FUNERAL SERVICE INSIDER's Annual Compensation Survey

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* 2. The area(s) in which my funeral home operates in is/are:

Urban

Suburban

Multiple locations that serve urban and suburban areas

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* 3. My funeral home is located (or the majority of our locations are located) in the following region:

Northeast

Southeast

Midwest

Southwest

West (including Hawaii and Alaska)

Other (please specify)

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* 4. My funeral home has at least one physical location.

True

False

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* 5. My funeral home has the following number of locations:

More than 8

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* 6. My firm's cremation rate is:

Less than 10%

10 to 20%

21 to 30%

31 to 40%

41 to 50%

51 to 60%

61 to 70%

71 to 80%

More than 80%

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* 7. How many at-need families did your firm serve in 2023?

Less than 100

101 to 200

201 to 300

301 to 400

401 to 500

501 to 600

601 to 700

701 to 800

801 to 900

901 to 1,000

More than 1,000

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* 8. How many preneed contracts did your firm close in 2023?

Less than 100

101 to 200

201 to 300

301 to 400

401 to 500

501 to 600

601 to 700

701 to 800

801 to 900

901 to 1,000

More than 1,000

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* 9. What is your position at your firm?

Owner

President

Funeral director (not owner)

Manager (not owner)

Preneed sales consultant

Embalmer only

Marketing professional and/or aftercare

Administrative assistant/office staff

Crematory operator

Other (please specify)

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* 10. At your firm, what is the starting salary for an intern who has completed his/her funeral service education?

$10 to $15 per hour

$16 to $20 per hour

More than $20 per hour

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* 11. At your firm, what is the starting salary for a newly licensed full-time funeral director?

Less than $25,000

$25,001 to $30,000

$30,001 to $35,000

$35,001 to $40,000

$40,001 to $45,000

$45,001 to $50,000

$50,001 to $55,000

More than $55,000

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* 12. At your firm, what was the 2023 salary for these positions? (Only enter whole numbers representing an annual salary, i.e., not hourly amounts)

Most experienced funeral director (excluding the firm owner)

Least experienced funeral director

Firm owner

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* 13. Was your funeral home affected by new salary regulations in 2024?

Yes

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* 14. If you answered "Yes" to the above, how did you change your operations?

Moved Salaried Employees to Hourly

Moved Hourly Employees to Salary

Added Part Time Hourly Staff

Reduced Full Time Hourly Staff

Elaborate here if you'd like

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* 15. Will the new federal salary regulations affect your operation in 2025?

Yes

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* 16. If you answered "Yes" to the above, how did you change your operations?

Moved Salaried Employees to Hourly

Moved Hourly Employees to Salary

Added Part Time Hourly Staff

Reduced Full Time Hourly Staff

Elaborate here if you'd like

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* 17. For the most experienced funeral director (excluding the firm owner), what happened to that position's salary from 2022 to 2023?

It went down

It stayed the same

It increased 1 to 3%

It increased 4 to 6%

It increased 7 to 10%

It increased more than 10%

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* 18. For the least experienced funeral director (excluding the firm owner), what happened to that position's salary from 2022 to 2023?

It went down

It stayed the same

It increased 1 to 3%

It increased 4 to 6%

It increased 7 to 10%

It increased more than 10%

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* 19. For the firm's owner, what happened to the salary they drew from the business from 2022 to 2023?

It went down

It stayed the same

It increased 1 to 3%

It increased 4 to 6%

It increased 7 to 10%

It increased more than 10%

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* 20. Are certain staff members at your firm eligible to receive a bonus? If yes, please include the job(s) that qualify for bonuses.

Yes

Qualifying Job Titles

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* 21. From 2022 to 2023, what was the bonus for the most experienced funeral director (excluding the company owner)?

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* 22. From 2022 to 2023, what was the bonus for the least experienced funeral director?

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* 23. From 2022 to 2023, how did the bonus for the firm's owner change?

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* 24. In 2023, what was the average annual salary for these FULL-TIME positions? (Only enter whole numbers representing an annual salary, i.e., not hourly amounts)

Embalmer only

Aftercare manager

Receptionist

Other (please specify position)

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* 25. If your firm gives an annual pay increase, what percentage is it? (Only enter whole numbers)

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* 26. In 2023, what bonus was paid for these FULL-TIME positions? (Only enter whole numbers representing an annual salary, i.e., not hourly amounts)

Embalmer only

Aftercare manager

Receptionist

Other (please specify position)

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* 27. Does your firm provide medical benefits to full-time employees?

Yes

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* 28. If your firm provides medical benefits, what percentage of the premium is paid for by the employer?

Less than 50%

50-54%

55-59%

60-64%

65-69%

70-74%

75-79%

80-84%

85-89%

90-94%

95-99%

100%

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* 29. Does your firm provide dental benefits to employees?

Yes

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* 30. If your firm provides dental benefits, what percentage of premium is paid for by your employer?

