Funeral Service and Mortuary Science at Arapahoe Community College

Arapahoe Community College graduates in funeral service earn substantially more than the national median—outperforming 95% of similar programs nationwide in first-year earnings. That's impressive positioning for an associate degree, and the $22,675 debt load is actually lower than most competing programs. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.45 means graduates owe less than half their first-year salary, which is manageable territory for this field.

The catch is significant: earnings drop 22% by year four, from $51,000 to under $40,000. This isn't uncommon in funeral service—the field has limited advancement paths without business ownership, and many graduates work variable hours early in their careers before settling into steadier but lower-paying roles. Still, that decline deserves attention. Since this is Colorado's only funeral service program, you can't comparison shop locally, but the school's 60th percentile ranking among Colorado programs (likely comparing to national data) suggests it's competitive if not exceptional.

For families considering this path, the program delivers solid entry into a stable profession without crushing debt. Just understand that the strong starting salary may not last, so financial planning should account for potentially lower mid-career earnings. The investment makes sense if your student is committed to the profession, but the earnings trajectory means they shouldn't count on income growth in their twenties.