Funeral Service and Mortuary Science at Northampton County Area Community College

Northampton County's funeral service program sits below both national and Pennsylvania benchmarks, with first-year earnings of $39,949 trailing the state median by roughly $5,000. Among the three mortuary science programs in Pennsylvania, this ranks in the 40th percentile—meaning you're likely better off at Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, where graduates earn $50,340. That $10,000 difference matters in a field where career earnings follow predictable paths.

The debt picture offers some relief: at $18,500, graduates owe less than both the state and national medians, creating a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.46. For a career where you're starting near $40,000, that's workable debt that shouldn't derail financial stability. However, the small sample size here (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could shift considerably year to year.

For families committed to funeral service, this program won't saddle students with crushing debt, but the earnings gap compared to other Pennsylvania schools is significant enough to warrant a serious look at alternatives. If location flexibility exists, Pittsburgh Institute's stronger outcomes justify the comparison shopping.