Less than 50%

50-54%

55-59%

60-64%

65-69%

70-74%

75-79%

80-84%

85-89%

90-94%

95-99%

100%

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* 31. In 2023, did your firm significantly change the medical and dental benefits it offers employees (such as changing the percentage paid)? Please explain.

Yes

Other (please specify)

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* 32. If your firm offered 401(k) benefits in 2023, what percentage did your firm match?

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* 33. My firm does not pay a base salary to preneed salespeople; we only pay commission.

True

False

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* 34. On average, a full-time preneed salesperson who meets expectations makes the following on an annual basis (if you do not have a full-time preened salesperson, please skip this question):

$20,000 to $30,000

$30,001 to $40,000

$40,001 to $50,000

$50,001 to $60,000

$60,001 to $70,000

$70,001 to $80,000

More than $90,000

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* 35. In the past 12 months, an employee(s) at my firm has been laid off.

True

False

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* 36. I anticipate my firm laying employee(s) off in the next 12 months.

True

False

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* 37. My firm has hired an employee(s) in the past 12 months. If true, please include their job title(s)

True

False

Other (please specify)

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* 38. If your firm paid a hiring bonus in 2023, how much was it?

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* 39. My firm plans to hire an employee(s) in the next 12 months.

True

False

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* 40. If you answered "True" above, what position(s)?

Position 1

Position 2

Position 3

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* 41. I'd recommend funeral service as a career to others. Please explain.

True

False

Other (please specify)

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* 42. What is your biggest frustration when it comes to compensation in funeral service – in general or at your firm in particular?

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* 43. Do you feel you are fairly compensated? (If yes, answer why. If no, answer why not.)

Yes

Other (please specify)

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* 44. If you do not subscribe to Funeral Service Insider and you filled out this survey, please provide your email address so we can send you the results when published. Thank you.

FUNERAL SERVICE INSIDER's Annual Compensation Survey | 2024

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* 1. My funeral home is:

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* 2. The area(s) in which my funeral home operates in is/are:

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* 3. My funeral home is located (or the majority of our locations are located) in the following region:

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* 4. My funeral home has at least one physical location.

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* 5. My funeral home has the following number of locations:

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* 6. My firm's cremation rate is:

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* 7. How many at-need families did your firm serve in 2023?

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* 8. How many preneed contracts did your firm close in 2023?

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* 9. What is your position at your firm?

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* 10. At your firm, what is the starting salary for an intern who has completed his/her funeral service education?

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* 11. At your firm, what is the starting salary for a newly licensed full-time funeral director?

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* 12. At your firm, what was the 2023 salary for these positions? (Only enter whole numbers representing an annual salary, i.e., not hourly amounts)

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* 13. Was your funeral home affected by new salary regulations in 2024?

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* 14. If you answered "Yes" to the above, how did you change your operations?

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* 15. Will the new federal salary regulations affect your operation in 2025?

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* 16. If you answered "Yes" to the above, how did you change your operations?

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* 17. For the most experienced funeral director (excluding the firm owner), what happened to that position's salary from 2022 to 2023?

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* 18. For the least experienced funeral director (excluding the firm owner), what happened to that position's salary from 2022 to 2023?

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* 19. For the firm's owner, what happened to the salary they drew from the business from 2022 to 2023?

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* 20. Are certain staff members at your firm eligible to receive a bonus? If yes, please include the job(s) that qualify for bonuses.

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* 21. From 2022 to 2023, what was the bonus for the most experienced funeral director (excluding the company owner)?

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* 22. From 2022 to 2023, what was the bonus for the least experienced funeral director?

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* 23. From 2022 to 2023, how did the bonus for the firm's owner change?

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* 24. In 2023, what was the average annual salary for these FULL-TIME positions? (Only enter whole numbers representing an annual salary, i.e., not hourly amounts)

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* 25. If your firm gives an annual pay increase, what percentage is it? (Only enter whole numbers)

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* 26. In 2023, what bonus was paid for these FULL-TIME positions? (Only enter whole numbers representing an annual salary, i.e., not hourly amounts)

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* 27. Does your firm provide medical benefits to full-time employees?

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* 28. If your firm provides medical benefits, what percentage of the premium is paid for by the employer?

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* 29. Does your firm provide dental benefits to employees?

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* 30. If your firm provides dental benefits, what percentage of premium is paid for by your employer?

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* 31. In 2023, did your firm significantly change the medical and dental benefits it offers employees (such as changing the percentage paid)? Please explain.

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* 32. If your firm offered 401(k) benefits in 2023, what percentage did your firm match?

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* 33. My firm does not pay a base salary to preneed salespeople; we only pay commission.

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* 34. On average, a full-time preneed salesperson who meets expectations makes the following on an annual basis (if you do not have a full-time preened salesperson, please skip this question):

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* 35. In the past 12 months, an employee(s) at my firm has been laid off.

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* 36. I anticipate my firm laying employee(s) off in the next 12 months.

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* 37. My firm has hired an employee(s) in the past 12 months. If true, please include their job title(s)

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* 38. If your firm paid a hiring bonus in 2023, how much was it?

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* 39. My firm plans to hire an employee(s) in the next 12 months.

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