Wouldn't it be nice to know other salaries, all you need send is something similar to the examples below in your return e-mail
Small Town in Ohio EMPLOYEE FD & Emb 10 years licensed 120 cases a year 48K company car and paid two weeks vacation and free health insurance my duties are telephone coverage24/6 all arrangements & pre needs, all embalmings, all funerals most removals.
Small City in Michigan OWNER FD & Emb 20 years licensed 150 cases a year 150K company car and paid two weeks vacation and free health insurance my duties are telephone coverage 8-4/5 Receive all arrangements & pre needs, all embalmings, all funerals and most removals.
Large City in Georgia EMPLOYEE UNLICENSED MANAGER 350 cases a year 65K company car and paid two weeks vacation and free health insurance my duties are Greeting and receiving all families during the week, no telephone coverage, no arrangements no pre needs, no embalmings, most funerals no removals.
Small Town in Your State EMPLOYEE Apprentice 5 years 150 cases a year $10. per hour no time clock we arm wrestle a lot on how many hours I get paid for, no company car and no vacation and no health insurance my duties are telephone coverage every day in the building. All embalmings, all funerals and all removals.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 7:25:15 AM, Canadian Employee writes:
City of Toronto, Ontario Canada 2nd yr license, 1200 cases per year, 32k, 2 weeks paid vacation, health insurance paid for, clothing allowance 200.00 per year, percentage of flowers sold, percentage of vaults sold, see on average 4-5 families per week, occasional removal (we have 3 students)
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In a message dated 2/26/02 9:21:32 AM, Employee New York writes:
Mid Size City in New York Employee Manager 215 Cases per year, 69K last year, Company Car, Company Credit Card, all legitimate expenses (clothing, meals, products personal cellphone) 2 weeks vacation, health insurance, continuing education, annual convention travel food and lodging, my duties are traffic management of cases and personnel and procurment of product, Greeting and receiving all families during the week, daytime telephone coverage, no arrangements, no pre needs, no embalming, most funerals no removals, I love my job and my employees, the more we make families happy the more families we serve, the better salary and benefits we can offer, nobody quits here, it's fun to come to work where everyone wants to engage in better service to our families.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 11:46:24 AM, Arizona Employee writes:
Large city in Arizona, management, 36k, manager's apartment, co. car. Health ins & dental. All arrangements, most services, some embalming, 300 cases annually. No retirement plan.on call 24-7.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 5:16:27 PM, Kentucky Employee writes:
Mid sized town, upper south, embalming/shipping service manager (owner unlicensed), 7 yrs. experience, 750 calls, 34K, insurance paid, 2 weeks vac., small retirement pkg., company paid cell phone and gas card, work every other day and every other weekend (scheduled-actually there 6 days/wk, nobody else to do paperwork!)
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In a message dated 2/26/02 5:55:05 PM, Florida Employee writes:
Mid-Size town in Florida, EMPLOYEE, FD & Emb. 35 years licensed, 30 years at family owned firm. aprox. 275 cases between two locations with aprox. a 65% cremation rate. 36K, three weeks paid vacation, free health insurance, company car when on duty. No removals. Duties are, most arrangements, most embalming.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 6:06:22 PM, Tennessee Employee writes:
Medium size city in Tennessee, employee, licenced FD for 23 years, (large corp), 1100 cases per year, $41,000., health, dental and vision coverage, 401K, company stock, four weeks paid vacation, eight paid holidays, 30 sick days, short and long term disability, 8-5/5, work every other weekend, on call two nights every other week, no death calls, no removals, no embalming, no arrangements, only directs funerals 1-4 per day.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 6:09:51 PM, Florida Employee writes:
Florida Funeral Director chapel manager with over 25 years management experience new with this firm/company, $38K, company car, health(80%), Dental(80%), eyeglasses(80%),401K, 1 1/2 weeks vacation plus 8 personal days, clothing allowance(2 suits per year) overtime after 40 hours, on call every other weekend and approximately 1 night per week.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 6:13:31 PM, Wisconsin Employee writes:
City of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; 23-year licensed funeral director/office manager; 49K; three weeks vacation, full health and dental insurance; 10k life insurance policy, 401K plan with company matching up to 3% of salary; profit sharing; no car or clothing allowance. Duties: arrangements, visitations and funerals, overseeing two secretaries in the office and accounts receivables.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 8:30:25 PM, Connecticut Owner writes:
John I am surprize to see no owners salaries, here is the "GOOD NEWS" about hands on ownership.
