Embalmer education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become an embalmer. Embalmers usually study mortuary science, business, or general studies. 68% of embalmers hold a associate degree, and 22% hold an bachelor's degree. We analyzed 164 real embalmer resumes to see exactly what embalmer education sections show.

The most common colleges for embalmers are the Cypress College and the Cypress College.

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

What education do you need to become an embalmer?

What degree do you need to be an embalmer?

The most common degree for embalmers is associate degree, with 68% of embalmers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are bachelor's degree degree at 22% and bachelor's degree degree at 6%.

Associate, 68%

Bachelor's, 22%

High School Diploma, 6%

Diploma, 3%

Other Degrees, 1%

What should I major in to become an embalmer?

You should major in mortuary science to become an embalmer. 57% of embalmers major in mortuary science. Other common majors for an embalmer include business and general studies.

Mortuary Science, 57%

Business, 9%

General Studies, 7%

Psychology, 6%

Other Majors, 21%

Most common colleges for embalmers

Embalmers often get their degrees at Cypress College, St. Louis, and University of Central Oklahoma. Here are the most common colleges for embalmers in the US based on their resumes.

Embalmer common college	Percentages
Cypress College	26.19%
St. Louis	9.52%
University of Central Oklahoma	7.14%
Mid-America College of Funeral Service	7.14%
Arapahoe Community College	4.76%

Show more common embalmer colleges

Best majors for embalmers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Mortuary Science	56.7%
2	Business	8.9%
3	General Studies	6.7%
4	Psychology	5.6%
5	Criminal Justice	4.4%

Show more common embalmer majors

Best colleges for embalmers

The best colleges for embalmers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

An embalmer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for embalmers. 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 embalmers.

1. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

4. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

5. Point Park University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$31,450

Enrollment

3,170

6. SUNY College of Technology at Canton

Canton, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,389

Enrollment

3,127

7. Maine Maritime Academy

Castine, ME • Private

In-state tuition

$13,478

Enrollment

979

8. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

9. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

10. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,808

Enrollment

13,990

20 best online courses for embalmers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for embalmers

The most affordable schools for embalmers are SUNY Farmingdale, california state university - bakersfield, and baruch college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for embalmers 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 embalmers.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

4. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

5. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

6. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

7. SUNY Polytechnic Institute

Utica, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,238

Cost of attendance

21,567

8. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

9. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Cost of attendance

22,990

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Cost of attendance

24,718

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for embalmers

The hardest universities for embalmers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for embalmers 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 embalmers 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. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

7. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

8. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Brandeis University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

31%

SAT average

1,398

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for embalmers

The easiest schools for embalmers to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as an embalmer 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 embalmers.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

6. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

8. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average embalmer salary by education level

Embalmers with a Associate degree earn more than those without, at $49,357 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, embalmers earn a median annual income of $48,290 compared to $41,720 for embalmers with an High School Diploma degree.

Embalmer education level	Embalmer salary
High School Diploma or Less	$41,720
Bachelor's Degree	$48,290
Some College/ Associate Degree	$49,357

Embalmer education FAQs

What is the best college for Embalmers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common personal care and attendants questions.

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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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