“Is becoming a mortician worth it?” is a question with a financial answer and a personal answer. This page focuses on the financial case — the numbers, the trade-offs, and what the data actually shows about long-term earning potential in funeral service.
The short answer: it depends heavily on your state, your career trajectory, and whether you’re comparing it to alternatives that require similar education.
2-Minute Version
- Education cost: ~$15,000–$40,000 for an ABFSE-accredited associate’s degree (2 years)
- Starting salary: $31,470–$38,470 (BLS P10–P25)
- Median salary: $49,800 (BLS 2024) — exactly at the national median for all occupations
- Management track: $76,830 median for funeral home managers — the clearest path to significantly higher pay
- Job stability: 3% growth through 2034, ~5,800 annual openings — stable but not growing fast
- The honest trade-off: Average pay, irregular hours, high emotional demands, and a clear ceiling unless you pursue management or ownership
The Financial Case: Education ROI
What it costs to become a mortician
| Cost Component | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| ABFSE-accredited associate’s degree | $15,000–$40,000 |
| Books and supplies | $1,000–$3,000 |
| Licensing fees (NBE + state exam) | $500–$1,500 |
| Apprenticeship (usually paid, but low wage) | — |
| Total investment | ~$17,000–$45,000 |
Community college mortuary science programs tend to be on the lower end ($15,000–$25,000). Private institutions run higher. The 2-year timeline means you’re out of the workforce for 2 years, plus 1–3 years of apprenticeship at reduced wages.
Payback period
At a starting salary of $38,470 (BLS P25) and an education cost of $30,000:
- If you would have otherwise earned $35,000/year without the degree, the net annual gain is ~$3,470
- Payback period: ~8–9 years at that differential
- At the median ($49,800) vs. a $40,000 alternative: ~$9,800/year gain, payback in ~3 years
The ROI improves significantly if you reach the management track ($76,830 median), where the annual premium over a non-licensed alternative is $30,000+.
Salary Trajectory: What to Expect Over a Career
Entry to mid-career (0–10 years)
| Stage | Typical Pay | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Apprentice | $25,000–$35,000 | Below licensed rate, supervised |
| Licensed (0–2 years) | $31,470–$38,470 | BLS P10–P25 |
| Early career (2–5 years) | $45,000–$55,000 | Approaching median |
| Mid-career (5–10 years) | $50,000–$65,000 | PayScale data |
The experience curve (PayScale data)
| Experience | Estimated Total Pay |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | $48,796 |
| 1–4 years | $51,456 |
| 5–9 years | $53,443 |
| 10–19 years | $62,907 |
| 20+ years | $71,814 |
Total pay increases 47% from entry to 20+ years. However, most of that gain comes from bonuses and profit-sharing — not base salary increases. Base salary alone increases only about 3% across the same range (Salary.com data).
Implication: If you stay in a salaried position without pursuing management or ownership, your pay growth will be modest. The real gains come from moving into management or developing a profit-sharing arrangement.
The management track changes the math
| Role | Median Salary | Years to Reach |
|---|---|---|
| Licensed Mortician | $49,800 | 0 |
| Senior Mortician | ~$55,000–$65,000 | 3–7 years |
| Funeral Home Manager | $76,830 | 8–15 years |
| Funeral Home Owner | Varies widely | 15+ years |
The management track adds $27,030/year at the median — and the gap widens at higher percentiles. Over a 20-year career, the difference between staying as a mortician vs. reaching management is roughly $400,000–$600,000 in cumulative earnings.
Job Stability: The Real Picture
What “stable” actually means
BLS projects 3% growth from 2024 to 2034 — slightly below the 4% national average. This sounds modest, but the more important number is ~5,800 annual openings.
With 27,500 total employed morticians and 5,800 openings per year, roughly 1 in 5 positions turns over annually. Most openings come from retirements and career changers leaving the field — not net new positions.
What this means practically:
- Finding a job after licensing is generally not difficult in most markets
- High-density states (Iowa, Ohio, Kentucky) have consistent openings
- Urban markets in low-density states (California, Texas) are more competitive
- The field is recession-resistant — death doesn’t follow economic cycles
The cremation headwind
The cremation rate in the U.S. now exceeds 60% and continues to rise. Cremation typically requires less preparation work than traditional burial, which reduces per-case labor demand. This is the primary reason growth is 3% rather than higher.
The counterargument: Even as cremation rises, families increasingly want personalized memorial services — which still require professional coordination. The work is shifting, not disappearing.
The Non-Financial Trade-offs
Any honest assessment of “is it worth it” has to include the non-financial factors:
What makes it hard
Irregular hours: Death doesn’t follow a schedule. On-call nights, weekends, and holidays are standard. Most positions require 24/7 availability for removals.
