by our College Data Analytics TeamFuneral Direction/Service was the 831st most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 310 degrees in this year alone. This is a difference of 68 over the prior year, a growth of 21.9%.
Our 2023 Best Funeral Direction/Service Schools ranking analyzes 5 of these schools to determine the best overall colleges for funeral direction/service students. Explore this or one of our many other custom funeral direction/service rankings further below.
When studying Funeral Direction/Service, you’ll learn that actively looking for ways to help people will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs. Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do and 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 are all required skills for careers related to this major.
New students will need to have completed high school or a GED program and each school will have their own minimum GPA and SAT/ACT test requirements. Once you obtain your degree, additional funeral direction/service certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
There are many different funeral direction/service degree levels. Funeral Direction/Service programs offered by schools range from a to a , which is the highest funeral direction/service degree you can get. Depending on the funeral direction/service degree you choose, obtaining your diploma can take anwhere from 1 to 4+ years.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
An associate degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to funeral direction/service, with approximately 64.9% of workers getting one. See the the most common levels of education for funeral direction/service workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 68.0% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 8.4% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 6.3% |
| First Professional Degree | 6.0% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 5.2% |
About 85.9% of workers in careers related to funeral direction/service obtain at least associate degrees. See the chart below for the most common degree level workers in funeral direction/service have received.
The education level required is different depending on the funeral direction/service career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your funeral direction/service degree? Funeral Direction/Service careers are expected to grow 5.3% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to funeral direction/service.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors | 29,800 | 3.8% |
| Funeral Service Managers | 27,500 | 7.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for funeral direction/service graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for funeral direction/service graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers funeral direction/service grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Funeral Service Managers | $93,820 |
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors | $57,620 |
With over 18 different funeral direction/service degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased funeral direction/service school rankings to help you with this.
One of 3 majors within the Funeral & Mortuary Science area of study, Funeral Direction/Service has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science | 1,917 |
| Other Funeral Service & Mortuary Science | 67 |
| Mortuary Science & Embalming/Embalmer | 60 |
