by our College Data Analytics TeamA major in General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science involves the study of Funeral Service And Mortuary Science, General. 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. Read on to learn the key facts every general funeral service & mortuary science student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering general funeral service & mortuary science programs.
Across the country, general funeral service & mortuary science is a widely-pursued major, with 2,332 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science Schools ranking analyzes these 58 schools to determine the best overall colleges for general funeral service & mortuary science students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of general funeral service & mortuary science programs later in this article.
Studies in General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations general funeral service & mortuary science graduates commonly enter.
The skill set built by a general funeral service & mortuary science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a general funeral service & mortuary science major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several general funeral service & mortuary science degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 386 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 1,679 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 134 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 133 |
People currently working in careers related to general funeral service & mortuary science tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 74.6% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 10.3% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 10.3% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 2.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 1.1% |
| Some college courses | 0.8% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in general funeral service & mortuary science careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in general funeral service & mortuary science opens doors to many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to general funeral service & mortuary science.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to general funeral service & mortuary science.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Embalmers | 481,073 | -3.2% |
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers | 369,233 | -0.1% |
| Funeral Home Managers | 213,374 | -0.7% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of general funeral service & mortuary science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $44,303 |
| 4 years | $46,034 |
| 5 years | $51,822 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for general funeral service & mortuary science graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers general funeral service & mortuary science grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Funeral Home Managers | $179,553 |
| Morticians, Undertakers, and Funeral Arrangers | $58,312 |
| Embalmers | $35,965 |
With 58 different general funeral service & mortuary science programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased general funeral service & mortuary science school rankings to help you.
Those considering general funeral service & mortuary science, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Funeral Direction/Service | 252 |
| Mortuary Science and Embalming/Embalmer | 64 |
| Funeral Service and Mortuary Science, Other | 28 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
