Become A Funeral Director

Where do you want to work?

To get started, tell us where you'd like to work.

Sorry, we can't find that. Please try a different city or state.

Working As A Funeral Director

Getting Information
Assisting and Caring for Others
Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Communicating with Persons Outside Organization
Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others

Deal with People
Make Decisions
Repetitive
Stressful
$48,490
Average Salary

What Does A Funeral Director Do At Stonemor Partners L.P.

* Meets with clients to make funeral arrangements, explains service options, assists in casket selection, provides pricing information, and prepares standardized contracts for services.
* Performs technical and cosmological embalming services.
* Finalizes details discussed during arrangement conferences with with approprioate tracking & compliance documents.
* Directs funeral services and visitation, including greeting family members, opening parlor, coordinating and instructing pallbearers, greeting and escorting clergy to chapel.
* May assist with funerals while not acting as primary director or act as hearse or limousine driver when needed.
* Prepares or coordinates preparation and issuance of permits and documents associated with funerals and embalming.
* This includes death certificate, permits from coroner, writing embalming case study and others as required.
* Removes and transports deceased from home or hospital to funeral home.
* Maintains cleanliness of preparation room and equipment.
* Performs all other related functions as assigned

What Does A Funeral Director Do At Sci Shared Resources, LLC

* Taking first calls
* Talking with families
* Answering questions
* Providing initial details
* Conducting transfers
* Confirms authorization to proceed with the service arrangements
* Supervises and cares for the deceased in a respectful manner while performing a variety of tasks which include:
* Embalming, including verifying identification of the deceased and obtaining authorization for embalming
* Restoring
* Dressing, styling hair and/or applying cosmetics.
* Preparing cremated remains, including container selection, paperwork and identification procedures
* Any other preparation required for human remains
* Supervises funeral services by:
* Supervising the parking of cars
* Ushering
* Driving funeral vehicles
* Assisting at chapel and church services
* Assisting at the cemetery
* Delivering flowers, caskets, urn, photos and other personal keepsakes or mementos of client families
* Setting up chairs and the removing, properly caring for and storing of these items
* Participating at special functions
* Other duties, as required
* Ensures adherence to all applicable professional, municipal, provincial/state and federal licensing authority, regulations and rules
* Provides aftercare in absence of Family Service Counselor.
* Aftercare includes delivery of:
* Documentation
* Stationery
* Information on insurance, health benefits and pension
* Pre-arrangements for next of kin
* Ensures potential pre-need referrals are shared with Family Service Counselors
* Completes and accurately prepares of all documents related to services, cremations, maintenance, and any other type of data entry; prepares reports as necessary
* May assist with general office duties
* May assist with the maintenance of vehicles, the facility and property
* Receives caskets and other funeral home supplies as well as places into inventory
* Ensures refreshments are available (where allowed by law)
* Performs other duties as assigned

Show Less

How To Become A Funeral Director

An associate’s degree in funeral service or mortuary science is the typical education requirement for funeral service workers. With the exception of funeral service managers, all workers must be licensed in Washington, D.C. and every state in which they work, except Colorado which offers a voluntary certification program.

Education

An associate’s degree in mortuary science is the typical education requirement for all funeral service workers. Courses taken usually include those covering the topics of ethics, grief counseling, funeral service, and business law. All accredited programs also include courses in embalming and restorative techniques. States have their own education requirements, and state licensing laws vary. Most employers require applicants to be 21 years old; have 2 years of formal education; serve a 1-year internship before, during, or after attending a mortuary college; and pass a state licensing exam after graduation.

In some states, licensure for funeral directors and embalmers is separate.

The American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE) accredits 58 funeral service and mortuary science programs, most of which are 2-year associate’s degree programs offered at community colleges. Some programs offer a bachelor’s degree.

Although an associate’s degree is usually adequate, some employers prefer applicants to have a bachelor’s degree.

High school students can prepare to become a funeral service worker by taking courses in biology, chemistry, and business, and by participating in public speaking.

Part-time or summer jobs in funeral homes also provide valuable experience.

Training

Morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors must complete hands-on training, usually lasting 1 to 3 years, under the direction of a licensed funeral director or manager. The internship may be completed before, during, or after completing a 2-year funeral service or mortuary science program and passing a national board exam. Internships provide practical experience in all aspects of the funeral service.

Licenses, Certifications, and Registrations

With the exception of funeral service managers, all workers must be licensed in Washington, D.C. and every state in which they work, except Colorado which offers a voluntary certification program. Although licensing laws and examinations vary by state, most applicants must meet the following criteria:

Be 21 years old
Complete 2 years in an ABFSE funeral service or mortuary science program, and pass a national board exam
Serve an internship lasting 1 to 3 years

Applicants must then pass a state licensing exam. Working in multiple states will require multiple licenses. For specific requirements, applicants should contact each applicable state licensing board.

