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Medical examiner vs mortician

The differences between medical examiners and morticians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 6-12 months to become a medical examiner, becoming a mortician takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a medical examiner has an average salary of $156,092, which is higher than the $49,430 average annual salary of a mortician.

The top three skills for a medical examiner include EKG, medical history and vital signs. The most important skills for a mortician are death certificates, funeral services, and funeral homes.

Medical examiner vs mortician overview

Medical ExaminerMortician
Yearly salary$156,092$49,430
Hourly rate$75.04$23.76
Growth rate16%8%
Number of jobs47,428407
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Associate Degree, 33%
Average age3749
Years of experience122

Medical examiner vs mortician salary

Medical examiners and morticians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Medical ExaminerMortician
Average salary$156,092$49,430
Salary rangeBetween $78,000 And $308,000Between $24,000 And $100,000
Highest paying CityBoston, MA-
Highest paying stateMassachusetts-
Best paying companyBexar County-
Best paying industry--

Differences between medical examiner and mortician education

There are a few differences between a medical examiner and a mortician in terms of educational background:

Medical ExaminerMortician
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 35%Associate Degree, 33%
Most common majorNursingMortuary Science
Most common college-University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Medical examiner vs mortician demographics

Here are the differences between medical examiners' and morticians' demographics:

Medical ExaminerMortician
Average age3749
Gender ratioMale, 33.0% Female, 67.0%Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 20.7% Asian, 9.3% White, 54.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.8% Asian, 1.8% White, 77.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage6%9%

Differences between medical examiner and mortician duties and responsibilities

Medical examiner example responsibilities.

  • Adhere to OSHA guidelines while performing instrument sterilization in addition to managing medical inventory.
  • Perform medical exams such as EKG's, blood work, vitals and review medical history and paperwork with patients.
  • Assist in DNA case file management.
  • Train in phlebotomy and OSHA/HIPPA regulatory compliance procedures.
  • Perform independent thesis research to compare paraffin embed healthy and malignant tissue using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA testing.
  • Audit income and financial resources of elderly adults and disable applicants to determine financial eligibility for various levels of Medicaid coverage.
  • Show more

Mortician example responsibilities.

  • Utilize the HMIS systems to manage and maintain customer records.
  • Verify eligibility of veterans for burial benefits and contact appropriate cemetery representatives.
  • Utilize the HMIS systems to manage and maintain customer records.

Medical examiner vs mortician skills

Common medical examiner skills
  • EKG, 16%
  • Medical History, 10%
  • Vital Signs, 8%
  • Blood Pressure, 7%
  • Medical Exams, 7%
  • Death Certificates, 6%
Common mortician skills
  • Death Certificates, 35%
  • Funeral Services, 22%
  • Funeral Homes, 17%
  • Prep Room, 11%
  • Insurance Claims, 7%
  • Vital Statistics, 7%

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