Coroners
What they do
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.
Expected pay range
Expected pay range
This represents the median earnings for this career in the selected county or state. In the range shown, 25% of workers earned less than the bottom salary and 25% earned more than the top salary. Data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
About coroners
Other titles
Coroner, Coroner Investigator, County Coroner, County Medical Examiner, Deputy Coroner, District Medical Examiner, Medical Examiner, Medical Legal Investigator (MLI), Medicolegal Death Investigator
Tasks they perform
- 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.
- Inquire into the cause, manner, and circumstances of human deaths and establish the identities of deceased persons.
- Complete death certificates, including the assignment of cause and manner of death.
Skills they need
- Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- 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.
- Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- 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.
- Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Licenses and Certifications
How to decide which one is right? That depends on an individual’s career path, specialty, and resources.
Certifications
Certifications may be available for this career and can help build knowledge and skills in specific job roles. Explore available certifications (external link opens new tab)
Similar careers
View careers in the same field as coroners.
Compliance Officers
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Medical Records Specialists
Detectives and Criminal Investigators
Better pay
Median salary for this career is higher than the median salary of all careers in the county selected. Salary data is provided by the Texas Workforce Commission.
Additional career information and resources
Learn more about coroners with these helpful sites.
- American Academy of Forensic Sciences (external link opens new tab)
- American Board of Medicolegal Death Investigators (external link opens new tab)
- American Medical Association (external link opens new tab)
- American Society for Clinical Pathology (external link opens new tab)
- College of American Pathologists (external link opens new tab)
- International Association of Coroners and Medical Examiners (external link opens new tab)
- International Homicide Investigators Association (external link opens new tab)
- National Association of Medical Examiners (external link opens new tab)