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Business & Finance

Coroners

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.

Median salary (BLS)

$80,730

10th–90th percentile (BLS)

$48k – $134k

Job outlook

+3% (about average)

AI exposure

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports one wage for this occupational group, which covers 7 related roles — so read the median as an approximate group figure, and the range as the truer picture for this specific title. BLS source.

Early-career check: graduates of the matching programs below typically earn $112,000 ten years after starting college — an early-career figure, vs. the all-experience BLS median above. Source: U.S. Dept. of Education College Scorecard.

Plan a path to Coroners

Qualification costsStack incomeBest cities/statesSchool ROIJob-posting fitTailored resume

Education

Typical entry: Associate degree

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How to qualify

Estimate

Cost to qualify

$8,500–$25,000

Time to qualify

2.5 yr

Renewal

—

  1. 1

    Associate degree (community college)

    Degree

    Two years at in-district rates — average published tuition & fees ≈ $4,050/yr, plus ~$1,200/yr books & supplies.

    $8,000–$22,000 · 2 years source

  2. 2

    Industry certification (optional for many roles)

    Certification

    Role-dependent — e.g. CPA, Series 7/65, PMP, SHRM. Not always required, but often expected for advancement.

    $500–$3,000 · 6 months source

Estimated typical U.S. route for "Coroners" — built from BLS education requirements and College Board 2024–25 average published prices (public, in-state tuition + fees + books). Not yet verified against a specific state's licensing rules — confirm with your state licensing board or program.

Typical progression

  1. Junior Coroners

    Entry / Junior

    $48,220

    ~2 yrs to advance

  2. Coroners

    Established

    $80,730

    ~3 yrs to advance

  3. Senior Coroners

    Senior

    $107,225

Key skills

A typical day

  • •Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
  • •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.
  • •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.
  • •Provide information concerning the circumstances of death to relatives of the deceased.

Fields of study

Any field

Top colleges for Business & Finance

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Reputation-based selection; stats shown are outcome data per school.