Mortician vs forensic pathologist

The differences between morticians and forensic pathologists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a mortician and a forensic pathologist. Additionally, a forensic pathologist has an average salary of $57,239, which is higher than the $49,430 average annual salary of a mortician.

The top three skills for a mortician include death certificates, funeral services and funeral homes. The most important skills for a forensic pathologist are body fluids, , and .

Mortician vs forensic pathologist overview

	Mortician	Forensic Pathologist
Yearly salary	$49,430	$57,239
Hourly rate	$23.76	$27.52
Growth rate	8%	16%
Number of jobs	407	20,624
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 33%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Average age	49	46
Years of experience	2	2

Mortician vs forensic pathologist salary

Morticians and forensic pathologists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Mortician	Forensic Pathologist
Average salary	$49,430	$57,239
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $100,000	Between $26,000 And $122,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between mortician and forensic pathologist education

There are a few differences between a mortician and a forensic pathologist in terms of educational background:

	Mortician	Forensic Pathologist
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 33%	Bachelor's Degree, 67%
Most common major	Mortuary Science	Biology
Most common college	University of Minnesota - Twin Cities	Stanford University

Mortician vs forensic pathologist demographics

Here are the differences between morticians' and forensic pathologists' demographics:

	Mortician	Forensic Pathologist
Average age	49	46
Gender ratio	Male, 61.2% Female, 38.8%	Male, 47.6% Female, 52.4%
Race ratio	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%	Black or African American, 8.7% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.4% Asian, 6.6% White, 68.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	9%	12%

Differences between mortician and forensic pathologist duties and responsibilities

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.

Forensic pathologist example responsibilities.

Supervise and manage pathology, microbiology and biochemistry laboratory.
Work independently under protocols for treatment to provide STI risk assessment, treatment, and prophylaxis including emergency contraception.
Work independently under protocols for treatment to provide STI risk assessment, treatment, and prophylaxis including emergency contraception.

Mortician vs forensic pathologist skills

Common mortician skills

Death Certificates, 35%
Funeral Services, 22%
Funeral Homes, 17%
Prep Room, 11%
Insurance Claims, 7%
Vital Statistics, 7%

Common forensic pathologist skills

Body Fluids, 100%

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Updated January 8, 2025

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