Mortician Education and Career Path: A Comprehensive Guide

Though not always viewed as such, morticians, also known as funeral directors, are some of the most valuable members of our society. They are the individuals communicating and helping family members through some of the most vulnerable and difficult times in their lives. Morticians find fulfillment in providing compassionate care to people in sensitive situations, as they grieve the loss of loved ones. Pursuing this caring and rewarding career path has many benefits, including high employment rates and lifelong career satisfaction. But it also requires great preparation. To become a mortician, you need to take very specific steps in your education and training.

This article explores the requirements to become a mortician, including the skills, general education, and certification requisites needed to land the job.

What Does a Mortician Do?

Morticians are professionals that family members contact after a person dies to retrieve the body and plan and coordinate the memorial services.

Morticians plan the details of a funeral service. They are responsible for preparing obituaries, arranging religious services, and coordinating the cremation or burial process. They also take care of and oversee the administrative details, such as the paperwork pertaining to the death certificate, so that the affected families can focus their energy on grieving and healing.

Below are some of the typical job duties of a mortician:

Helping the family choose between cremation and burial, if not already indicated by the deceased
Assisting the family in selecting the casket or urn
Preparing obituary notices to announce the death
Scheduling times for the wake, funeral, or burial
Arranging for pallbearers and clergy for religious rites
Arranging for cremation or the opening/closing of the grave with the cemetery
Embalming the body for viewing, if desired
Ensuring the services provided meet the wishes of the deceased
Offering counseling to bereaved family and friends
Providing transportation for the mourners and the deceased
Arranging for retrieval and transportation locally, within the state, or out of the country
Filing death certificates and other legal documents
Arranging for military honors or awards for qualifying veterans
Preplanning advice for those who want to plan ahead

Other job responsibilities and duties include:

Transportation of the body to funeral home
Arranging notary services
Cleaning and dressing the body
Grief support for the bereaved
Officiating funeral ceremonies
Obituary writing
Death care education and grief aftercare

Additionally, when not directly helping a family and organizing funerals, morticians are found helping out around a funeral home by cleaning and organizing merchandise, ordering inventory, and maintaining records.

Morticians don’t just tend to the deceased. They coordinate services for grieving loved ones.

Most morticians and funeral service workers are employed full-time and are often on call, meaning they are likely to work irregular hours, including evenings and weekends.

Essential Skills for Morticians

As the professionals that grieving families turn to for support and guidance, morticians need to be caring, compassionate, and considerate as they help others manage the loss of their loved ones.

Additionally, candidates interested in becoming morticians will benefit from developing and strengthening the following skills:

Empathy: Morticians should be able to validate and affirm another person’s feelings and grief.
Interpersonal Skills: Morticians work closely with others, meaning they need a high level of tact, patience, and understanding. They also need to communicate effectively and clearly when explaining the steps to arranging a funeral to grieving family members.
A Business Mindset: Often the ones managing the day-in and day-out operations of funeral homes, morticians should be organized, detail-oriented, and have the business knowledge and organizational skills to handle budgeting, inventory, and other administrative tasks.
An Interest and Strength in the Sciences: Though it can certainly be developed, an interest and strength in science will benefit anyone aspiring to be a mortician, especially since they will be working with deceased bodies. Morticians must be knowledgeable about the human anatomy and the chemical and biological sciences that go into preserving a body.

Education and Certification: Steps to Becoming a Mortician

The requirements to become a mortician can vary widely from state to state. Almost all states require morticians to be licensed and attend an accredited program.

The general educational requirements to become a mortician include completing an accredited funeral service degree program, passing their state or national board examination, and serving a one to three-year apprenticeship. Additionally, aspiring morticians must be at least twenty-one years old.

Candidates should research the state where they wish to practice, as each state’s requirements vary.