Small City in Connecticut OWNER Funeral Director & Embalmer, 30 years licensed, 260 cases a year, $300K salary & bonus, company car and two weeks vacation (or my wife will go with out me) besides the health insurance is provided by my school teacher wife's city school department, my duties are telephone coverage 24/7 on the third ring, ( the office manager usually gets it on the second ring during the day and I get the phones every night) 90% arrangements & pre needs, a very few embalmings, 90% funerals and few removals (I miss the removals the most "the good old days") I could get more help, but I love what I am doing, I was an employee until 1987 when I was able to get this funeral home I worked the extra hours to save money and make my payments and I have enjoyed building it up, the mortgage was paid off early in 2000, I am proud of what I did and I encourage all who can to become an owner, the rewards are all yours, I hope more owners respond.
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In a message dated 2/26/02 9:15:29 PM, Oklahoma Employee writes:
Large town in Oklahoma 33k, company car and gas, 2 weeks paid vacation, full health benefits, bonus' for flowers and package funeral sales, and yearly bonus.
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In a message dated 2/27/02 1:00:25 PM, New Jersey Employee writes:
I am 1 of a staff of 8 Full time directors 4 locations 475 calls. Steady week day off and every other weekend. work 2 evenings per week. embalm, direct, arrange. 45,000.00 O.T. Included. 15% into a retirement plan. I wave Health benefits and get an extra 3,000.00 at the end of the year. bonus runs from 5% up to 15%.
My Total package is worth $60,000.00 per year.
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In a message dated 2/27/02 5:17:58 PM, Employee writes:
Owners son in no state please. We do 270 a year, my dad pays me 38K, I get a car and a bonus of 1k at christmas. I do removals, embalmings, funerals and arrangements I know it's not much money for the hours I put in but he promices "some day this will be all yours" my mom died six years ago, now he is engaged to a woman my age 38, I have nothing on paper I will be seeing a lawyer soon to find out my rights, the fiance' has already told me in private she wants her kid to take over and he is a fork lift operator in a warehouse, I got a bad feeling, my dad does not believe the story and she denies saying such a thing, I should have had everything in writting a long time ago. It's my problem and I know it, I write you because I think a lot of people read your newsletter, don't be dumb like me. Bring your dad this letter and ask him to do the right thing!
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In a message dated 2/27/02 7:19:34 PM, Texas Employee writes:
Texas Mid. sized town, South-Central Texas, Funeral Director/Embalmer, 5 yrs. experience, 150 calls, 44K insurance paid, 2 weeks vac., small retirement pkg., company paid cell phone and gas card, work every day and every other weekend.
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In a message dated 2/27/02 10:34:30 PM, Illinois Employee writes:
I am a 1 year licensed individual in a local black independent non-union firm in Chicago. The benefits are a 401-K plan Life, Dental and Medical insurance after 90 days of service. Last year I received a salary of approx. 45,000.00 and I dont Embalm however we averege about 1000 calls. I love to make removels arrange and direct. I know that I'am in a great potiotion right now. The bad thing is that there are about 12 other licensed individuallys employeed.
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In a message dated 2/27/02 10:54:11 PM, Michigan Employee writes:
Funeral director/manager in Michigan midsize. Licensed 18 years. Work for family owned. aprox 260 funeral for two places. On call for two funeral homes everyother weekend with no other help for the most part. Been there 15 years, free health, no car, gas card, cell phone, clothing. Make a lot of removals, do most embalming all the arrangements or most the arrangements at the place that I manage. On call 4 days a week everyother week 6 days 24 hours. Made 74,000, profit sharing around 8,000 but 5 years not a cent put into. The two owners put 50k each in there pockets for five years in a roll. For the most part the pay is good, if I did not do the work of three.
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In a message dated 2/28/02 7:07:26 PM, Maryland Employee writes:
Receptionist $11. per hour no other benefits, except great bonus every holiday. I work mothers hours, I stay home when my kids are off school sick or holiday and the boss pays me for all the days I am out. Dutys are answering the telephone and door bell and paperwork at my own pace, I have my own office, I have not worked in the funeral field before I enjoy it very much and the Funeral Home did 190 funerals last year. The people I work with make all the difference, every day flys by and I look forward to going to my job, its fun. They have offered me more hours and I will take them when my kids get older.
