Funeral Service and Mortuary Science at John A Gupton College

John A. Gupton College graduates enter the funeral service profession with relatively manageable debt—$17,257, which is about $3,000 below the national median for this program. Starting at $46,141, these graduates earn slightly above the national median and match Tennessee's average, placing them around the 60th percentile among state programs. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.37 means graduates owe less than five months of their first-year salary, a reasonable burden for an associate's degree leading to a licensed profession.

The concerning pattern here is the earnings trajectory: median pay actually drops to $43,547 by year four, a 6% decline that's unusual for most career paths. This could reflect the realities of funeral service work—it's a stable profession with predictable demand, but compensation tends to plateau early. Many funeral directors work for family-owned businesses where salary growth is limited, or they're building equity in their own funeral homes rather than seeing immediate wage increases.

For parents evaluating this path, the math works if your child is genuinely drawn to this profession. The debt load won't be crushing, and starting wages are livable. But understand that this isn't a career where you'll see significant salary growth over time—what they earn at 23 is likely close to what they'll make at 30. The value proposition depends entirely on whether your child finds meaning in this work, because the financial returns will remain modest but steady.