Death Doula Salary: Can you make a living as a death doula?

Wondering what a death doula actually earns?

If you’re drawn to the idea of becoming a death doula and holding space at the end of life for individuals and their loved ones, you might find yourself wondering: Can I actually make a living as an end of life doula? What is the average death doula salary?

It’s a fair question – and it’s important to have a realistic perspective when launching a new end of life business. As a death doula you will be doing sacred, emotional, and often intense work. This is also a field that’s still finding its footing when it comes to money, structure, and sustainability.

Let’s break it down. We’ll talk about how much death doulas typically earn, what affects that number, and what it really takes to build a livable, long-term career in this work.

QUICK ANSWER: In short, yes – you can make a living as an end-of-life doula. Death doula hourly rates typically range from $25 – $100 / hour depending on location, services offered, years of experience and expertise. Can you build a thriving end-of-life services business? Yes, absolutely. Six figures or above? That’s going to take some time and serious dedication!

Is being a death doula a job, or a calling?

It can be both! For many, end-of-life work is a calling, more than a just a job or profession. Many of the new death doulas I hear from are entering this as a 2nd career. Some have retired from their original professions, and see this as a passion project with a new role for the next few decades. For them, their eventual death doula salary isn’t the priority. Above all, they want to serve their community.

I would suggest that this question doesn’t need to be an either/or scenario. Given the nature of death work it is absolutely a calling – but it can also be your job – and you can be paid well for your services! Unless you are independently wealthy or retired with a great pension, charging a fair fee for your death doula services is what makes your calling sustainable as a profession.

Salary & cost lessons learned from the birth & postpartum industry

I have been in the doula world for almost 35 years now – starting out as a birth doula in 1991 when the profession was just starting. I’ve seen HUGE changes in doula salaries and expectations over the years. Ten to fifteen years ago many offered their services by donation, or for a fee of $300 – $750. Often, we saw doulas hesitating to charge more, and struggling to find the doula fee that felt equitable between their sense of calling and duty to supporting families, and the long hours they were putting in. The result? many skilled doulas burned out too quickly without sufficient compensation to match their efforts.

Today you will find birth doulas confidently charging anywhere from $750 to $5000+ depending on their region, level of experience, and packages. There are now countless doulas who have thriving businesses earning a fair salary in exchange for the care and expertise they offer. In fact, the industry for birth and postpartum care is projected to increase from US$22.3 billion in 2023 to US$36.29 billion by the conclusion of 2030.

We’re just in the first 20-25 years of the death doula industry now, and much like those early years of birth doula services, death doulas are still getting established as a profession. The salaries and standard end of life doula rates we’re seeing now are likely to change considerably over the next decade.

So, what is the average death doula salary?

There’s no single answer here. The field isn’t regulated, which means there’s no standard pay scale. Rates and income vary based on location, services, and experience. But here are some general ranges:

• Hourly rates: Most death doulas charge anywhere from $25 to $125 per hour. In bigger cities or for more experienced death doulas, rates can go higher for some services.
• Flat fees: Some doulas offer packages—like $500 for advance care planning or $2,000 – $5.000 for full end-of-life support (which might include several weeks of availability and vigil time).
• Sliding scale: Many doulas offer reduced fees or community-based pricing to make care accessible, which can lower income potential but increase reach.

Based on those numbers, you might expect a death doula salary of $10,000 to $70,000+ / year. That’s a big range! Being a full-time, financially stable death doula usually takes intentional planning and creative business skills. T

The average death doula salary can vary based on:

Your location: Urban areas with a more established death services industry and higher average salaries will allow for higher rates. Big cities usually have a higher cost of living—and people there are often more familiar with alternative support roles, which can translate to higher rates and more demand. That said, death touches every community. Rural areas may offer fewer clients, but less competition.

