Funeral counselor vs funeral director

The differences between funeral counselors and funeral directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a funeral counselor and a funeral director. Additionally, a funeral counselor has an average salary of $46,420, which is higher than the $39,048 average annual salary of a funeral director.

The top three skills for a funeral counselor include funeral arrangements, and . The most important skills for a funeral director are client families, veterans, and compassion.

Funeral counselor vs funeral director overview

	Funeral Counselor	Funeral Director
Yearly salary	$46,420	$39,048
Hourly rate	$22.32	$18.77
Growth rate	4%	8%
Number of jobs	28,476	5,746
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	Associate Degree, 48%
Average age	47	49
Years of experience	2	2

Funeral counselor vs funeral director salary

Funeral counselors and funeral directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Funeral Counselor	Funeral Director
Average salary	$46,420	$39,048
Salary range	Between $27,000 And $78,000	Between $29,000 And $51,000
Highest paying City	-	Belmont, CA
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Precoa
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between funeral counselor and funeral director education

There are a few differences between a funeral counselor and a funeral director in terms of educational background:

	Funeral Counselor	Funeral Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 33%	Associate Degree, 48%
Most common major	Business	Mortuary Science
Most common college	Stanford University	University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Funeral counselor vs funeral director demographics

Here are the differences between funeral counselors' and funeral directors' demographics:

	Funeral Counselor	Funeral Director
Average age	47	49
Gender ratio	Male, 42.6% Female, 57.4%	Male, 64.7% Female, 35.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 13.2% Asian, 6.4% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 1.8% White, 77.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between funeral counselor and funeral director duties and responsibilities

Funeral counselor example responsibilities.

Manage subordinates, facilities and MSDS files.
Provide financial oversight, including budget development, expense management, and financial analysis.
Specialize in Asian, Hindu, Buddist, Muslim, etc.

Funeral director example responsibilities.

Manage subordinates, facilities and MSDS files.
Greet them with empathy and compassion, conveying to family members that their every need will be meet.
Escort families to proper burial locations to include; scheduling with appropriate service component regarding ceremonies that are bestow to veterans.
Provide financial oversight, including budget development, expense management, and financial analysis.
Certify crematory operator; participate on removals; and assist on calling hours and funerals.
Specialize in Asian, Hindu, Buddist, Muslim, etc.

Funeral counselor vs funeral director skills

Common funeral counselor skills

Funeral Arrangements, 100%

Common funeral director skills

Client Families, 23%
Veterans, 21%
Compassion, 19%
Funeral Homes, 16%
SCI, 14%
Removals, 4%

Funeral Counselor vs. similar jobs

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Funeral Counselor vs Funeral Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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