Funeral Service & Mortuary Scienceat Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Graduates earn $33,688/yr in their first year — about 31.0% below the national Funeral Service & Mortuary Science average. Base-case 10-year earnings $578K; scenarios range from $545K to $580K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Your earning potential in funeral service from SIU-Carbondale reflects the realities of practicing in smaller, often rural, communities. Unlike programs situated in major metropolitan areas with higher-volume operations and associated costs, graduates here frequently begin their careers in family-owned funeral homes across Southern Illinois and surrounding states. This regional focus often means stable, essential work, but with starting salaries that align with local economic conditions rather than national averages. The program excels at preparing you for the full spectrum of the profession, from embalming to grief counseling, fostering the deep community ties essential in this field. To maximize your financial trajectory, actively network during your studies and consider gaining initial experience locally before exploring opportunities in larger urban markets, where demand and compensation structures can differ significantly.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Funeral Service & Mortuary Science
How Southern Illinois University-Carbondale stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Consider the trade route
Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Funeral Service & Mortuary Science offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.
Compare Funeral Service & Mortuary Science trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Funeral Service & Mortuary Science at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
What does a 34/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Funeral Service & Mortuary Science at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale?
At 34/100, the financial outlook is modest. Higher-scoring Funeral Service & Mortuary Science programs exist, though non-financial factors may justify this choice.
Is Southern Illinois University-Carbondale a good choice for Funeral Service & Mortuary Science despite lower starting pay?
Starting salary is one data point. If Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's tuition is significantly below average, the ROI calculation can still work — lower earnings paired with lower costs can be a reasonable trade.