Here are the basic steps:

Read also: Becoming a Neonatal Nurse

Earn a high school diploma or GED certificate
Meet the required age minimum for your state (from 18 to 21)
Complete a degree program from an accredited mortuary science or funeral service program
Work as an intern or apprentice (from one to three years)
Pass required national or state exams

Step 1: Earn a High School Diploma or GED Credential: Most postsecondary programs that prepare graduates to become a mortician will require you to have at least a high school diploma or GED certificate.

Step 2: Learn About Your State Requirements for Morticians: States have different requirements for licensed morticians, so your location will influence how long you must stay in school or if you need to go to college at all.

Step 3: 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, psychology, and more before enrolling in the program.

Step 4: 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. Find accredited programs through the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE).

Step 5: Complete an Internship or Apprenticeship: You must work under supervision for 1-3 years before becoming licensed.

Step 6: 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

Step 7: 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.

Degree Requirements

States with lenient licensing rules may consider a certificate, diploma, or a specified amount of college coursework as sufficient education. Other states require dual licenses for embalming and funeral direction.

According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), an Associate Degree in Funeral Service Education is the most commonly required degree. However, requirements vary by state. You can check your state’s mortician requirements here.

Formal education is typically supplemented with hands-on training through an apprenticeship, internship, or residency under the guidance of an experienced mentor.

Mortuary School: What You Need to Apply

There aren’t actual mortuary schools; colleges and universities offer an associate's or bachelor's degree in funeral service or mortuary science. If your state requires a two-year associate’s degree, you must have a high school diploma or GED certificate. Other requirements might apply, such as SAT or ACT results. Four-year degree programs accept applicants with completed prerequisite coursework only. If you’re attending a public college or university in your state, show proof of residency (if applicable) to get the lower tuition cost.

Typical Coursework

Academic degrees in funeral directing require specific coursework, typically incorporating a blend of general and non-technical subjects. These programs usually mandate the completion of an internship or practicum at a funeral home. The courses encompass various areas of study, such as:

Sciences
- Microbiology
- Pathology
- Chemistry
- Anatomy
- Embalming
- Restorative art
Business and Funeral Home Management
- Funeral directing
- Accounting
- Business communications
- Computer applications for funeral service
Social Sciences
- History and sociology of funeral service
- Funeral service psychology
- Counseling
Law and Ethics
- Business law
- Business ethics
- Funeral service law
- Funeral service ethics

Consider adding electives in a foreign language, public speaking, and marketing. It is helpful to be fluent in another language, feel comfortable speaking and presenting to a group, and understand the basics of marketing for a business.

Cost of a Mortuary Degree Program

You can expect to pay an average of $23,753 for a funeral service or mortuary science undergraduate program. Many factors affect your educational costs, including:

In-state versus out-of-state tuition (public colleges and universities)
On-campus or off-campus housing
State and federal education grants, aid, or scholarships
Scholarships
Part-time versus full-time enrollment

Program Options: On-Campus, Online, and Hybrid

On-Campus Programs: On-campus mortuary science programs allow students to complete all coursework and clinical requirements in a face-to-face setting on campus. Traditional programs have fixed classes and lab hours, which may be offered during the day, afternoon, or evening, depending on location and student preference.
- Advantages: Personal interaction with instructors and fellow students, increased opportunities for communication with peers, highly structured educational environment, on-campus assistance and resources
- Disadvantages: Commuting costs in terms of time and money or housing costs, if applicable, inflexible scheduling, time away from family, work, and other obligations
Online Programs: An increasing number of students in all fields opt for online education, allowing busy adults to earn a degree from the comfort of their homes while managing family responsibilities and working full-time jobs. Numerous mortuary science programs offer online coursework options. However, all restorative arts, embalming labs, and clinicals must be completed on campus or at an approved off-campus facility.
- Advantages: Classes can be completed from anywhere with internet access, highly flexible scheduling for online components, access to technology and online resources, ability to attend school while working and caring for families
- Disadvantages: Low level of face-to-face interaction, requires a high level of student organization and motivation, restorative arts, embalming labs, and clinicals must be integrated into the student's schedule
Hybrid Programs: Hybrid programs suit many students with time constraints but are uncomfortable with fully online educational programs. These programs allow students to complete a portion of the required coursework online while also attending on-site classes for labs and clinicals. Hybrid programs offer more flexibility than traditional programs, reduce commuting needs, and provide greater interpersonal interaction than online programs.
- Advantages: Combines a high level of flexibility with opportunities for interpersonal interaction, access to online resources, reduction in commuting expenses and time
- Disadvantages: Offers less flexibility compared to fully online programs, requires a great deal of motivation and organization from students

