Apprentice funeral director vs licensed funeral director

The differences between apprentice funeral directors and licensed funeral directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an apprentice funeral director and a licensed funeral director. Additionally, an apprentice funeral director has an average salary of $38,454, which is higher than the $38,451 average annual salary of a licensed funeral director.

The top three skills for an apprentice funeral director include data entry, client families and veterans. The most important skills for a licensed funeral director are funeral arrangements, life insurance, and client families.

Apprentice funeral director vs licensed funeral director overview

	Apprentice Funeral Director	Licensed Funeral Director
Yearly salary	$38,454	$38,451
Hourly rate	$18.49	$18.49
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	11,422	15,667
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 46%	Associate Degree, 52%
Average age	49	49
Years of experience	2	2

Apprentice funeral director vs licensed funeral director salary

Apprentice funeral directors and licensed funeral directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Apprentice Funeral Director	Licensed Funeral Director
Average salary	$38,454	$38,451
Salary range	Between $28,000 And $52,000	Between $28,000 And $52,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between apprentice funeral director and licensed funeral director education

There are a few differences between an apprentice funeral director and a licensed funeral director in terms of educational background:

	Apprentice Funeral Director	Licensed Funeral Director
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 46%	Associate Degree, 52%
Most common major	Mortuary Science	Mortuary Science
Most common college	University of Minnesota - Twin Cities	University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Apprentice funeral director vs licensed funeral director demographics

Here are the differences between apprentice funeral directors' and licensed funeral directors' demographics:

	Apprentice Funeral Director	Licensed Funeral Director
Average age	49	49
Gender ratio	Male, 62.1% Female, 37.9%	Male, 58.2% Female, 41.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.5% Asian, 1.8% White, 76.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 2.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.6% Asian, 1.8% White, 77.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	9%	9%

Differences between apprentice funeral director and licensed funeral director duties and responsibilities

Apprentice funeral director example responsibilities.

Manage subordinates, facilities and MSDS files.
Assist families during calling hours and funerals by treating them with compassion and support.
Certify crematory operator; participate on removals; and assist on calling hours and funerals.
Initiate utilizing cutting edge technology at locations providing families with remembrance DVD's and the option of web casting.

Licensed funeral director example responsibilities.

Manage subordinates, facilities and MSDS files.
Certify crematory operator; participate on removals; and assist on calling hours and funerals.
Initiate utilizing cutting edge technology at locations providing families with remembrance DVD's and the option of web casting.

Apprentice funeral director vs licensed funeral director skills

Common apprentice funeral director skills

Data Entry, 19%
Client Families, 18%
Veterans, 17%
Compassion, 15%
Death Certificates, 15%
Funeral Homes, 13%

Common licensed funeral director skills

Funeral Arrangements, 15%
Life Insurance, 14%
Client Families, 12%
Social Security, 10%
Insurance Claims, 8%
Funeral Homes, 8%

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Apprentice Funeral Director
Apprentice Funeral Director vs Licensed Funeral Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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