Navigating Funeral Service Education Requirements: A Comprehensive Guide

The path to becoming a mortician, also known as a funeral director, is a calling that demands compassion, sensitivity, and a thorough understanding of end-of-life processes. Morticians coordinate services for grieving loved ones and the deceased. While the requirements to become a mortician can vary widely from state to state, understanding the general steps and specific state regulations is crucial for aspiring professionals. This article provides a detailed overview of funeral service education requirements, career paths, and growth opportunities in this meaningful profession.

Steps to Becoming a Mortician

The journey to becoming a mortician is not uniform across the United States. However, some general guidelines can help you get started, regardless of your location.

Earn a High School Diploma or GED Credential

Most postsecondary programs that prepare graduates to become morticians require applicants to have at least a high school diploma or GED certificate. This foundational education is essential for further studies in mortuary science.

Learn About Your State Requirements for Morticians

States have different requirements for licensed morticians. Your location will influence how long you must stay in school or if you need to go to college. Nearly every state requires funeral directors to be licensed. You cannot practice without a license. Each state has a different process for gaining licensure.

Complete Prerequisites

Some postsecondary programs for morticians only accept applicants who have already completed prerequisite coursework. For example, Wayne State University’s mortuary science program requires applicants to complete courses in public health and psychology before enrolling in the program. Northampton Community College students preparing to enter the program take various classes in subject areas such as accounting, business communication, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, psychology and more.

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Attend an Accredited Program

Depending on your state’s laws, you may need an associate degree or bachelor’s degree from an accredited program to practice as a mortician. Associate degree programs in funeral service and mortuary science typically take 1.5-2 years. Find accredited programs through the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The Funeral Service Education associate degree program at Northampton Community College is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The ABFSE accredited program at FINE Mortuary College is recognized in all 50 states. Completion of the program at FINE Mortuary College allows a student to take the National Board Exam in all 50 states.

Complete an Internship or Apprenticeship

You must work under supervision for 1-3 years before becoming licensed. Work alongside seasoned professionals and develop a new understanding of how to implement ethical management practices, apply principles of public health and safety, and support grieving families. In Louisiana, internship lasts 4 to 48 months (39 to 208 weeks) and includes at least 1,560 contact hours.

Pass Relevant Licensing Exams

Once you have finished your education and training, there are three tests you may need to pass to become a licensed mortician. Depending on your state, you will have to pass some or all of the following:

The National Board Exam (NBE)
The State Board Exam (SBE)
Your state’s Laws, Rules, and Regulations (LRR) exam

Participate in Continuing Education

Mortician licenses expire every 1-2 years. To keep your license up to date, you must regularly participate in state-approved continuing education. Morticians grow their careers with ongoing education about end-of-life celebrations.

Types of Funeral Service Workers

The funeral service profession includes various roles, each with specific responsibilities.

Morticians

Morticians, also called funeral directors, coordinate the variety of services, processes, and paperwork involved with the end of life. Morticians coordinate services for the deceased-called decedents-and their loved ones. In addition to directing events and technical aspects of a funeral, they also help families cope. They direct embalming, cremation, funerals, and memorial services.

Embalmers

Embalming is a chemical process that stops a decedent’s body from decomposing. It takes specialized training. Some morticians are also embalmers.

Funeral Home Managers

These professionals manage all business aspects of a funeral home, including staffing, accounting, and marketing. Funeral home managers earned more than other funeral service workers.

What Does a Mortician Do?

Morticians work many evenings and weekends and may be on-call when not at the funeral home. When someone passes away, families turn to morticians to help them understand the processes and costs for funerals, burials, and cremation. Morticians also may refer families to grief counselors or support groups. Morticians work with families to receive decedents into their care, where they may embalm them or otherwise prepare them for a funeral.

Death comes with administrative aspects as well. Morticians file death certificates and must carefully document every service they perform.

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Mortician Responsibilities

In a typical day working as a mortician, you might:

Meet With a Family: Get to know family members, including their needs and their religious or cultural preferences. Refer them to any other services or support groups they may desire.
Embalm Decedents: Dress up in protective gear, wash the decedent, and replace their fluids with a chemical solution.
Prepare Decedents for Service: Wash and dress decedents and style their hair and makeup.
Other Service Prep: Prepare obituaries, receive flower arrangements, and organize transportation to a cemetery.
Complete Paperwork: Update your records to indicate what services you have performed for decedents and file death certificates.

