Why Delaware Pays Morticians the Most ($80,290 Median)

Delaware pays morticians a median of $80,290 — the highest of any state in the U.S. and 61% above the national median of $49,800. With only 90 employed morticians in the entire state, it’s a small market. But small doesn’t mean low-paying. In Delaware’s case, it means the opposite.

This page explains why Delaware’s mortician salaries are so high, what the data actually shows, and whether it’s worth relocating there.

2-Minute Version

• Delaware median: $80,290 vs. national median $49,800 — a $30,490 premium (BLS May 2024)
• Only 90 morticians employed statewide — a very small, concentrated market
• Location Quotient of 1.18 — slightly above-average job density despite small size
• P25 is $60,830 — even entry-level Delaware morticians earn above the national median
• The premium is real but the market is tiny: 90 jobs means very few openings per year

Delaware Mortician Salary: Full Data

Source: BLS OEWS May 2024

One notable detail: Delaware’s mean ($76,630) is lower than its median ($80,290). This is unusual — normally the mean is higher because high earners pull it up. In Delaware’s case, it suggests the salary distribution is relatively compressed, with fewer extreme outliers at the top end. Most morticians in Delaware earn close to the median.

5 Reasons Delaware Pays Morticians So Much

1. Small market, high barriers to entry

With only 90 employed morticians in the state, Delaware’s funeral service market is extremely concentrated. A small number of funeral homes serve the entire state. When a position opens, there are fewer qualified candidates to fill it — which gives licensed morticians more negotiating leverage.

In large markets like California (2,670 morticians) or Texas (1,530), there’s always another licensed candidate available. In Delaware, employers compete harder for a smaller talent pool.

2. Delaware’s cost of living and wage structure

Delaware has a higher cost of living than most Midwestern states, though lower than neighboring New Jersey or New York. The state’s wage structure across many occupations reflects this — Delaware consistently ranks in the top tier for wages in personal care and service occupations, not just funeral service.

Delaware also has no sales tax, which effectively increases purchasing power beyond what the nominal salary suggests.

3. Proximity to the Philadelphia and Baltimore metro areas

Delaware sits between two major metro areas — Philadelphia (PA) and Baltimore (MD). Morticians in Delaware can serve families from these markets, and the competitive pressure from neighboring high-wage markets (Pennsylvania median: $55,940; Maryland median: $46,080) pulls Delaware wages upward.

Funeral homes near Wilmington, Delaware’s largest city, compete with Philadelphia-area employers for licensed staff — which supports above-market wages.

4. Corporate funeral home presence

Delaware’s small size and proximity to major corporate headquarters (many Fortune 500 companies are incorporated in Delaware) means the state has a higher-than-average presence of professionally managed, corporate-owned funeral homes. Corporate operators (Service Corporation International, Dignity Memorial) tend to pay more structured, above-market wages compared to small independent operators.

5. The small-market premium

This is the most important factor. In small markets with few employers and few qualified workers, wages tend to be higher because:

• Employers can’t easily replace a licensed mortician who leaves
• The cost of a position being unfilled (missed cases, family service failures) is high
• There’s no large pool of recent graduates competing for the same jobs

Iowa ($63,770 median, 560 jobs) and North Dakota ($76,720 median, 100 jobs) show the same pattern — small, concentrated markets with above-average pay.

Is Delaware Worth Relocating To?

The case for relocating

• $80,290 median is $30,490/year more than the national median
• P25 of $60,830 means even entry-level positions pay above the national median
• No sales tax increases real purchasing power
• Small market means less competition for openings

The case against

• Only 90 jobs statewide — openings are rare. If you’re not already employed there, getting in is difficult
• Small market also means fewer employers to switch to if your current job isn’t working out
• Cost of living is higher than Midwestern states where pay is also strong (Iowa, North Dakota)
• Geographic constraints — Delaware is a small state with limited housing options at different price points

The honest assessment

Delaware is an excellent place to be a mortician if you already have a job there. Getting your first position in Delaware is harder than in Ohio or Iowa, where there are 10–17x more jobs. For new graduates, targeting a larger high-paying market (New York, Minnesota, Iowa) and building experience before pursuing Delaware is often more practical.

Delaware vs. Other High-Paying States

For most people, Iowa offers the best combination of high pay, high job density, and practical access. Delaware’s pay is higher, but the market is so small that it’s not a realistic target for most job seekers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Delaware pay morticians so much more than neighboring states?

Delaware’s premium comes from a combination of small market size (90 jobs = high employer competition for talent), proximity to Philadelphia and Baltimore metro wages, corporate funeral home presence, and Delaware’s generally higher wage structure across service occupations.

Is the Delaware mortician salary sustainable?

Yes — the BLS data is from employer payroll surveys, not self-reported data. The $80,290 median reflects what employers are actually paying. The small market size means this premium is structural, not a data anomaly.

How do I get a mortician job in Delaware?

With only 90 positions statewide, openings are rare. The most practical path: get licensed and build 2–3 years of experience in a larger market (Pennsylvania, Maryland, New York), then target Delaware when a position opens. Networking with Delaware funeral home owners is more effective than job boards in a market this small.

What’s the cost of living in Delaware?

Delaware’s cost of living index is approximately 103–108 (national average = 100), depending on the area. Wilmington is higher; rural Delaware is closer to average. The $80,290 median provides strong purchasing power even after adjusting for cost of living — significantly better than California ($47,170 median, COL index ~150+).

Considering Delaware or a High-Paying State?

The Mortician Salary Toolkit has the full 50-state comparison — every percentile, COL-adjusted real purchasing power, and a state comparison template to run the numbers on any relocation decision.

If you’re weighing Delaware vs. Iowa vs. North Dakota, the toolkit’s state comparison report gives you a structured framework with pre-filled examples and a break-even calculator. See what’s included →

Data Source

All figures from BLS OEWS May 2024, SOC 39-4031. Delaware’s small sample size (90 employed) means estimates have higher relative standard error than larger states — but the premium over the national median is consistent across multiple BLS release years.

→ See also: Mortician Salary by State (All 50) | States With the Most Mortician Jobs | Mortician Salary vs Cost of Living | Mortician Salary in California