Texas Career Check. Education & Career Planning

Occupation Summary

Crematory Operators

O*NET 39-4012.00

Description:

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.

Annual Wages:
$36,523.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 8.11%.
Education Level:
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Public Service

  1. Clean the crematorium, including tables, floors, and equipment.
  2. Document divided remains to ensure parts are not misplaced.
  3. Embalm, dress, or otherwise prepare the deceased for viewing.
  4. Explain the cremation process to family or friends of the deceased.
  5. Offer counsel and comfort to bereaved families or friends.
  6. Pick up and handle human or pet remains in a respectful manner.
  7. Place corpses into crematory machines to reduce remains to bone fragments using flame, heat, or alkaline hydrolysis.
  8. Pulverize remaining bone fragments into smaller pieces, using specialized equipment, such as a cremulator or grinder.
  9. Read documentation to confirm the identity of the deceased.
  10. Remove jewelry, watches, or other personal items from the deceased prior to cremation.
  11. Sweep or vacuum the cremation chamber to retrieve remains for storage in an urn or other container.
  12. Transport the deceased to a funeral home or crematory using a van, hearse, or other vehicle.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Crematory Operators employed Annual Growth Rate
Death care services 87.1 0.38


Labor Market Information


2023 Statewide average hourly wage $17.56
2023 National average hourly wage $21.30
2022 National employment 3,000
2022 Texas employment 111
Texas projected employment by 2032 120
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 17




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.





Other Activities


No work importance values found.

No certifications found.


No tools found.


Technology

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;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Crematory Operators include:
  • 13-1041.06 Coroners
  • 39-4011.00 Embalmers
  • 39-4021.00 Funeral Attendants
  • 11-9171.00 Funeral Home Managers
  • 47-4041.00 Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
  • 31-9093.00 Medical Equipment Preparers
  • 39-4031.00 Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers
  • 31-1132.00 Orderlies
  • 53-7062.04 Recycling and Reclamation Workers
  • 31-9096.00 Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers


No sources of additional information found.
Contact Texas Workforce Commission
Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.