Mortuary science, commonly referred to as funeral services, is a unique and highly-rewarding career path. Funeral service workers have the opportunity to make an incredible impact in the lives of grieving families, providing counseling, empathy, and planning services when they need it most. In addition to being scientists, funeral service workers are simultaneously business managers, event planners, and human service professionals. And they are needed across the country.

If you are interested in a funeral services career in Connecticut, you may be interested in the employment outlook (and salary potential) for this industry. These are important statistics to weigh before beginning any career path. Fortunately for you, the funeral service job outlook is bright.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the funeral service industry is expected to see strong job prospects overall. Across the United States, funeral service workers can look forward to employment growth of about four percent, which aligns with the current average for all occupations. By the year 2028, the BLS anticipates that 2,000 new job openings will be added to the funeral service field.

There are a couple different contributors leading to this demand. As mentioned above, the population is aging at a significantly faster rate. According to a recent Census survey, all baby boomers will be older than age 65 (retirement age) by the year 2030. And for the first time in U.S. history, the number of elderly people will exceed the number of children in our population within the next 15 years.

As baby boomers reach retirement age, many will begin pre-arranging their end of life services. These pre-arrangements offer aging adults a stress-free way to ensure their wishes are met in the final stage of life. It also takes the burden off family members who would otherwise arrange the funeral services.

In addition, the baby boomers currently working in the funeral service industry will soon be retiring. Some job openings will result from this need to replace retiring morticians and funeral managers.

The job outlook for mortuary science careers will vary by position. Below we’ve provided the anticipated job outlook for common titles in funeral service:

Funeral Service Manager Job Outlook

Funeral Service Managers will have the brightest career outlook among funeral service workers, with an expected five percent growth in employment (1,200 job openings) by the year 2028. Funeral Service Managers are responsible for overseeing the general operations of the funeral home business. They may plan budgets, allocate resources, manage staff, as well as handle PR and marketing efforts.

Funeral Service Director and Mortician Job Outlook

Funeral directors and morticians plan the details of a funeral — either helping to pre-arrange end-of-life services with an individual, or working with grieving families to plan the memorial. Across the United States, morticians and funeral directors can expect employment to grow about three percent (800 job openings) within the next eight years.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, opportunities will be greatest for those who are licensed as both a funeral director and an embalmer, who are certified crematory operators, as well as for those willing to relocate for a job.

What Do Job Prospects Look Like in Connecticut?

Among all 50 states, Connecticut is ranked the top-paying, highest-compensating region for funeral directors, undertakers, and morticians. According to the CT Department of Labor, the average annual salary for funeral directors statewide is currently over $165,000 per year, which translates to almost $85 an hour. If you are studying to become a funeral director in Connecticut, you can rest assured you will find significant earning potential (plus great personal reward) in this occupation.

One thing to note is that, in Connecticut, funeral service jobs may be competitive. With such a promising salary for funeral service workers, and about 310 funeral directors employed throughout the state, you will need to find ways to stand out against the crowd. With the right education, experience, and certifications under your belt, however, this is very possible.

Learn how to become a stand-out funeral director here.

An associate degree in funeral service or mortuary science is the standard requirement in this industry today. In addition to having two formal years of education, employers also seek applicants who have completed supervised training in the field, and passed the state licensing examination.

Goodwin University is a recognized mortuary science school in Connecticut, offering a comprehensive training program for aspiring morticians and funeral directors. Through our associate degree program, we will position you to become a funeral service worker in as few as 24 months. With a mortuary science degree in hand, you can go onto pursue successful careers as a:

• At-need or pre-need consultant
• Embalmer
• Funeral service director
• Funeral service practitioner
• Mortician
• Mortuary transporter

Are you ready to get started in this growing field? With the millions of Americans aging in the next decade, now is the time to begin your training in funeral service. Learn more about the mortuary science program at Goodwin by calling 800-889-3292 today.