Funeral Attendants
Machines can already do 21% of this job's tasks. By 2035 that rises to 53%. The job changes before it disappears.
Share of the work machines can do
Worldwide baseline, 2026 to 2050
Funeral Attendants in 2026: the short answer
- Today: machines can do 21% of this job's tasks, and AI use is already seen in 0% of them.
- Forecast: machines can do half of its tasks by 2034, and 53% by 2035, according to the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit.
- Size: 31,090 people do this job in the United States, on a median pay of $35,680 a year.
- Contact with people: it scores 75% for contact with people.
- Also called: Funeral Assistant, Funeral Associate, Funeral Attendant, Funeral Director.
Updated by the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit. These are worldwide baseline figures; the Workforce Starburst shows them for your country. Go deeper: How ready am I? or an executive briefing.
How the work changes, task by task
The tasks that take up most of the day, with the share of each that machines can do in 2026 (dark) and 2035 (pink). Worldwide baseline.
| Task | Share of the day | Machines can do | 2026 to 2035 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perform a variety of tasks during funerals to assist funeral directors and to ensure that services run smoothly and as planned | 13% | 3% to 30% | |
| Clean and drive funeral vehicles, such as cars or hearses, in funeral processions | 9% | 30% to 75% | |
| Clean funeral parlors or chapels | 8% | 3% to 30% | |
| Perform general maintenance tasks for funeral homes, such as maintaining equipment or caring for funeral grounds | 8% | 20% to 60% | |
| Greet people at the funeral home | 6% | 10% to 32% | |
| Direct or escort mourners to parlors or chapels in which wakes or funerals are being held | 6% | 22% to 52% | |
| Transport the deceased to the funeral home | 6% | 20% to 60% | |
| Arrange floral offerings or lights around caskets | 5% | 20% to 60% |
The skills this job runs on
The skills funeral attendants use most, most used first.
Safer jobs nearby
Jobs with a similar skill shape where machines can do less of the work by 2035.
- Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $55,010
- School Bus Monitors49% of tasks by 2035 · US median $35,100
- Psychiatric Aides44% of tasks by 2035 · US median $44,910
- Veterinary Assistants and Laboratory Animal Caretakers52% of tasks by 2035 · US median $38,150
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Questions
When will machines do half of the tasks of Funeral Attendants?
Machines can do half of its tasks by 2034. That is the worldwide baseline from the 311 Workforce Starburst, before adjusting for country.
Will AI take the job of funeral attendants?
Machines can do 21% of the tasks of funeral attendants today and 53% by 2035. The job changes before it disappears: the routine tasks move first.
Sources and citing
Tasks and their share of the day: O*NET 31.0, occupation 39-4021.00 (US Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0). Pay and jobs: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. AI use today: Anthropic Economic Index (CC BY). Scoring and forecast: the 311 Strategic Intelligence Unit; after 2035 the figures extend each trend, with lower confidence. Foresight, not advice.
Cite as: 311 Institute (2026). Funeral Attendants: the outlook to 2050. 311 Workforce Starburst. https://www.311institute.com/jobs/funeral-attendants/