Mortuary Science & Embalming

Types of Degrees Mortuary Science & Embalming Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many mortuary science and embalming/embalmer graduations there were in 2018-2019 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Associate’s Degree	81
Basic Certificate	2

What Mortuary Science & Embalming Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to mortuary science and embalming and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Mortuary Science and Embalming Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in mortuary science and embalming should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

• Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.

Skills for Mortuary Science and Embalming Majors

A major in mortuary science and embalming prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Abilities for Mortuary Science and Embalming Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a mortuary science and embalming student include the following:

• Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
• Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Manual Dexterity - The ability to quickly move your hand, your hand together with your arm, or your two hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble objects.

Who Is Getting an Associate’s Degree in Mortuary Science & Embalming?

This major is dominated by women with about 69% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of mortuary science and embalming majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	0
Black or African American	43
Hispanic or Latino	3
White	31
International Students	1
Other Races/Ethnicities	3

Geographic Diversity

Mortuary Science and Embalming appeals to people across the globe. About 1.2% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Mortuary Science & Embalming Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Mortuary Science and Embalming majors often go into careers with median salaries of $46,640. This median refers to all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Mortuary Science & Embalming

Some degrees associated with mortuary science and embalming may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to mortuary science and embalming have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	12.6%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	51.9%
Bachelor’s Degree	35.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	0.3%

Online Mortuary Science & Embalming Programs

In 2018-2019, 6 schools offered a mortuary science and embalming program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	1	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	5	1
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	1	0
Master’s Degree	0	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Is a Degree in Mortuary Science & Embalming Worth It?

The median salary for a mortuary science and embalming grad is $46,640 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 17% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $134,800 after 20 years!

Trades Related to Mortuary Science & Embalming

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to mortuary science and embalming.

Major	Number of Grads
General Funeral Service & Mortuary Science	1,633
Funeral Direction/Service	203
Other Funeral Service & Mortuary Science	46

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.