Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Degree
Students study embalming techniques, funeral service management, grief counseling, and the legal and ethical aspects of caring for the deceased and their families. Graduates typically pursue careers as funeral directors, embalmers, and mortuary managers at funeral homes and cremation services. This specialized profession offers stable employment with the opportunity to provide meaningful support during families' most difficult moments.
What Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Graduates Do
Your work in funeral service will center on providing comfort and structure during a family’s most difficult moments. As a funeral arranger or mortician, you'll be the primary point of contact, sitting with grieving families to plan every detail of a service, from writing obituaries to coordinating logistics. Alternatively, you might focus on the technical, hands-on work of an embalmer, using your knowledge of anatomy and chemistry to prepare the deceased for viewing, or as a crematory operator managing the process with dignity and precision.
Most careers begin with an apprenticeship, leading to licensure as a funeral director or embalmer. With experience, you can advance to a funeral home manager role, overseeing all business operations from staffing to finances—a path with steady growth. The core of this profession is highly resistant to automation. AI cannot replicate the empathy needed to guide a family through loss or the delicate, physical work of an embalmer. While management roles will use AI to streamline administrative tasks, the fundamental, human-centric nature of these jobs remains secure, making this a stable career choice.
Common Career Paths
Where Funeral Service and Mortuary Science graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 7,000 combined openings per year.
| Career Path | Salary Range | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral home managers | 2,600 | +4.1% | 43% | |
| Embalmers | 600 | +1.3% | 4% | |
| Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers | 3,200 | +3.1% | 16% | |
| Crematory operators | 600 | +3.3% | 4% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).
Best Schools for Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
6 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.
| # | School | DW Score | Earnings | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, MN |
53 53–53 |
$60,367/yr | 9.6x |
| 2 | University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, OK |
46 47–46 |
$45,804/yr | 13.8x |
| 3 | Wayne State University Detroit, MI |
43 43–43 |
$52,829/yr | 8.2x |
| 4 | Mid-America College of Funeral Service Jeffersonville, IN |
42 42–42 |
$56,427/yr | 6.1x |
| 5 | Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science Cincinnati, OH |
36 38–36 |
$44,110/yr | — |
| 6 | Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, IL |
34 41–35 |
$33,688/yr | 9.9x |
Highest Earning Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Programs
Schools where Funeral Service and Mortuary Science graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | $60,367/yr | 53 |
| Mid-America College of Funeral Service | $56,427/yr | 42 |
| Wayne State University | $52,829/yr | 43 |
| University of Central Oklahoma | $45,804/yr | 46 |
| Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science | $44,110/yr | 36 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | $33,688/yr | 34 |
Best ROI for Funeral Service and Mortuary Science
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Funeral Service and Mortuary Science.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | DW Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Central Oklahoma | 13.8x | $45,804/yr | 46 |
| Southern Illinois University-Carbondale | 9.9x | $33,688/yr | 34 |
| University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | 9.6x | $60,367/yr | 53 |
| Wayne State University | 8.2x | $52,829/yr | 43 |
| Mid-America College of Funeral Service | 6.1x | $56,427/yr | 42 |
Related Majors
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Consider the Trade Route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.