End-of-life services offered: If you diversify your death doula business with packages and complementary services, you can move beyond a salary based just on the hourly care model. Offering a range of services (like legacy projects, advance care planning, spiritual support, family coaching, and grief circles) can increase your value and attract more clients. Some doulas also offer public education, consulting, or training new end of life professionals.

Experience level: Death doulas with years of experience, advanced training, and complementary certifications will have a stronger foundation from which to build their death doula salary.

Your visibility: Let’s be real—being a good death doula is one thing. Getting found is another. End-of-life-doulas who invest time in building a website and their search engine optimization, networking with local hospice teams, and showing up on social media will clients faster than those who rely on word of mouth alone.

Volume of clients: This is partly shaped by your location, but mostly by your marketing and outreach! Simply put, more clients = a higher salary! Having a website that performs well in search results will go a long way to bringing in more clients. Strong word of mouth, and referral sources are also key to your success.

Part-time vs full-time death doula work: Some death doulas treat their work like a side gig, others like a ministry, and some like a full-blown business. If your goal is to earn a livable wage, you’ll need to treat it like a business—complete with systems, pricing plans, marketing, and boundaries. Many death doulas work on sliding scales or pro bono, so steady income requires business smarts and boundary-setting to balance those lower-cost or free services.

You can, of course, be a part-time death doula along with your regular job and/or enjoying your semi-retirement, but remember that when we are able to fully invest in a business, we see faster & better results.

Can you actually make a living as a death doula?

Yes—but not overnight, and not without intention.

I had a conversation with a death doula web design client recently in which she shared that now, after 2 years with her website live, things are finally really starting to pick up. She offers her death doula and end-of-life services as a part-time role in addition to her regular job. Keep in mind that she is a highly skilled professional in the death services field, with years of experience. That may be discouraging to hear, but I want you to be realistic as you enter this field. As she said, “We don’t enter this field for the money…“

Ways to raise your death doula income:

Here’s what full-time death doulas with a good salary often have in common:

• Multiple income streams. Many end of life doulas will supplement their income one-on-one client work with workshops, courses, speaking, or writing.
• Strong boundaries. Holding space for death is emotionally demanding. Sustainable doulas build time for rest, supervision, and community care into their business model.
• Define a clear niche. Instead of trying to serve everyone, successful doulas often define a specialty area—like working with LGBTQ+ families, terminal illness, dementia care, or cultural rituals around death. When we are specific in how we work, and who we work with, it makes it much easier for the right clients to find us. Take this website as an example! A 100% focus on end of life professionals!
• Marketing skills. You don’t have to be a salesperson, but you do have to talk about your work. Death doulas who thrive long-term usually learn how to explain what they do clearly, compassionately, and confidently.

Can the death doula cost be covered by insurance?

While there is no insurance coverage at this time for death doula services, that could change in the years to come. Most of the time, the client or their family hires the end-of-life doula directly, so it’s up to you as a death services professional to set your own fees. As the death services industry evolves, we are likely to start seeing more hospice and palliative care groups bringing death doulas into their teams. One death doula client even recently took down her website as she has been hired full-time by the local hospice center!

The bottom line…

Being a death doula is meaningful, needed work. But it’s not a guaranteed paycheck. If you’re asking, Can I make a living doing this? The honest answer is: yes, with the right mix of heart and hustle. You can’t just sit back and expect to have a thriving business.

Start small. Build slowly. Know your worth. And if this work is your calling, don’t give up just because it’s hard to price or sell your services. People do make it work—and with intention, clarity, and support, you can too in a way that feels authentic and true to your values.

Stay connected. Listen to podcasts about end of life work & death doula business. Network and build friendships with other local practitioners. This work can be emotionally challenging, and having a community of support makes a big difference. Find ways to grow your skills with continuing education workshops and trainings.

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Thinking about becoming a death doula or building your practice? I can help with branding, websites, and search engine optimization for more visibility online – so more people can find and hire you. Let’s make sure your calling comes with a death doula salary you can live on so you can do this important work for years to come.