How to become a funeral home manager

Management · SOC 11-9171

How you get in

Not an entry-level job: it usually takes a degree plus years of related work.

1. Associate's degree
2. Less than 5 years of experience in a related job
3. Work as a funeral home manager

Programs that lead to this job

These are the federal program codes (CIP) that the Department of Education maps to this occupation, and how many US colleges, community colleges or trade schools report awarding credentials in each.

See the 65 schools that offer these programs →

Common questions

How long does it take to become a funeral home manager?

Typically about two years for the degree, then less than 5 years of related work first. That is the usual route rather than a rule — people arrive by other paths all the time.

How much do funeral home managers make?

The US median is $78,790 a year, meaning half earn more and half less. Pay varies widely by state, employer and experience.

Do you need a degree to become a funeral home manager?

Yes, and employers also expect years of related experience first.

Where can you train to become a funeral home manager?

65 US colleges, community colleges and trade schools award credentials in a matching program. See which ones →

Pay and growth are national figures. What you earn depends on where you work, your employer and your experience, and these are projections rather than promises. Education requirements describe how most people enter the job, not a rule — plenty of people take another route.

Pay, growth, openings and entry requirements: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections 2025–35. Program-to-occupation mapping: NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk (2020/2018). School counts: IPEDS completions, 2022–23.

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