For one, the unemployment rate is low.
For another, theres always a need.
And, it is one of the careers that does not require a bachelors degree that still pays well.
The National Funeral Directors Association is your go-to source forstate-by-state detailsof working in the funeral industry.
Funeral directors make an average of $55,000 a year.
Thats the average and some directors with more experience bring in more than $70,000.
The funeral industry is estimated to be worth$16 billionin the United States in 2021.
Read on to find out how to become a mortician.
The Difference Between a Mortician and Funeral Director
First, lets clarify some terms.
What are the differences between mortician, funeral director, embalmer and undertaker?
They have similar roles but slightly different duties.
No Interest Til Almost 2027?
The winner wasmortician, a made-up word and thank goodness for Morticia Addams, right?
Now, the industry uses funeral director for the person arranging the funeral service.
Most funeral directors are licensed morticians and embalmers.
They have studied mortuary science and prepare bodies, but they also arrange the other aspects of funeral services.
Funeral directors deal directly with the clients.
An embalmer can work for a funeral home, but also elsewhere medical schools, hospitals, and morgues.
They mainly prepare bodies, and dont work with clients.
What Does a Funeral Director Do?
Funeral directors deal with both the living and the dead.
Funeral directors arrange for moving the body to the funeral home.
They file the paperwork for death certificates, obituaries, and other legal matters.
Funeral services are difficult times for people.
The funeral director needs to have compassion for people navigating their pain and sorrow.
The funeral director guides the grieving through the decisions that have to be made for the funeral service.
The Changing Funeral Business
Most funeral homes areindependently owned.
In recent years, morewomen are graduatingin mortuary science.
you might find mortuary science stars on social media, including the popular YouTube channel,Ask a Mortician.
There are funeral directors TikTok videos, andmortician AMAs(ask me anything) on Reddit.
Ohio and Minnesota are the only two states that require a bachelors degree to be a funeral home director.
Colorado does not have any education requirements, but licenses funeral homes instead.
Kentucky doesnt license funeral directors but does license embalmers.
If you were also thinking about joining the military, theNavyis the only service branch with its own morticians.
There may also be a criminal background check.
Having a criminal record doesnt mean you cant become a mortician.
You also have to submit proof of U.S. citizenship or permanent residency.
you’re free to also study for and take the national funeral service education board exam.
The pathways to these two types of exams can be different.
you’re free to only take the National BoardExam if you have a degree from an accredited program.
Some states allow you to take the state exam even if your program is not accredited.
The exams are the same.
It is just more difficult to practice in a different state if you havent attended an accredited program.
Most states have easier reciprocity requirements to transfer your practice if you have taken the national board exam.
There are courses which cover death traditions from many cultures and the history of funerals.
Science classes may cover embalming theory and labs, anatomy, physiology, public health, and pathology.
There are chemistry and biology courses, and also usually psychology courses on grief and bereavement training.
There are usually classes covering legal and ethical issues that a certified funeral service practitioner will face.
Then there will be costs associated with taking exams and getting a license.
In-state public schools may cost between $5,000-$8,500.
Private, out of state tuition might be almost $20,000.
It seems like a great investment, since unemployment for funeral directors is extremely low.
Exam
TheNational BoardExamhas two sections, arts and sciences.
Each one costs $285.
There are practice exams that you’re free to take, which are free.
In Florida, the state funeral service examining boards charge $132 for exams.
Maine charges $75 plus $21 for a criminal background check.
Texas charges $89.
Some states have two separate exams one for funeral services and the other for embalming.
Licenses
This is another area with variation.
Maines is $230, and Texas costs $175 plus $93 for the app.
Funeral Director as Entrepreneur
The funeral industry has been changing rapidly over the last few years.
Cremations have increased and burials decreased.
That includes memorials, services, and burials.
Florida lists 16 separate individual and business licenses for funeral home-related activities.
They also have sales people working on pre-need arrangements.
Some funeral homes feature pet burials and have special jobs related to that.
Funeral directors average $55,000 annually.
Managing a funeral home pays a median salary of $74,000.
Mortuary transport drivers average over $35,000.
It is a field with very low unemployment.
There are funeral directors, embalmers, mortuary transport drivers, and funeral service arrangers.
There are also typical office jobs, such as administrative assistant and bookkeepers.
There are also related jobs at crematoriums, hospitals, and mortuaries.
The Penny Hoarder contributor JoEllen Schilke writes on lifestyle and culture topics.
