Funeral Service and Mortuary Science at FINE Mortuary College

FINE Mortuary College graduates enter the workforce earning $52,580—nearly $8,000 above the national median for funeral service programs and placing this in the 95th percentile nationally. That's impressive performance. But here's the Massachusetts reality: with only three programs in the state, FINE sits at the 60th percentile among local options, and the $34,677 in median debt is substantially higher than the $20,000 national norm for these programs.

The debt burden matters more than it might initially appear. While a 0.66 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable by most standards, funeral service is a stable but modest-earning field. Graduates are paying premium tuition (nearly 75% above typical program costs) for outcomes that are strong nationally but middle-of-the-pack locally. The 7% earnings growth to $56,293 by year four is modest, meaning that debt will represent a larger share of income for longer than in programs with steeper earning trajectories.

For families weighing this investment, the calculation comes down to geography and alternatives. If your child is committed to funeral service and plans to stay in Massachusetts, FINE delivers solid—not exceptional—results at above-average cost. The high Pell grant percentage (47%) suggests the school serves many price-sensitive students, so families should carefully model repayment scenarios. A $35,000 debt load on a $53,000 starting salary is workable, but leaves less margin for error than lower-cost alternatives in other states might offer.