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In a message dated 2/28/02 8:58:34 PM, Texas Employee writes:
$9. Intern, working for Independent funeral home, he pays me straight time to work inside the funeral home during visiting hours and running errands, but for the professional work removals, funerals he pays the same rate licensed people get, the embalmer has big elbows and I am finding it hard to get experience in the prep room, but the boss likes me I am confident I will get more experience in the embalming room, before I go to school. The boss said he will pay for school as long as I promise to work with him for my first five years of my licensing, I will probably take his offer, school is expensive. I get to take a company car any time I need one, they gave me a cell phone and last month it had 500 calls on it, the bookkeeper called me in to her office and then she told the boss, he said It was nice to keep in touch with my friends and I should do what I could do to keep the call volume down. I like the work and the people I work with, it's my real first job, I learn at my own pace, they don't push me, my biggest surprise is how respectful we have to be while in the presence of remains. Even if things don't work out here for me, I would not hesitate to bring my family here.
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In a message dated 3/1/02 8:14:45 PM, Florida Employee writes:
21 years as a Licensed funeral director (female). I make $47,000.00 per year with benefits most paid by the company. I am a manager of a firm doing about 530 calls per year...I see families, run three funeral homes...no embalming, but cosmetics and I also do some cremations on my crematory operator"s day off. I also get 2 weeks paid vacation and voluntary 401K. PS_ Corporate
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In a message dated 3/2/02 11:00:44 PM, New York Owner writes " big dog salary in the big apple,NEW YORK , NEW YORK":
About $250.."G"s a year...I have 26 weeks vacation a year, most of the f.d.'s =$75.."G"s...plus a car plus goodies..health, commissions....20% 5 day week for them..plus ONE MONTH VACATION each FOR MY 5 LICENSED F. D'S. 24/7 for me when I work....turned down 10 million offer to sell.......it's a hobby not a job....just give SERVICE TO THE FAMILIES. AND U. TOO could enjoy the good life..............fishing in Alaska, Fla. in the winter, the adirondacks in the summer...............**please no e- mail name ... don't want to upset the poor corp. boys. Or the "jerks" that sold their funeral homes out from under their employees or families..............
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In a message dated 3/3/02 4:43:37 PM, Small Town President writes:
Small town independantly owned family busines approximately 135 calls/year. President of firm, annual salary 78k three weeks vacation, company care, credit card, clothing allowance, big bonus at christmas and end of fiscal year (approx 80k).
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In a message dated 3/3/02 6:06:18 PM, Kansas Employee writes:
Duel licenses for 15 years at a funeral home in a small town in Kansas, doing 130 calls per year.
$48,000 in salary, $11,000 per year in profit sharing and retirement - (paid solely by owner no employee contributions). Major Medical Insurance. $25,000 in life insurance. $2,000 Christmas bonus. No overtime. Entire compensation package in the area of $61,000.
Duties performed: removals, embalming, arrangements, funerals, accounts receivables, product purchasing, computer programming, office work, answer phones at night. On call during week nights. Work every other weekend. Off on Monday if you worked the weekend. One three day weekend every month. Two weeks paid vacation. Every other holiday off.
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In a message dated 3/3/02 7:02:05 PM, Mississipi Employee writes:
HELLO; I AM A LONG TIME FUNERAL VETERAN, HAVING RECEIVED MY LICENSE IN 1966 IN MISSISSIPI. I WORK FOR ONE OF THE LARGE CORPORATIONS AND I THINK I AM SUFFERING FROM BURNOUT. ALL I HEAR IS THE BOTTOM LINE. SERVICE IS OUT THE WINDOW. ANY OTHER OLD GUYS OUT THERE?
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In a message dated 3/3/02 9:56:11 PM, PENNSYLVANIA INTERN writes:
I am going to enter an internship in PA soon....So far my offers have been 24000/yr with no med, or dental. The perks have been large apts above funeral homes, free of charge of course. The drawbacks are the on call schuedule, mpst have been everyother night/weekend.
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In a message dated 3/3/02 10:33:36 PM, California Owner writes:
Thanks to this article, on Friday went to a lawyer, taking the first step in succession planning my son is very dedicated and I have been putting it off to get our agreement in place, to that funeral director who seems to have been cheated out of his family funeral home, I want him to know, his letter did some good, thank you.
As for my wages we do 125 funerals last year most of which are full service, I have a company car and all the expenses the accountant will allow, even golf club membership is written off. Wages are $170,000. As one has already said Ownership is the most rewarding financially.
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In a message dated 3/5/02 7:57:38 PM, California Employee writes: California Female 2 year Licenced FD & Embalmer in Suburb of Large City. Average 160 calls a year, 24K. I do removals, embalmings, direct and arrange. I also clean facility, answer phones, process statistical data reports. On call every other week. Medical and Dantal; 401K, lower rent on company home ($530 for a two bed/two bath) Hope this helps.
