Business Operations Specialists

How to become a Coroner

Official title: Coroners

Also called: Autopsy Facilities Manager, Coroner, County Coroner, Death Investigator, Forensic Pathologist, MDI (Medicolegal Death Investigator), Medical Examiner, Medical Legal Death Investigator, Medicolegal Investigator, MLI (Medical Legal Investigator)

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.

Main tasks

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.
Remove or supervise removal of bodies from death scenes, using the proper equipment and supplies, and arrange for transportation to morgues.
Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.
Observe, record, and preserve any objects or personal property related to deaths, including objects such as medication containers and suicide notes.

How to become one

Compliance officers typically need a bachelor's degree to enter the occupation. They often receive training on the job. Employers may prefer or require candidates to have experience related to the position.

Typical education to start: Bachelor's degree

Read the full guide from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Ways in

College: Science degrees, Offered by 36 universities in the US

Pay · Outlook · AI and this job

Median pay: $80,730 a year The middle half earn $61,280 to $109,010.
About 436,400 people work in this job now, and about 453,100 are projected by 2035. (+3.8%)
People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Questions people ask

How do I become a Coroner?

How much does a Coroner earn in the US?

Median full-time pay is $80,730 a year (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). The middle half earn $61,280 to $109,010.

Is a Coroner a growing career in the US?

Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4% by 2035, from about 436,400 to about 453,100 people (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Do you need a degree to become a Coroner?

Usually. 65% of people in this job hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

Will AI change the work of a Coroner?

People already use generative AI for some of this work. Microsoft Research rates its AI applicability as medium.

Sources

Microsoft Research: Working with AI: AI applicability by occupation (2025-12-22 (built on O*NET 29.0)), CC BY 4.0, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Employment Projections (2025-35 (released 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Outlook Handbook (2025-35 edition (published 2026-08-27)), Public domain (BLS); photographs excluded, retrieved 2026-10-03
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), Public domain (BLS), retrieved 2026-10-03

Updated 2026-10-03

This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.