In most states, yes, you need an approved funeral service or mortuary science degree to become a fully licensed mortician, funeral director, embalmer, or combined funeral service licensee. The common path is an ABFSE-accredited associate’s degree, followed by apprenticeship, exams, and a state license.
The confusing part is that you may be able to work in funeral service before earning that degree. Funeral attendant, removal technician, administrative, crematory, or apprentice-style support roles can exist before full licensure, but those roles are not the same as being an independently licensed mortician.
Quick Answer: Do You Need a Degree to Be a Mortician?
Most new entrants should assume they need an ABFSE-accredited funeral service or mortuary science degree before they can qualify for a full mortician, embalmer, funeral director, or combined funeral service license. State rules vary, but the standard education requirement is usually an associate’s degree plus supervised practice and licensing exams.
Use this page only for the degree question. For the full eligibility checklist, read the Mortician Requirements checklist. For the full sequence from school to license, use the How to Become a Mortician step-by-step guide.
| Question | Practical answer |
|---|---|
| Do you need a degree to be a mortician? | Usually yes for a full license. |
| What degree do you need? | Usually an ABFSE-accredited associate’s degree in funeral service or mortuary science. |
| Is a bachelor’s degree required? | Usually no; it may help for management, ownership, or broader career goals. |
| Can you work before the degree? | Often yes in support or apprentice roles, but the work may not count toward licensure. |
| Who decides the rule? | The state funeral service licensing board. |
What Degree Do You Need?
The standard degree is an associate’s degree in funeral service or mortuary science from an ABFSE-accredited program. Programs typically cover embalming, restorative art, anatomy, pathology, funeral service law, ethics, business operations, grief communication, and state/federal regulations.
The degree is not only an employer preference. In many states, it is part of the legal path to sit for the National Board Exam, register apprenticeship or internship credit, and apply for a full license.
Before you choose a school, compare programs in the School Finder and verify that the program satisfies the state where you plan to work.
Is an Associate’s Degree Enough?
For most entry-level licensing paths, yes. An associate’s degree is the normal baseline for mortuary science or funeral service education. A bachelor’s degree can be useful if you want management, ownership, corporate funeral service roles, or broader business training, but it is not the default requirement for becoming licensed.
The smarter planning question is not “associate or bachelor’s” by itself. It is whether the degree, tuition, apprenticeship timing, and local salary work together in your target state.
| Education path | When it makes sense | Main caution |
|---|---|---|
| Associate’s degree | You want the normal licensing route with lower time and cost. | Still verify ABFSE status and state acceptance. |
| Bachelor’s degree | You want management, ownership, or a broader academic path. | It may add cost without raising starting pay much. |
| Prior college credits | You are changing careers and may transfer general education credits. | Funeral service coursework is still required. |
| No degree | You want support work or to test the field first. | Usually not enough for full independent licensure. |
Can You Work in Funeral Service Without the Degree?
Often, yes. You may be able to work as a funeral attendant, transfer or removal technician, administrative assistant, crematory worker, cemetery worker, or general support employee before completing mortuary school.
That can be a good way to test whether the work fits you before you spend tuition. The risk is assuming the job automatically counts as official apprenticeship credit. State boards often require proper registration, approved supervision, and specific case documentation before work counts toward a license.
For that narrower route, read Can You Become a Mortician Without a Degree? and Can You Be a Mortician Apprentice Without School?.
What Changes by State?
State rules control the final answer. The state may define separate funeral director, embalmer, apprentice, intern, resident trainee, or combined license categories. It may also decide:
- whether ABFSE accreditation is required;
- whether apprenticeship can start during school;
- whether a state law exam is required;
- whether a separate embalmer license is needed;
- how old you must be for full licensure;
- how background checks are handled;
- whether continuing education is required after licensing.
Start with Mortician License Requirements by State before enrolling. If your chosen school and chosen state do not line up, the degree may not move you toward licensure as cleanly as you expect.
When a Bachelor’s Degree May Be Worth It
A bachelor’s degree may make sense if you are aiming beyond an entry-level licensed role. It can help with funeral home management, ownership planning, corporate operations, compliance, merchandising, pre-need sales, or future graduate study.
It is less compelling if your only goal is to qualify for a first license as quickly and affordably as possible. For many students, the better financial sequence is associate’s degree, apprenticeship, license, work experience, and then targeted business or management training later if needed.
Use the Career ROI Calculator before you choose a higher-cost degree path.
How to Decide Before You Enroll
Use this order:
- Choose the state where you plan to work.
- Check that state’s education, apprenticeship, exam, and age rules.
- Confirm whether an ABFSE-accredited program is required.
- Compare program cost, completion rate, debt, and location.
- Estimate local salary with the Salary Calculator.
- Ask local funeral homes whether apprenticeships are available.
Do not start with the closest school alone. The state license rules decide whether the school choice works.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do you need a degree to be a funeral director?
Usually yes, but the answer depends on the state and license type. Some states separate funeral director and embalmer paths; others use a combined funeral service license. Check the state board before assuming one degree path covers every role.
Can you become a mortician with only a high school diploma?
Usually not for a full modern license. A high school diploma may qualify you for support work or entry into a mortuary science program, but most full license paths require approved postsecondary funeral service education.
Does the degree have to be ABFSE-accredited?
In many states, yes. ABFSE accreditation is the standard signal that the funeral service or mortuary science program meets licensing education expectations. Always confirm with your state board before enrolling.
Is online mortuary school accepted?
Some online or hybrid programs can be acceptable if they are properly accredited and meet the state’s rules. Lab, embalming, clinical, or apprenticeship components may still require in-person work.
Next Step
If you are still comparing options, use this sequence:
- How to Become a Mortician for the full path.
- Mortician Requirements checklist for education, age, exams, licensing, background checks, and renewal rules.
- License Requirements by State for state rules.
- School Finder for ABFSE-accredited program comparison.
Data Sources and Method
- ABFSE: accredited funeral service and mortuary science program context.
- State licensing boards: education and apprenticeship rule variation summarized in the licensing hub.
- BLS and O*NET: occupational education, wage, and work-context data used across the site.
- Method: this page separates full licensure from support roles, then points users to the state board and program comparison step before enrollment.
- Limits: final licensing and school acceptance decisions must be verified with the official state board and school.