There are a range of career options for those working in the funeral industry. Some inherit a place in the industry from working in the family funeral home or learning on the job, while others attend school and work to obtain a mortuary science degree. There are numerous benefits to obtaining this type of degree; there is much to learn about the mortuary industry and it can be challenging to learn solely on the job.
However, the decision to get the degree depends on a person’s career aspirations. Professionals in the industry with a mortuary science degree can expect a median salary of $44,000 annually. However, this will range depending on the type of home or company for which the person works, other perks and benefits associated with the position (which might take the place of a higher rate of pay), geographic location and years of experience. For example, someone graduating with a mortuary science degree and several years of experience under their belt will obviously net more annually in terms of salary than someone graduating with this degree with no on-the-job experience.
For this reason, students are often encouraged to seek internships or apprenticeships while in mortuary science school to gain some kind of experience that they can use to find a job upon graduation. While, as in most industries, even with a degree you have to start at the bottom, the fact that you hold this degree means that you are on the road to achieving higher positions – and corresponding salaries – over the years. In fact, most people that attend school to obtain a mortuary science degree do so with the professional aspiration of becoming a funeral director. And if you start your own funeral home, you obviously have a higher earning potential ultimately, than someone that has this degree but continues to manage the home of another individual or for a larger company or corporation.
Like most other forms of higher education, pursuing a mortuary science degree can be costly endeavor, but the return on this educational investment is great as you have the ability to start out making more and increase your annual salary as you gain more experience in the field. Getting experience while in school is another key element in ensuring that upon graduation, you have great job opportunities and better salary expectations from a position in the industry.