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In a message dated 3/5/02 8:44:51 PM, Mississippi Employee writes: Funeral Director and Embalmer in Large Town. He does around 180 calls a year, I make $22,000. last year, I do almost all the removals, embalmings, and calling hours, I live in an apartment over the gararge, I love my job and I work every day, I am alwasy around the boss needs me there since he has a vacation home one hundred miles away, there are no other jobs that offer housing and I can use the van any time I need to and the boss gave me this old computer and I can use american online too.
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In a message dated 3/8/02 7:52:22 PM, New York Employee writes: I am a 1 Year Licensed F.D making $35,000 yr plus ot. I get free housing, use of car, cell, pager. I work 5 days a week every other weekend off. We do 150 calls a year with 2 Licenses. I do 95% of the removals and embalming and about 25% of the arrangments. Did i mention i'm Corporate
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In a message dated 3/10/02 12:21:58 PM, California Employee writes:
Licensed funeral director/embalmer for 8 years in Los Angeles. I work for a family owed business doing around 350 calls a year. About 40% cremation. Have titles of Supervising embalmer, and I train apprentices, and Asst. Manager. Duties include:
Embalming/quality control, arrangements, funerals, cleaning, car washing (yeah I do that) some computer managment, keeping forms printed and stocked " and anything else". Between 3 of us we rotate weekends and nights. No removals at night. I am able to have a somewhat flexible schedule. Health/dental paid, no retirement. Usually, but not always, holiday bonus. W-2 for last year was $42000. and I have a house I lived in at no cost to me but utilities. That is changing this month as I am moving into a duplex we purchased.
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In a message dated 3/10/02 12:26:00 PM, New York Owner writes:
Upstate NY-large Metro area-45 yrs. old 2nd generation owner. 80-90 high end quality calls- 2% cremation AFTER viewing & services. $ 65,000/yr. - full health,dental,retirement - new sedan every 3 years-new van every 2. 3 wks. pd. vacation/year. Independent & family owned.
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In a message dated 3/10/02 6:09:22 PM, an Oklahoma Employee writes:
John, I failed to respond on the salaries, been dual licensed since 1975 salary----42,000 house included, NEXT to funeral home with phones in house health insurance paid company removal van to drive all the time since I am on call all the time 1 suit per year 2 weeks vacation per year or when we can sneak away. My wife is a licensed FD and is paid 20,000 per year with the above benefits. Her and I run the place since the owner is trying to retire.
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In a message dated 3/14/02 12:35:52 PM, a California Owner writes:
John I am an officer in a closely held corporation (a private corporation, completely locally owned) Collectively we do 1600 cases a year, my gross salary is $104,000. also a quarterly of 25,000 and a lump some end of fiscal year profit based on yearly profits as high as $500,000. I see hundreds of families each year, I do not make arrangements I oversee three facilities and rotate overseeing the other facilities. We just received a new black STS, I have company credit card for expenses, clothes, travel, lodging and meals. After reading much of the other postings, I felt obligated to share my compensation package, as someone else wrote and I agree "ownership should be your goal" most of all I miss removals.
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In a message dated 3/16/02 7:54:18 PM, Tennessee Employee writes:
Larger Tennessee city, employed by independent doing just under 1,000 calls per year with two locations; dual-licensed 40+ years, do mostly embalming, some removals, some funerals, few arrangements. Paid 40 K last year, 50-75 hours per week, only half-time for any hours over 40 in a week; company-paid medical insurance, no dental, no life. Employer matches 50% on my 401 K contributions. One suit every 18 months. No car, no cell phone, no pager. No holidays. 2-wks. paid vacation.
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In a message dated 3/27/02 5:27:28 PM, Wisconsin Employee writes:
30 year old female, 3rd generation and part owner (small part) of a family owned funeral home with 5 staff members (3 licensed FD's) in Wisconsin, averaging 170 calls/year over the last 5 years, licensed 8 years. Duties include 1 week "on call" (answering phones after office hours, all removals, embalmings, all pre-need and at-need arrangements, sitting all visitations, conducting all funerals), 1 week on back-up (help with all funerals and help out in the embalming room) and 1 week off-call (am still expected in the office from 8-5, M-F), take care of all accounts receivable and payable, service and merchandise pricing, $45,500 with possibility of $5,000 bonus, depending on year end cash flow, company paid profit-sharing, 21 days vacation/personal days, paid sick-leave, health insurance only, suits, and service club dues.
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Consider these steps for your life.
1. Work like you don't need the money.
2. Love like you've never been hurt.
3. Dance like you do when nobody's watching.
C YA
John
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