Wayne State Mortuary Science Program Prepares Next Generation of Funeral Directors

A growing gap in Michigan’s funeral service workforce

Michigan’s funeral industry is facing a looming labor shortage as a wave of retirements and an aging population create a surge in demand for end-of-life services.

While the state currently maintains 1,889 licensed funeral directors across 666 funeral homes, Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs data shows industry demographics will change over the next decade.

Wayne State University has emerged as a primary engine for addressing this shortage. Since 1939, the university has remained the only institution in Michigan to offer a degree in mortuary science, making its program a vital pipeline for the state’s workforce, as reported by Wayne State University.

The necessity of the role extends beyond technical proficiency. Students like Caroline Orban, a second-year part-time student in the program, emphasize that the career requires a delicate balance of clinical skill and emotional intelligence. In a recent Restorative Art class led by Professor Rebecca Peters, Orban worked on a clay sculpture to hone the precision required for funeral service.

“You can read something a hundred times, you can go through a bunch of slides and learn everything there is to know about embalming,” Orban said. “But at the end of the day, you need to be able to do the embalming to really understand and be able to apply those things.”

The demographic pressure on funeral homes

The timing of this workforce challenge is not coincidental. As the Baby Boomer generation ages, the frequency of deaths is expected to increase, placing more pressure on the existing infrastructure of funeral homes. Mark Evely, who serves as the chair of Wayne State’s Department of Applied Health Sciences and directs the mortuary science program, notes that this need will likely become more pronounced in the coming years.

Mortuary Science at Wayne State University [Full Version]

Interestingly, the profession does not occupy a spot on the Michigan Center for Data and Analytics’ 2026 Hot 50 Job Outlook list. Despite this, Evely points out that funeral homes continue to struggle with recruiting qualified professionals to replace those who are retiring.

The scale of the program’s impact is reflected in its recent growth. Enrollment has climbed to approximately 110 students, up from roughly 40 students enrolled a decade ago. The program currently graduates between 40 and 50 students every year, offering both full-time and part-time paths to accommodate working professionals.

The economic landscape for these graduates is relatively stable. Evely estimates that starting salaries for funeral directors typically range from $55,000 to $60,000 at smaller establishments, though larger firms generally offer higher compensation. Nearly 80% of graduates choose to remain and work within Michigan.

Beyond the funeral parlor

While many students aim for traditional roles in funeral homes, the scope of a mortuary science degree is broader than many realize. The bachelor’s degree offered by Wayne State meets the educational requirements for licensure in Michigan and every other state, providing a portable credential for a diverse range of careers.

Graduates often find themselves in roles outside of direct funeral directing, including:

Medical examiner offices
Organ procurement organizations
Manufacturing companies that supply embalming chemicals and funeral industry products

This versatility is driven by the program’s deep ties to the industry. Evely, a 2004 graduate of the program, maintains a dual role as both an academic leader and a practicing funeral director in metro Detroit. This connection ensures the curriculum remains aligned with the practical needs of modern funeral homes.

For Orban, who already works part-time at Harry J. Will Funeral Homes in Livonia, the transition from theory to practice has been the most transformative element of her education. She suggests that anyone considering the field should seek out firsthand experience through internships or employment before committing to the career path.

The reliance on Wayne State graduates is so pervasive that Evely suggests it is rare to find a funeral home in Michigan that does not employ at least one alumnus of the program.

As the industry prepares for the demographic shifts of the next decade, the ability to produce compassionate, highly trained professionals remains the central challenge for Michigan’s death care sector.