Best Value Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Colleges

Funeral Service and Mortuary Science programs show remarkable cost variation, with Cypress College charging just $4,683 while University of Rio Grande reaches $29,541. Public institutions dominate the value market, particularly University of Minnesota-Twin Cities, where graduates earn $44,244 annually against a net cost of $17,139. The field benefits from stable employment demand across aging populations, with funeral homes and crematories providing consistent career paths. California leads community college accessibility through Cypress College, while Midwestern schools like Minnesota and Southern Illinois offer full four-year pathways into mortuary management and funeral directing roles.

Programs

$4,683 – $29,541

Net Price Range

$36,915

Avg. Program Earnings

54.9%

Avg. Graduation Rate

11 Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	University of Minnesota-Twin Cities Minneapolis, Minnesota	$17,139	$44,244	$16,488	84.8%	74.9%
2	SUNY College of Technology at Canton Canton, New York	$15,001	$38,289	$8,689	44.1%	94.9%
3	University of Central Oklahoma Edmond, Oklahoma	$18,990	$41,789	$8,522	37.5%	69.9%
4	Southern Illinois University-Carbondale Carbondale, Illinois	$16,177	$25,194	$13,244	56.3%	91.5%
5	Point Park University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$24,791	$35,060	$38,160	59.6%	82.1%
6	Cypress College Cypress, California	$4,683		$1,150	35.1%
7	Mid-America College of Funeral Service Jeffersonville, Indiana	$25,456		$19,800	55.7%
8	University of Iowa Iowa City, Iowa	$21,398		$10,964	73.1%	86.0%
9	Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan	$14,773		$14,297	56.5%	75.3%
10	University of Rio Grande Rio Grande, Ohio	$29,541		$20,560	32.2%
11	Gannon University Erie, Pennsylvania	$23,206		$37,951	69.5%	80.9%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the 530% cost difference between the most and least expensive programs?

Cypress College operates as a California community college with minimal tuition at $1,150 in-state, while University of Rio Grande charges private nonprofit rates at $20,560. Public institutions like Wayne State University and SUNY Canton maintain middle-ground pricing around $14,000-$15,000 net cost.

How do graduation rates correlate with program costs in mortuary science?

University of Minnesota leads with 84.80% graduation rates despite moderate $17,139 costs, while expensive University of Rio Grande shows only 32.20% completion. Mid-range public schools like Southern Illinois achieve 56.30% graduation rates at $16,177 net cost.

Does geographic location affect earning potential for funeral service graduates?

Minnesota graduates command the highest salaries at $44,244, followed by University of Central Oklahoma at $41,789. Southern Illinois shows the lowest earnings at $25,194, suggesting regional economic factors influence mortuary science compensation significantly.

Where can students find the lowest debt burden for funeral service education?

Mid-America College of Funeral Service produces graduates with just $12,500 median debt, while Wayne State University averages $15,011. University of Minnesota graduates carry $15,540 debt but offset this with industry-leading $44,244 starting salaries.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.