Funeral Service and Mortuary Science at Ivy Tech Community College

Ivy Tech's funeral service program sits in an unusual position: it underperforms the national median by roughly $7,000 annually, yet among Indiana's three funeral service programs, it's the middle option. With median debt of just $13,219—well below both the national median ($20,000) and state median ($15,625)—the financial risk here is genuinely modest, though that comes with an asterisk about the small graduate sample size.

The practical picture is straightforward. At $37,506 in first-year earnings and a 0.35 debt-to-earnings ratio, graduates can realistically manage their loan payments. Four years out, earnings edge up to $39,244, suggesting steady rather than explosive income growth—typical for this field. If your child is comparing Indiana options, Vincennes University shows stronger earnings ($44,581), but Ivy Tech's lower debt partly offsets that gap. The real question is whether funeral service as a career justifies any program investment, given that even top performers in this field earn modestly compared to other healthcare or technical programs.

For a student committed to this profession and planning to stay in Indiana, Ivy Tech offers an affordable entry point. Just recognize you're choosing a stable, service-oriented career with limited upside rather than a high-growth field. The low debt matters more here than the below-average earnings, but keep expectations realistic about long-term earning potential.