by our College Data Analytics TeamGeneral Funeral Service & Mortuary Science was the 338th most popular major in the 2020-2021 school year. Colleges in the United States reported awarding 1,917 degrees in this year alone. This represents a 13.5% increase in general mortuary science degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 1,658.
This year's Best General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science Schools ranking compares 33 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Explore this or one of our many other custom general mortuary science rankings further below.
One of the most important skills you will need for a career in general funeral service and mortuary science is talking to others to convey information effectively. 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 and actively looking for ways to help people 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 general mortuary science certifications required to pursue a career in this field.
General Mortuary Science degree levels vary. You can spend many years getting as high as a in general funeral service and mortuary science to something that takes less time like a . The type of general mortuary science degree you choose will determine how long it takes to get your diploma.
| 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 general mortuary science, with approximately 60.6% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for general mortuary science workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) | 64.0% |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 13.5% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 9.4% |
| First Professional Degree | 4.5% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.0% |
About 86.4% of workers in careers related to general mortuary science obtain at least associate degrees. The chart below shows what degree level those who work in general funeral service and mortuary science have obtained.
This of course varies depending on which general mortuary science career you choose.
Want a job when you graduate with your general mortuary science degree? General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science careers are expected to grow 5.0% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general funeral service and mortuary science.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors | 29,800 | 3.8% |
| Funeral Service Managers | 27,500 | 7.0% |
| Embalmers | 3,700 | 0.0% |
As you might expect, salaries for general mortuary science graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for general funeral service and mortuary science graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers general mortuary science grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Funeral Service Managers | $93,820 |
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Directors | $57,620 |
| Embalmers | $46,640 |
With over 90 different general mortuary science 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 general mortuary science school rankings to help you with this.
General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science is one of 3 different types of Funeral & Mortuary Science programs to choose from.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Funeral Direction/Service | 310 |
| Other Funeral Service & Mortuary Science | 67 |
| Mortuary Science & Embalming/Embalmer | 60 |
