highest in the U.S. After adjusting for COL (~105), real purchasing power is ~$76,500. That’s still excellent — but North Dakota and Iowa are competitive in real terms despite lower nominal salaries.
California: The worst real compensation
California’s $47,170 median is already below the national median. After adjusting for a COL index of ~150, real purchasing power drops to ~$31,400 — roughly equivalent to earning $31,400 in a state with average cost of living. A California mortician has less real purchasing power than a Texas mortician earning $36,760 (COL index ~95, real ~$38,700).
Hawaii: The extreme case
Hawaii’s COL index of ~193 is the highest in the U.S. A $46,290 median salary in Hawaii has real purchasing power of only ~$24,000 — the lowest of any state. Hawaii is essentially the worst state in the country for mortician compensation in real terms.
New York: High nominal, mediocre real
New York’s $62,590 median looks strong — but a COL index of ~139 reduces real purchasing power to ~$45,000. That’s below the national median in real terms. New York’s high nominal salary is largely consumed by housing costs.
The COL-Adjusted Tier System
Tier 1: Best real compensation (real PP > $65,000)
- North Dakota (~$78,300)
- Delaware (~$76,500)
- Iowa (~$72,500)
- Minnesota (~$71,500)
Tier 2: Above-average real compensation ($54,000–$65,000)
- Nebraska (~$59,600)
- Kentucky (~$57,200)
- Missouri (~$56,900)
- Kansas (~$56,300)
- Indiana (~$55,300)
- Pennsylvania (~$55,400)
- Wisconsin (~$55,200)
- Ohio (~$54,800)
Tier 3: Near-average real compensation ($45,000–$54,000)
- Illinois (~$56,700)
- Washington (~$50,900)
- New York (~$45,000)
Tier 4: Below-average real compensation (< $45,000)
- Nevada (~$41,900)
- Connecticut (~$41,900)
- Arkansas (~$40,900)
- Arizona (~$39,400)
- Texas (~$38,700)
- New Jersey (~$43,800)
- Massachusetts (~$32,600)
- California (~$31,400)
- Hawaii (~$24,000)
Practical Implications for Career Planning
If you’re choosing where to start your career
The Tier 1 states (Iowa, North Dakota, Delaware, Minnesota) offer the best real compensation. Iowa is the most practical choice for most people — it has the most jobs per capita (LQ 2.17), above-median pay, and the lowest cost of living of the top-paying states.
North Dakota and Delaware pay more nominally but have very few jobs (100 and 90 respectively), making them difficult to break into.
If you’re already in a Tier 4 state
The real compensation gap between California and Iowa is over $40,000/year. Over a 10-year career, that’s $400,000+ in purchasing power. If you’re in California, Texas, or another Tier 4 state and have flexibility to relocate, the financial case for moving is substantial.
The “no state income tax” adjustment
Some states with no state income tax (Washington, Nevada, Texas, Florida) effectively increase take-home pay. However:
- Washington’s COL index (~118) partially offsets the tax benefit
- Nevada’s COL (
107) and low nominal salary ($44,870) still result in below-average real compensation - Texas has no income tax but pays the lowest mortician salaries in the country ($36,760 median)
The no-income-tax benefit is real but rarely large enough to overcome a significant COL or nominal salary disadvantage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which state is best for mortician salary after cost of living?
Iowa offers the best combination: $63,770 median salary, COL index of 88, and the highest job density (LQ 2.17) of any state. Real purchasing power of $72,500 is the highest of any state with meaningful job availability. North Dakota has slightly higher real purchasing power ($78,300) but only 100 jobs statewide.
Is California a good state for mortician pay?
No — California has the worst real mortician compensation of any major state. The $47,170 median is already below the national average, and a COL index of ~150 reduces real purchasing power to ~$31,400. Despite having the most mortician jobs (2,670), California is one of the worst states for real compensation.
Does cost of living matter more than nominal salary for morticians?
Yes, significantly. The nominal salary gap between the best and worst states is about $44,000 ($80,290 Delaware vs. $35,970 Arkansas). The real purchasing power gap is over $50,000 when COL is factored in. Location choice is the single biggest financial decision a mortician can make.
What about states with no income tax?
The no-income-tax benefit (Washington, Nevada, Texas, Florida) adds roughly 3–7% to take-home pay depending on income level. This is real but rarely large enough to overcome a significant COL or nominal salary disadvantage. Texas, for example, has no income tax but pays $36,760 median — still the lowest real compensation of any major state.
Want the Complete 50-State Comparison?
This page covers the key states. The Mortician Salary Toolkit has the full dataset — every state, every percentile, COL-adjusted — in a sortable spreadsheet you can filter by real purchasing power, nominal salary, or job density.
What the toolkit adds:
- All 50 states with P10–P90 percentiles + COL-adjusted real purchasing power in Excel + CSV
- State comparison report template — compare any 2–3 states side by side with a built-in relocation break-even calculator
- Pre-filled examples: Iowa vs. California, Delaware vs. Ohio
- Negotiation scripts for once you’ve identified your target state
One-time download, $24.99. See what’s included →
Data Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2024 — SOC 39-4031 state-level median salaries
- MERIC (Missouri Economic Research and Information Center) — 2024 Annual Average Cost of Living Index by state
- BLS OEWS May 2024 — Location Quotient data by state
→ See also: Mortician Salary by State (All 50) | Mortician Salary in California | Mortician Salary in Delaware | States With the Most Mortician Jobs