60% of Funeral Directors Are Nearing Retirement and There Are Not Enough Students to Replace Them

More than 60% of licensed funeral directors nationwide are approaching retirement age, but mortuary science programs produce far fewer graduates than needed to replace them. The BLS projects about 5,800 annual openings for funeral service workers through 2034, but accredited mortuary science programs (approximately 60 nationwide) collectively graduate a fraction of that number. The structural cause is a compounding pipeline problem: the profession's social stigma, mandatory 2-4 year degree requirement, 1-3 year apprenticeship, modest starting salary (~$39,000), and grueling on-call hours make it unattractive compared to other careers requiring similar education. Meanwhile, the shift from family-run businesses to first-generation funeral directors means fewer young people grow up exposed to the profession. Some mortuary science programs, like those at Mid-America College, have closed or restructured. The result is a workforce cliff that will force consolidation of independent homes and reduce access to funeral services in rural communities.