Mortician Requirements

Each state has different requirements for morticians. Common requirements include:

Having a high school diploma or GED certificate
Being at least 18 years old
Completing an associate degree from an accredited funeral service or mortuary science program, if required. Some states require a bachelor’s degree, and some don’t have any postsecondary degree requirements
Working as an intern or apprentice in your state
Passing one or more national or state exams

Diversity and Inclusion

Different religions and cultures treat the end of life differently. Part of your job as a mortician is to listen to each family’s needs and respect their desires. NCC’s program increases your cultural competence, teaching you how to respect and accommodate diverse faith practices and expressions of grief. Students not only develop a comprehensive understanding of the preparation of a body and ceremony according to the wishes of the survivors, but also learn to prepare financial accounts, file death certificates and legal documents, and direct individuals into post-death counseling or support group activities.

Self-Care

Loss will be part of your day-to-day life, including sudden deaths, infant deaths, and other situations where it may be especially challenging to help families find peace. Morticians grieve too, and positive coping skills can be critical to preventing burnout.

Certification Process for Morticians

Establish State Licensure. Nearly every state requires funeral directors to be licensed - you cannot practice without a license. Each state has a different process for gaining licensure.

Salary and Job Outlook

Morticians and other funeral arrangers earned median annual wages. Jobs for morticians may be growing slower than others. The BLS projects that employment for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers will grow. The same as the projected growth rate for all other occupations.

Top-Paying States for Morticians

We have listed the top five highest-paying states for morticians below, according to the BLS.

North Dakota
Delaware
New Hampshire
Minnesota
Iowa

Growth Opportunities

There are many ways to expand your practice as a mortician.

Earn Additional Certifications

Some associations, including the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), offer certification training programs so you can build skills in cremation or consulting.

Become a Funeral Home Manager

Morticians who want to become funeral home managers may need to pass additional exams or gain more experience.

Meet Changing Client Demands

Today, there are more options for decedents than just cremation and burial. For example, people can volunteer to be composted post-mortem. NFDA found that almost 56% of people expressed interest in “green” services, which focus on environmentally and cost-effective funerals and memorials.

Educational Programs

Several institutions offer comprehensive programs in funeral service education.

American Academy McAllister Institute (AAMI)

The Mortuary Science Degree at the American Academy McAllister Institute (AAMI) is an Associate in Occupational Studies designed to meet the educational standards of today’s funeral service profession. The accredited program blends general education with funeral-specific courses like embalming, directing, and ethics, and includes hands-on training. To apply to AAMI, you need a high school diploma, GED, or equivalent. You can also qualify by submitting a college transcript showing at least nine academic credits from a regionally accredited school with a minimum 2.0 GPA. Additional state-specific licensure eligibility requirements may also apply. AAMI accepts transfer credits for general education classes completed with a grade of C or better from an accredited institution. Credits may also be awarded for CLEP and DSST exams. Graduates from AAMI’s Mortuary Science Program are well-prepared for careers as funeral directors, embalmers, crematory operators, grief counselors, cemetery managers, and funeral home administrators.

Northampton Community College (NCC)

Northampton Community College's (NCC) Associate in Applied Science (AAS) degree in Funeral Service Education offers a comprehensive education in funeral home operations, directing, public health, and embalming. Study full-time at NCC’s Bethlehem campus and earn your degree in as little as two to three years. Working in funeral services is not just a career - it's a calling that requires compassion and sensitivity when supporting bereaved families. NCC’s program increases your cultural competence, teaching you how to respect and accommodate diverse faith practices and expressions of grief. Students not only develop a comprehensive understanding of the preparation of a body and ceremony according to the wishes of the survivors, but also learn to prepare financial accounts, file death certificates and legal documents, and direct individuals into post-death counseling or support group activities.

Our funeral service program strives to educate students on every aspect of mortuary science. NCC students in the Funeral Service Education program take a variety of classes in subjects such as accounting, philosophy, chemistry, and more. These classes include Chemistry of Life, Accounting I, and On Death and Dying. During your funeral service training, you’ll gain hands-on experience in NCC’s on-site embalming lab. All of your program courses prepare you for the next step of your professional journey. Upon graduation, you will receive an Associate in Applied Science degree and be eligible to begin the required 12-month resident internship.

