Mortuary Career Statistics
- The median annual earnings for funeral directors in 2002 were $43,380.
- The middle 50% earned between $33,540 and $58,140.
- The highest 10% earned more than $84,060.
- The top 10% earned more than $84,060.
- There were about 24,000 funeral directors in 2002.
- About 11% were self-employed.
- Funeral directors in larger cities typically earn more than those in small towns or rural areas.
- Mortuary science students sometimes have to relocate to find their first job.
- The American Board of Funeral Service Education is the accrediting body for about 50 mortuary science programs.
- Mortuary science is offered at community colleges (2-year programs) and colleges or universities (2- or 4-year programs).
- Continuing education programs are offered by several state and national associations. More than thirty states require funeral directors to take continuing education courses.
- Most states require mortuary science students to complete an apprenticeship, which usually lasts 1 to 3 years.
- Important qualities include tact, compassion and good communication skills.
- Funeral directors and embalmers MUST be licensed.
- Cremation is becoming increasingly popular, since it is usually cheaper.
- In 2000, 26% of all final dispositions were cremations.
- Funeral directors must be very familiar with the funeral and burial customs of different cultures and religions.
- The U.S. rate of deaths per population is now at approximately 8.4%. This number is expected to continue to decrease until about 2020 or 2030, when an increase of a percentage point or two a year is expected. The rate of death by 2080 could be 13.05% in this country. (National Center for Health Statistics and the Population Division, U.S. Census Bureau)
