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How to Become a Funeral Director or Embalmer in Ohio

Career guide · Last reviewed July 2026 · By the OhioLicenseCheck.com team

Funeral service is a licensed profession with a distinctive promise: your work matters on the worst day of someone’s life, and demand never depends on the economy. Ohio requires dual credentials for full practice — funeral directing and embalming — and hosts one of the country’s most storied training programs at the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science, founded in 1882.

Education

Mortuary science degree + apprenticeship

Time to license

~3–5 years

Exams

National Board Examination + Ohio law requirements

Typical pay

Ohio funeral professionals roughly $50–75k; owners/managers higher (BLS-based estimates)

Licenses covered

  • Funeral Director
  • Embalmer

Why choose this path

  • Deeply meaningful, respected community role
  • Demand is demographic, not economic — utterly recession-proof
  • Family-firm ownership and succession opportunities across Ohio’s many independent funeral homes
  • Dual licensure (director + embalmer) maximizes employability
  • An aging owner generation means acquisition opportunities for younger licensees

Path to the license

  1. 1

    Earn a mortuary science degree

    ABFSE-accredited programs — Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science is the in-state standard-bearer.

  2. 2

    Pass the National Board Examination

    Arts and sciences sections through The Conference (ICFSEB), plus Ohio-specific law requirements.

  3. 3

    Complete the Ohio apprenticeship

    A registered apprenticeship under licensed practitioners covers directing and embalming casework.

  4. 4

    License through the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

    Individual licenses plus facility licenses for any funeral home or crematory you operate; renew with CE.

Pay and outlook

BLS puts funeral-service workers’ national median near $60,000; Ohio salaried directors and embalmers typically earn $50,000–75,000, with managing directors and owners meaningfully above that. Preneed sales roles add commission-based upside.

An aging population and a wave of retiring owners make this an unusually opportunity-rich moment for new licensees.

Where Ohioans train

Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science

Founded 1882; one of the nation’s premier mortuary programs

Schools listed are well-known examples, not endorsements — always compare accreditation, cost, and outcomes.

Official links & resources

Licensed by the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors

Read our verification guide for this board — what the license record shows, renewal cycles, and how employers check it.

Curious what a real license looks like?

Look up any current funeral services license in the official Ohio record — and when you earn yours, set a free expiry alert so it never lapses.

Try a Free License Lookup

Pay figures are approximate, based on recent U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and Ohio market observations; actual earnings vary by employer, region, and experience. Licensure requirements change — always confirm current rules with the board and programs linked above. This guide is general information, not career or legal advice.