Emotional demands: Working with grieving families daily is emotionally taxing. The field has higher-than-average rates of compassion fatigue and burnout, particularly in the first 5 years.
Physical demands: Body preparation is physically demanding work — lifting, standing for long periods, exposure to chemicals (formaldehyde, disinfectants).
Limited upward mobility without management: If you stay in a preparation-focused role, pay growth is slow. The ceiling for a non-management mortician is roughly $67,140 (BLS P75) to $85,940 (P90).
What makes it sustainable
Meaningful work: Consistently cited as the primary reason people stay in funeral service. Helping families through their worst moments has genuine psychological value that doesn’t show up in salary data.
Job security: The combination of licensing requirements and consistent demand creates real job security. Licensed morticians are rarely laid off.
Community standing: Funeral directors are respected community figures in most markets, particularly in smaller towns and rural areas.
Entrepreneurship path: Funeral home ownership is a viable path to significantly higher income. The industry has a strong tradition of owner-operators.
Compared to Similar Education Paths
Is $49,800 median good for a 2-year degree? Here’s the context:
| Occupation | Typical Education | Median Salary | Job Growth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mortician | Associate’s (2 yr) | $49,800 | 3% |
| Dental Hygienist | Associate’s (2 yr) | $81,400 | 9% |
| Radiation Therapist | Associate’s (2 yr) | $89,530 | 2% |
| Paralegal | Associate’s (2 yr) | $59,200 | 4% |
| Respiratory Therapist | Associate’s (2 yr) | $70,540 | 13% |
| All occupations | — | $49,500 | 4% |
Mortician pay is at the national median for all occupations — which is average for a 2-year degree. Dental hygiene and respiratory therapy offer significantly higher pay for similar education investment. However, those fields don’t offer the same entrepreneurship path or the same job density in rural markets.
The honest comparison: If maximizing income from a 2-year degree is your primary goal, dental hygiene or respiratory therapy are stronger financial choices. If you’re drawn to funeral service specifically — the work, the community role, the entrepreneurship path — the financial case is reasonable but not exceptional.
Who Should Become a Mortician (Financially)
The financial case is strongest if:
- You’re in or willing to relocate to a high-paying state (Delaware, Minnesota, Iowa, New York)
- You’re committed to the management track (targeting $76,830+ median)
- You’re interested in eventual ownership (highest earning potential)
- You’re comparing it to other 2-year degree options, not 4-year degree careers
- You value job stability and recession resistance over income growth
The financial case is weaker if:
- You’re primarily motivated by income and have other options
- You’re in a low-paying state (Texas, Arkansas, Arizona) without plans to relocate
- You want predictable 9-to-5 hours and work-life balance
- You’re comparing it to 4-year degree careers in healthcare or technology
Frequently Asked Questions
Is mortician a good career financially?
At the median ($49,800), it’s exactly average — right at the national median for all occupations. The financial case improves significantly with the management track ($76,830 median) or ownership. For a 2-year degree, it’s competitive but not exceptional compared to dental hygiene or respiratory therapy.
How long until a mortician makes good money?
“Good money” depends on your definition. Reaching the national median ($49,800) typically takes 2–5 years of licensed experience. Reaching $65,000–$75,000 typically requires 8–12 years or a move into management. Six figures is achievable through management, ownership, or top-paying states.
Is the job market good for morticians?
Stable, not booming. BLS projects 3% growth through 2034 with ~5,800 annual openings. The openings are mostly from retirements and turnover, not net new positions. In high-density states (Iowa, Ohio), finding work after licensing is straightforward. In competitive urban markets, it takes longer.
What’s the biggest financial risk of becoming a mortician?
Getting stuck in a low-paying state or a non-management role without a clear path to advancement. The P25 ($38,470) is genuinely low for a licensed professional. The risk is spending 5–10 years in a role that pays below what your education investment warrants.
Make the Financial Case Concrete
If you’re evaluating this career, the Mortician Salary Toolkit gives you the full picture — every state’s salary percentiles, COL-adjusted real purchasing power, and the negotiation tools to maximize your pay once you’re licensed.
One-time download, $24.99. See what’s included →
Data Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2024 — SOC 39-4031 salary percentiles and employment data
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook 2024–2034 — job growth projections
- PayScale — experience curve and total compensation data (111 responses, 2025)
- Salary.com — base salary growth by experience (2026)
- ABFSE — program cost data
→ See also: How Much Do Morticians Make? | How to Become a Mortician | Mortician Job Outlook | Mortician Salary by State