Coroners

Government and Public AdministrationO*NET 13-1041.06United States

Direct activities such as autopsies, pathological and toxicological analyses, and inquests relating to the investigation of deaths occurring within a legal jurisdiction to determine cause of death or to fix responsibility for accidental, violent, or unexplained deaths.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $80,590
Projected change: +6.7%
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Employment: 435.38K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What coroners do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Perform medicolegal examinations and autopsies, conducting preliminary examinations of the body to identify victims, locate signs of trauma, and identify factors that would indicate time of death.
Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
Interview persons present at death scenes to obtain information useful in determining the manner of death.
Observe and record the positions and conditions of bodies and related evidence.
Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.
Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.
Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.
Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.
Complete reports and forms required to finalize cases.
Collect and document any pertinent medical history information.
Locate and document information regarding the next of kin, including their relationship to the deceased and the status of notification attempts.
Arrange for the next of kin to be notified of deaths.
Inventory personal effects recovered from bodies, such as jewelry or wallets.
Direct activities of workers conducting autopsies, performing pathological and toxicological analyses, and preparing documents for permanent records.
Coordinate the release of personal effects to authorized persons and facilitate the disposition of unclaimed corpses and personal effects.
Witness and certify deaths that are the result of a judicial order.
Testify at inquests, hearings, and court trials.
Confer with officials of public health and law enforcement agencies to coordinate interdepartmental activities.
Collect wills, burial instructions, and other documentation needed for investigations and for handling of the remains.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $48,005
25th percentile: $61,129
50th percentile: $80,590
75th percentile: $109,168
90th percentile: $134,126

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $80,590 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6.7%faster than average

2025435,376 jobs

2035 projected464,669 jobs

29,293 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree: 50%
Associate degree: 15%
High school diploma or less: 10%
Some college: 10%
Master's or Professional degree: 10%
Certificate: 5%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Law Enforcement
Death Investigations
Forensic Pathology
Medical Records
Anatomy
Data Entry
Forensic Sciences
Medical Terminology
Chain Of Custody
Biology
Pathology
Office Equipment
Toxicology
Medical History Documentation
Lifting Ability
Physiology
Cremation
Death Certificates
Photography
Emergency Medical Services

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Science: Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Medicolegal Death Investigators115 postings
02Medical Examiners110 postings
03Deputy Coroners73 postings
04Medical Examiner Investigators70 postings
05Land Law Examiners51 postings
06Deputy Medical Examiners49 postings
07Forensic Pathologists41 postings
08Paramedical Examiners41 postings
09Examiners38 postings
10Crime Scene Cleanup Technicians32 postings
11Death Investigators30 postings
12Forensic Investigators24 postings
13Office Assistants24 postings
14Investigators21 postings
15Mobile Examiners20 postings
16Field Investigators19 postings
17Autopsy Technicians17 postings
18Correctional Clinical Associates17 postings
19Autopsy Assistants15 postings
20Sheriff's Deputies14 postings

Top employers

01Valor Technical Cleaning49 postings
02Remnant32 postings
03Kern County29 postings
04Anoka County21 postings
05State of Utah20 postings
06Apps Paramedical Services19 postings
07The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston18 postings
08Tarrant County17 postings
09Fort Bend County15 postings
10Neo Medical Services14 postings
11San Bernardino County14 postings
12Brown County13 postings
13County Of Riverside13 postings
14Apps/Portamedic12 postings
15iRecruitMD12 postings
16Commonwealth Of Virginia11 postings
17New York City11 postings
18Advanced Ag10 postings
19Maricopa County10 postings
20Rasmussen College10 postings

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