# 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/programs/funeral-service-and-mortuary-science
- CIP code: 12.03 (Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services)
- Colleges offering it: 62 at its most common degree level

## Outcomes by degree level (College Scorecard, 2025)

| Degree level | Colleges | Median earnings 1 yr | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median federal debt |
| --- | ---: | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| Certificate | 26 | $47,718 | $60,128 | $14,035 |
| Associate's | 62 | $46,625 | $53,089 | $13,000 |
| Bachelor's | 11 | $53,835 | $62,954 | $19,299 |

## Colleges whose graduates earn the most (Bachelor's)

Only programs with at least 10 graduates are listed.

| College | Location | Median earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: |
| [University of Minnesota-Twin Cities](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-minnesota-twin-cities-main-campus-2963) | Minneapolis, MN | $77,420 | $14,667 |
| [Mid-America College of Funeral Service](https://www.collegesref.com/college/mid-america-college-of-funeral-service-1681) | Jeffersonville, IN | $67,172 | $14,757 |
| [Wayne State University-Michigan](https://www.collegesref.com/college/wayne-state-university-michigan-3181) | Detroit, MI | $62,954 | $14,500 |
| [Southern Illinois University-Carbondale](https://www.collegesref.com/college/southern-illinois-university-carbondale-2495) | Carbondale, IL | $60,203 | $27,625 |
| [University of Central Oklahoma](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-central-oklahoma-2893) | Edmond, OK | $54,571 | $23,842 |

## Related careers (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk)

- [Funeral Home Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/funeral-home-managers): $78,790 median pay
- [Embalmers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/embalmers): $58,780 median pay
- [Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/morticians-undertakers-and-funeral-arrangers): $55,010 median pay
- [Crematory Operators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/crematory-operators): $43,650 median pay

## More in Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services

- [Culinary Arts and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/culinary-arts-and-related-services): 461 colleges
- [Cosmetology and Related Personal Grooming Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/cosmetology-and-related-personal-grooming-services): 311 colleges
- Culinary, Entertainment, and Personal Services, Other: 4 colleges

## Sources

- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard field-of-study data, 2025: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/
- NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020: https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/