by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 11 U.S. colleges awarded 232 degrees and certificates in Funeral Direction/Service. Master’s degrees are the most popular award, at 32% of graduates. College Factual ranks 9 schools in its 2027 Best Funeral Direction/Service Schools ranking and compares their cost in a Best Value ranking. Graduates earn a median $44,303 one year after completing, rising to $54,248 after four years.
Studying Funeral Direction/Service covers 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.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
Across the country, funeral direction/service is a widely-pursued major, with 232 degrees awarded annually. 11 colleges award funeral direction/service degrees, an average of 21 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 63.
By level, the 232 awards include 47 certificates, 40 associate degrees, 70 bachelor’s degrees and 75 master’s degrees.
Women earned 74% of funeral direction/service degrees and certificates in the latest year (172 of 232). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (152) and Black or African American (56).
College Factual ranks 9 schools in its 2027 Best Funeral Direction/Service Schools ranking, including 6 for associate degrees and 3 for bachelor’s degrees. It also ranks funeral direction/service schools within 3 states. In all, 11 colleges offer funeral direction/service programs; compare them by degree level below or in the Best Value Funeral Direction/Service Colleges ranking, which weighs quality against cost.
The most common funeral direction/service credential is the master’s degree: 75 of the 232 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to funeral direction/service call most for Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness and Service Orientation, and for knowledge of Customer and Personal Service, English Language and Administration and Management, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Oral Comprehension and Speech Clarity.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a funeral direction/service degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 47 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 40 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 70 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 75 |
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to funeral direction/service, at 64.6%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 64.6% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 19.1% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 7.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 5.4% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.0% |
| Some college courses | 1.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
2 occupations are related to Funeral Direction/Service, with an average median salary of $118,932. Typical job titles include Licensed Funeral Director, Funeral Director, Funeral Counselor and Funeral Arrangement Director.
The occupation related to funeral direction/service with the most projected jobs is Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers, at 369,233.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers | 369,233 | -0.1% |
| Funeral Home Managers | 213,374 | -0.7% |
Funeral Direction/Service graduates earn a median $44,303 one year after completing their program, $54,248 after four years and $51,822 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,303 |
| 4 years | $54,248 |
| 5 years | $51,822 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to funeral direction/service is Funeral Home Managers, with a median salary of $179,553.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Funeral Home Managers | $179,553 |
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers | $58,312 |
Funeral Direction/Service has 3 similar majors in the Personal & Culinary Services field, which together award 2,414 degrees a year; the largest are Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General (2,338), Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer (51) and Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, Other (25). Browse all Personal & Culinary Services majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, General | 2,338 |
| Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer | 51 |
| Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, Other | 25 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