Due to the sensitive nature of working in funeral services, Pennsylvania requires those pursuing a career as a funeral director to secure state licensure. NCC’s Funeral Service Education Program meets the educational requirements for licensure set forth by the Pennsylvania State Board of Funeral Directors, including maintaining our ABFSE-accredited program status and facilitating a 12-month internship. After completing the education requirements, you must pass two examinations-a written exam and an oral exam - regarding the clinical practice of funeral directing.

NCC’s associate degree program delivers a holistic funeral service education that prepares you for a career in the funeral industry. Your training spans a spectrum of industry-specific topics, from financial management to overseeing a variety of services and upholding national and state funeral law. During your time in the program, you’ll gain a thorough understanding of the preparation of a body and ceremony. Study fundamentals in human biology, microbiology, and chemistry and then advance to embalming theories and restorative art and cosmetics in later semesters. Additionally, you’ll learn how to perform essential managerial and administrative responsibilities, including preparing financial accounts, filing death certificates and legal documents, and directing individuals into post-death counseling or support group activities. NCC’s Funeral Service Education Program provides you with a comprehensive understanding of all phases of funeral services required to serve the bereaved in a professional and ethical manner.

We created the Pre-Funeral Service Program for those who need additional support completing general education requirements before receiving acceptance into the Funeral Service Education Program. Northampton Community College students preparing to enter the program take various classes in subject areas such as accounting, business communication, anatomy and physiology, chemistry, psychology and more. NCC’s Pre-Funeral Service Program is designed to meet specific state or professional needs; however, it is not accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Licensure requirements vary from state to state, and you may require additional authorization from the professional licensing agency in that state. Participating in a program from outside of Pennsylvania, if not properly authorized by that state's professional licensing board, could result in a loss of licensing eligibility.

Acceptance into the NCC Funeral Service Education Program is highly competitive. High school graduates and non-traditional student applicants will need to have completed high school biology and chemistry (with labs) with a grade of C or better and have an overall GPA of 2.5 or better. Current NCC and transfer student applicants must have grades of C or better in each course being transferred in and achieved a minimum GPA of 2.75 for any college-level work completed. The Funeral Service Education Program is a fall-start and spring-start program. Please refer to the application timeframe table for application opening and closing dates. NCC helps you build your future. As one of Pennsylvania’s most affordable community colleges, we offer tuition and fees and robust scholarship and financial aid opportunities, so you can pursue your degree while saving money.

FINE Mortuary College

State requirements vary and some states require specific college courses prior to entering mortuary college. The ABFSE accredited program at FINE Mortuary College is recognized in all 50 states. Completion of the program at FINE Mortuary College allows a student to take the National Board Exam in all 50 states.

State-Specific Requirements

Licensure requirements vary from state to state. Here's a quick reference guide based on available information:

Qualifications: Over 18 years of age and successful background check.
Qualifications: 18 or older. A high school graduate or equivalent degree from an accredited mortuary program is not required, but would enable apprentice to obtain license after 1 year of practical experience. NBE - Sciences. Minimum of five years of practical experience under the supervision of a registered embalmer or undertaker in the State.
Qualifications: 18 or older. High school diploma or equivalent. Complete 30 semester hours of college level work in a regionally accredited institution of higher education OR 21-month program in an accredited college, school, or department of mortuary science OR 4 academic quarters (or equivalent) in an accredited mortuary science program. 1 year internship. 24 funeral services, 24 embalming. 4 funeral director case reports submitted quarterly. NBE. Fees: LRR, License Fee, Application Fee.
Qualifications: 18 or older. High School diploma or equivalent. Completed a minimum of 30 semester hours in an accredited college or university. Internship in Louisiana lasting 4 to 48 months (39 to 208 weeks). Completed at least 1,560 contact hours during internship. 30 funerals (case reports). LRR. NBE - Arts. NBE - Sciences. Fees: Funeral Director license application.
Qualifications: At least 18 years old.

Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Mortician

How long does it take to become a mortician?

The length of time it takes to become a mortician depends on your state’s requirements for licensed funeral directors. Many states require you to have at least an associate degree. Associate degree programs in funeral service and mortuary science typically take 1.5-2 years. After graduating, you will need to intern in your state for 1-3 years.

Are there online mortician schools?

ABFSE has accredited several online options for mortician school. These programs offer at least half of their courses online. However, you will need to complete some in-person training. For example, courses that train students to prepare decedents for funeral services are typically in person.

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