Most states require funeral directors and embalmers to receive continuing education credits annually to keep their licenses.

The International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association (ICCFA) and the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) offer crematory certification designations. A growing number of states are requiring certification for those who will perform cremations. For specific requirements, applicants should contact their state board.

Work Experience in a Related Occupation

Workers increasingly are being required to have some office management experience, particularly for funeral service managers who run their own funeral home business.

Important Qualities

Business skills. Knowledge of financial statements and the ability to run a funeral home efficiently and profitably are important for funeral directors and managers.

Compassion. Death is a delicate and emotional matter. Funeral service workers must be able to treat clients with care and sympathy in their time of loss.

Interpersonal skills. Funeral service workers should have good interpersonal skills. When speaking with families, for instance, they must be tactful and able to explain and discuss all matters about services provided.

Time-management skills. Funeral service workers must be able to handle numerous tasks for multiple customers, often over a short timeframe.

Show Less

Funeral Director jobs

Add To My Jobs

Funeral Director Career Paths

Funeral Director

Associate Pastor

Manager

Instructor

Owner/Operator

General Manager

Food Service Director

9 Yearsyrs

Licensed Funeral Director And Embalmer

Owner

General Manager

Average Length of Employment

Licensed Funeral Director 6.4 years
Licensed Funeral Director And Embalmer 6.0 years
Funeral Director 6.0 years
Embalmer/Funeral Director 4.7 years
Assistant Funeral Director 4.2 years
Funeral Home Director 4.0 years
Apprentice Funeral Director 2.3 years

Top Careers Before Funeral Director

Top Careers After Funeral Director

Funeral Director Demographics

Gender

Male
59.8%
Female
38.5%
Unknown
1.7%

Ethnicity

White
82.7%
Hispanic or Latino
10.0%
Asian
5.7%
Unknown
1.1%
Black or African American
0.4%

Languages Spoken

Spanish
65.4%
German
7.7%
French
5.8%
Russian
3.8%
Italian
3.8%
Portuguese
1.9%
Khmer
1.9%
Greek
1.9%
Hebrew
1.9%
Bulgarian
1.9%
Dakota
1.9%
Korean
1.9%

Funeral Director

Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.

Funeral Director Education

Schools

Dallas Institute of Funeral Service
10.7%
Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service
8.8%
Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science
7.8%
Mid-America College of Funeral Service
7.4%
Worsham College
6.6%
Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service
6.4%
Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science Inc
6.2%
University of Phoenix
5.1%
Kansas City Kansas Community College
4.9%
University of Central Oklahoma
4.7%
John A Gupton College
3.9%
Mt. Hood Community College
3.7%
Wayne State University
3.3%
American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Services
3.3%
University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
3.1%
Delgado Community College
3.1%
San Antonio College
3.1%
East Mississippi Community College
2.7%
Fayetteville Technical Community College
2.7%
Hudson Valley Community College
2.5%

Majors

Degrees

Associate
34.2%
Bachelors
27.5%
Other
23.9%
Masters
6.6%
Certificate
4.0%
Diploma
2.2%
License
0.9%
Doctorate
0.8%

Funeral Director

Unfortunately we don’t have enough data for this section.

Job type you want

Full Time

Part Time

Internship

Temporary

Real Funeral Director Salaries

Job Title	Company	Location	Start Date	Salary
Funeral Director	Summitlee LLC	Norcross, GA	Jan 12, 2016	$55,557
Funeral Director	Summitlee LLC	Norcross, GA	Aug 09, 2016	$55,557
Funeral Director	Summitcrest, Inc.	Decatur, GA	Sep 21, 2013	$54,060
Funeral Director	Summitcrest, Inc.	Decatur, GA	Sep 26, 2013	$54,060
Funeral Director	Summitcrest, Inc.	Decatur, GA	Sep 15, 2013	$54,050
Funeral Director	Benta's Funeral Home	New York, NY	Oct 12, 2010	$51,591 - $52,175
Funeral Directors	Benta's Funeral Home Inc.	New York, NY	Feb 18, 2010	$46,624
Funeral Director	Summitcrest, Inc.	Decatur, GA	Sep 26, 2013	$46,280 - $54,060

No Results

To get more results, try adjusting your search by changing your filters.

Top Skills for A Funeral Director

Top Funeral Director Skills

Funeral Service Options
Removals
File Death Certificates

You can check out examples of real life uses of top skills on resumes here:

Provide information on funeral service options, products, and merchandise, and maintain a casket display area.
Assisted licensed funeral directors and embalmers with removals, embalming, viewings, and helping on funeral services.
Obtain information to effectively file death certificates and burial permits.
Assisted families in making funeral arrangements including coordination with clergy, cemetery, and newspapers for obituaries.
Consult with families of the deceased to obtain information needed to complete legal documents.