Embalmer/funeral director education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an embalmer/funeral director. Embalmer/funeral directors usually study mortuary science, business, or military applied sciences. 63% of embalmer/funeral directors hold a associate degree, and 28% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 1,600 real embalmer/funeral director resumes to see exactly what embalmer/funeral director education sections show.

The most common colleges for embalmer/funeral directors are the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science and the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

There are also many online embalmer/funeral director courses to help get the education required to be an embalmer/funeral director.

What education do you need to become an embalmer/funeral director?

What degree do you need to be an embalmer/funeral director?

The most common degree for embalmer/funeral directors is associate degree, with 63% of embalmer/funeral directors earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 28% and bachelor's degree degree at 3%.

Associate, 63%

Bachelor's, 28%

Diploma, 3%

High School Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become an embalmer/funeral director?

You should major in mortuary science to become an embalmer/funeral director. 60% of embalmer/funeral directors major in mortuary science. Other common majors for an embalmer/funeral director include business and military applied sciences.

Mortuary Science, 60%

Business, 12%

Military Applied Sciences, 3%

Psychology, 3%

Other Majors, 22%

Most common colleges for embalmer/funeral directors

Embalmer/funeral directors often get their degrees at Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, Mid-America College of Funeral Service, and University of Central Oklahoma. Here are the most common colleges for embalmer/funeral directors in the US based on their resumes.

Embalmer/funeral director common college	Percentages
Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science	18.05%
Mid-America College of Funeral Service	14.63%
University of Central Oklahoma	10.24%
Southern Illinois University Carbondale	6.83%
Miami Dade College	5.85%

Show more common embalmer/funeral director colleges

Best majors for embalmer/funeral directors

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mortuary Science	59.9%
2	Business	12.3%
3	Military Applied Sciences	3.3%
4	Psychology	2.9%
5	General Studies	2.6%

Show more common embalmer/funeral director majors

Best colleges for embalmer/funeral directors

The best colleges for embalmer/funeral directors are St. John's University, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

An embalmer/funeral director with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for embalmer/funeral directors. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become embalmer/funeral directors.

1. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

2. St. John's University

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$41,760

Enrollment

11,907

3. Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$14,704

Enrollment

9,447

20 best online courses for embalmer/funeral directors

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Top 10 most affordable universities for embalmer/funeral directors

The most affordable schools for embalmer/funeral directors are Ferris State University, southern illinois university carbondale, and suny college of technology at canton.

If the best universities for embalmer/funeral directors are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for embalmer/funeral directors.

1. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$11,788

Cost of attendance

22,715

2. Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$14,704

Cost of attendance

27,945

3. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,389

Cost of attendance

22,302

4. Wayne State University

Detroit, MI • Private

In-state tuition

$13,097

Cost of attendance

23,848

5. Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR • Private

In-state tuition

$8,607

Cost of attendance

21,375

6. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Cost of attendance

26,443

7. Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$17,600

Cost of attendance

30,117

8. University of Central Oklahoma

Edmond, OK • Private

In-state tuition

$7,489

Cost of attendance

23,009

9. St. John's University

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$41,760

Cost of attendance

52,721

10. Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$31,450

Cost of attendance

42,216

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for embalmer/funeral directors

The hardest universities for embalmer/funeral directors to get into are St. John's University, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, and Southern Illinois University Carbondale.

Some great schools for embalmer/funeral directors are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for embalmer/funeral directors based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. St. John's University

Queens, NY • Private

Admissions rate

73%

SAT average

1,181

2. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

Admissions rate

52%

SAT average

1,336

3. Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, IL • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,124

4. Wayne State University

Detroit, MI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,127

5. Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,117

6. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

7. Arkansas State University

Jonesboro, AR • Private

Admissions rate

77%

SAT average

1,189

8. Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,098

9. Gannon University

Erie, PA • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,129

10. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

997

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for embalmer/funeral directors

The easiest schools for embalmer/funeral directors to get into are Lindenwood University, ferris state university, and southern illinois university carbondale.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an embalmer/funeral director without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for embalmer/funeral directors.

1. Lindenwood University

Saint Charles, MO • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,117

2. Ferris State University

Big Rapids, MI • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,070

3. Southern Illinois University Carbondale

Carbondale, IL • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,124

4. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

997

5. St. John's University

Queens, NY • Private

Admissions rate

73%

SAT average

1,181

6. Wayne State University

Detroit, MI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,127

7. Gannon University

Erie, PA • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

1,129

8. University of Central Oklahoma

Edmond, OK • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,105

9. Thiel College

Greenville, PA • Private

Admissions rate

76%

SAT average

973

10. Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

65%

SAT average

1,098

Average embalmer/funeral director salary by education level

According to our data, embalmer/funeral directors with a Associate degree earn the highest average salary, at $41,751 annually. Embalmer/funeral directors with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $41,313.

Embalmer/funeral director education level	Embalmer/funeral director salary
High School Diploma or Less	$37,738
Bachelor's Degree	$41,313
Some College/ Associate Degree	$41,751

Embalmer/funeral director education FAQs

What is the best college for Embalmer/Funeral Directors?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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