Funeral Direction/Service
A program that prepares individuals for professional licensure as funeral directors and as managers of funeral homes, cemeteries, and related services. Includes instruction in the sociology of death and dying, psychology of grief and grief counseling, history of funeral service, funeral direction, business law, funeral service law, funeral home management, accounting and related computer operations, and funeral services marketing and merchandising.
- Schools offering
- 7
- Annual completions
- 125
- Typical degree level
- Associate's + Bachelor's
- Median earnings (5yr)
- $56k
About this major
A program that prepares individuals for professional licensure as funeral directors and as managers of funeral homes, cemeteries, and related services. Includes instruction in the sociology of death and dying, psychology of grief and grief counseling, history of funeral service, funeral direction, business law, funeral service law, funeral home management, accounting and related computer operations, and funeral services marketing and merchandising.
Where this major leads
Occupations most often associated with this major, from the federal BLS+O*NET crosswalk. Job-growth projections and median wages are national.
| Occupation | Median wage | Job growth | Typical education |
|---|---|---|---|
| Funeral home managers | $77k | +4.1% | Associate's degree |
| Morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers | $50k | +3.1% | Associate's degree |
Earnings at a glance
Median graduate earnings from the federal College Scorecard, 5 and 10 years out.
Median 5-year earnings
$56k
Associate's vs Bachelor's — early-career earnings
Associate's
$54k
Bachelor's
$63k
Top colleges for Funeral Direction/Service
Ranked by annual completions at the associate's or bachelor's level — a proxy for program scale.
| College | Location | Assoc. | Bach. | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wayne State University | Detroit, MI | 0 | 38 | 38 |
| Milwaukee Area Technical College | Milwaukee, WI | 27 | 0 | 27 |
| SUNY College of Technology at Canton | Canton, NY | 0 | 23 | 23 |
| Mid-America College of Funeral Service | Jeffersonville, IN | 0 | 19 | 19 |
| Lake Washington Institute of Technology | Kirkland, WA | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| Gateway Technical College | Kenosha, WI | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Chippewa Valley Technical College | Eau Claire, WI | 0 | 0 | 0 |
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