ProgramsCulinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services

    Funeral Service and Mortuary Science

    CIP12.03

    62 colleges offer Funeral Service and Mortuary Science. See what it covers, which degree levels are available and what graduates earn and borrow.

    Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition

    Colleges offering it
    62
    at its most common level
    Bachelor's earnings
    $62,954
    median, 4 years after
    Bachelor's debt
    $19,299
    median federal loans
    Find colleges

    Ask AI:ChatGPTClaude

    Colleges offering it, by degree level

    Certificate
    26
    Associate's
    62
    Bachelor's
    11
    Published colleges reporting the program. College Scorecard field of study, 2025.

    What it covers

    About Funeral Service and Mortuary Science

    A program that generally prepares individuals for careers in the funeral service industry and for licensure as funeral service directors or morticians. Includes instruction in the basic elements of mortuary science and the business, counseling, and operational aspects of funeral service.

    Definition: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs 2020, code 12.03.

    Programs in this field

    Colleges report these specific programs under CIP 12.03.

    • Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General
    • Funeral Direction/Service
    • Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer

    By degree level

    Earnings and debt by degree level

    Medians across colleges of each college's own program median. Earnings are for graduates who received federal aid and were working.

    Colleges offering Funeral Service and Mortuary Science and median graduate earnings and debt at each degree level
    Degree levelCollegesMedian earningsMedian debt
    Certificate26$60,1284 yrs after · 2 colleges$14,0355 colleges
    Associate's62$53,0894 yrs after · 20 colleges$13,00019 colleges
    Bachelor's11$62,9544 yrs after · 5 colleges$19,2996 colleges

    Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025. Colleges with too few graduates have their earnings and debt suppressed, so the number of colleges reporting is smaller than the number offering the program.

    Bachelor's programs

    Where Funeral Service and Mortuary Science graduates earn the most

    Median earnings four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates in the latest year. Earnings are one measure; cost and graduation rate matter too.

    1. 1

      University of Minnesota-Twin Cities

      Minneapolis, MN · Public · 27 graduates

      $77,420

      debt $14,667

    2. 2Mid-America College of Funeral Service logo

      Mid-America College of Funeral Service

      Jeffersonville, IN · Private nonprofit · 21 graduates

      $67,172

      debt $14,757

    3. 3Wayne State University-Michigan logo

      Wayne State University-Michigan

      Detroit, MI · Public · 38 graduates

      $62,954

      debt $14,500

    4. 4

      Southern Illinois University-Carbondale

      Carbondale, IL · Public · 12 graduates

      $60,203

      debt $27,625

    5. 5University of Central Oklahoma logo

      University of Central Oklahoma

      Edmond, OK · Public · 34 graduates

      $54,571

      debt $23,842

    Careers

    Careers this program leads to

    Occupations linked to Funeral Service and Mortuary Science by the NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, highest national median pay first. Pay and outlook are BLS figures for each occupation.

    Career explorer

    • Management

      Funeral Home Managers

      Median pay
      $78,790
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      Associate's degree

      • Service Orientation
      • Active Listening
      • Social Perceptiveness

    • Personal care and service

      Embalmers

      Median pay
      $58,780
      Outlook
      Little or no change

      Associate's degree

      • Speaking
      • Active Listening
      • Critical Thinking

    • Personal care and service

      Crematory Operators

      Median pay
      $43,650
      Outlook
      As fast as average

      High school diploma

    Other programs in the same area of study, by how many colleges offer them.

    Every program in this area

    Questions about Funeral Service and Mortuary Science

    How many colleges offer Funeral Service and Mortuary Science?

    Published colleges on CollegesRef report Funeral Service and Mortuary Science at these degree levels: certificate (26 colleges), associate's (62 colleges), bachelor's (11 colleges). Counts are from College Scorecard field-of-study data (2025).

    What do Funeral Service and Mortuary Science graduates earn?

    At the median college, bachelor's graduates in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science earn $62,954 a year four years after finishing, across 5 colleges that report earnings. Figures cover graduates who received federal aid.

    Where do Funeral Service and Mortuary Science graduates earn the most?

    University of Minnesota-Twin Cities reports the highest median earnings for bachelor's graduates in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science: $77,420 four years after finishing, among programs with at least 10 graduates.