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Mortician requirements vary widely across states, but it doesn’t have to be difficult to figure out your next steps.

Funeral service organizations, state and national professional associations, veterans groups, and private businesses offer thousands of dollars in scholarships annually. Mortuary science and funeral service students can apply for scholarships to help pay for tuition, room and board, fees, and books.

Harbeson Memorial Scholarship for Military Veterans in Mortuary Programs
Journey to Serve Academic Scholarships for Military Veterans in Mortuary Programs
Federal Pell Grant Program
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Federal Work-Study Program
The American Indian College Fund for Native American and Alaska-American Students
Thurgood Marshall College Fund
United Fund for Students Attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities

Apprenticeship

The American Board of Funeral Service Education requires future funeral directors to become an apprentice for one to three years. Some areas allow you to begin an apprenticeship before you start college. You can serve as an apprentice while enrolled and finish after graduation. Apprentices work in a funeral home and perform various jobs under the supervision of a licensed provider. Ask your high school or college advisor about apprenticeship programs near you.

National Board Exam (NBE)

The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards administers the most common test.

The NBE has two sections: arts and sciences. Each section contains 170 multiple-choice and 20 non-scored pretest computer-delivered questions. You have 170 minutes per section to answer. Some students take the arts section in one appointment and the science section in another.

The NBE arts section has six categories:
- Funeral arranging and directing
- Funeral service marketing and merchandising
- Funeral service counseling
- Legal and regulatory compliance
- Cemetery and crematory operations
- Pretest Questions (non-scored)
The NBE science section has five categories:
- Restorative art
- Preparation for disposition
- Embalming
- Funeral service sciences
- Pretest Questions (non-scored)

You must pass with a minimum grade of 75 in both sections.

Career Outlook and Salary

Finding a Job After College: Some funeral directors working today began as apprentices while pursuing their degrees or following graduation.

Some states require funeral professionals to renew their licenses yearly or every two years. It is your responsibility to know and follow your state’s CE requirements. Distance learning is available and usually the most convenient. The Academy of Professional Service Practice (APSP) is the standard-bearer for CE courses.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, funeral professionals earn an average of $58,200 annually. This national average considers length of employment, experience, and location. The states with the highest average annual salary (as of the latest data) for funeral directors include Minnesota, New Jersey, North Dakota, Connecticut, Michigan, Iowa, Illinois, Massachusetts, and New York. The states with lower average salaries include Kentucky, Arkansas, Mississippi, Tennessee, Texas, Alabama, and Vermont.

Top-Paying States for Morticians
- North Dakota - $78,710
- Delaware - $76,630
- New Hampshire - $75,330
- Minnesota - $73,890
- Iowa - $69,350

Jobs for morticians may be growing slower than others. The BLS projects that employment for morticians, undertakers, and funeral arrangers will grow 3% from 2024-2034. The same as the projected growth rate for all other occupations.

Funeral home managers earned more than other funeral service workers, at $76,830. Morticians and other funeral arrangers earned median annual wages of $49,800.

Growth Opportunities

There are many ways to expand your practice as a mortician. Consider the following:

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.

The Changing Face of the Profession

For centuries, the profession was almost exclusively male. Over the decades, more women graduated and entered the funeral profession. By 2000, female students enrolled in funeral service programs surpassed males by 51 to 49 percent. Today, over 70 percent of candidates entering funeral services degree programs are women, outnumbering men by more than double.

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