About Louisiana –

Louisiana is a southeastern U.S. state on the Gulf of Mexico. Its Creole and Cajun cultures reflect its past as a melting pot of French, African, American, and French-Canadian civilizations. New Orleans, the largest city, is famous for its colonial-era French Quarter, the boisterous Mardi Gras carnival, jazz music, the Renaissance-style St. Louis Cathedral, and wartime exhibits in the massive National WWII Museum. Louisiana is well-known for its Cajun and Creole food, Mardi Gras celebrations, diversified cultural heritage, bayous, jazz music, and for being the birthplace of American blues. The state is also heavily influenced by French colonialism. 

If you think about moving to Louisiana, you should do so because the cost of living in Louisiana is 8% lower than the national average. Housing costs 16% less than the national average, and utilities cost 12% less. When it comes to basic necessities like food and clothing, foodstuffs are around 4% cheaper than the rest of the country, while apparel is 4% cheaper.

What is the employment rate of Louisiana?

According to the Bureau of Labour Statistics, the employment rate in Louisiana was 58.3% as of March 2021. This means that 58.3% of the total working-age population in Louisiana was employed at the time. In March 2021, Louisiana’s unemployment rate was 7.3%, higher above the national average of 6.0%. The economy of Louisiana is broad, with businesses such as healthcare, education, and manufacturing providing job possibilities. The state is particularly well-known for its tourism economy, which has suffered as a result of recent natural disasters and the COVID-19 pandemic.

What are the career opportunities as a mortician in Louisiana?

The following are the career opportunities for morticians – 

• Funeral director is the most common career path for morticians in Louisiana. It involves coordinating funerals, preparing the deceased for burial or cremation, and providing emotional support to grieving families. 
• Embalmer is another career option where morticians specialize in sanitizing, preserving, and preparing the deceased for the funeral.
• A mortician with managerial skills can take on the role of a funeral home manager, overseeing the daily operations of the business. Morticians can also work as funeral pre-need counselors, assisting families in planning and organizing their funeral arrangements in advance.
• In the field of education the Mortuary science educators can teach mortuary science courses at the college level.

What is the salary of a mortician in Louisiana?

The average yearly pay for morticians, undertakers, and funeral directors in Louisiana is $50,460, according to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics. Salaries might differ depending on criteria such as geography, years of experience, and the size of the organization. A mortician’s compensation in Louisiana may also vary depending on whether they operate in a city or rural area. In general, the highest-paying cities in Louisiana for morticians are Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Morticians who own their own funeral homes or mortuaries may also earn more than those who work for a firm. This information is subject to change.

Number of mortuary schools in Louisiana –  

There are two colleges in Louisiana that provide the mortuary science degree with professional training – 

• Delgado Community College:

Program Link – https://www.dcc.edu/academics/allied-health/programs/funeral-service-education/default.aspx 

Program Description – Funeral Service specialists deal with bereaved people, providing sensitive, effective intervention during a difficult period. They also plan and direct funeral services, prepare the deceased in accordance with the preferences of the survivors and the requirements of the law, and aid individuals in adjusting to the changes in their lives following a death through grief counseling and practical assistance.

Program Requirements – Have a high school diploma or the equivalent. A sufficient score on the ACT, SAT, or Delgado College Placement test to place the student in college-level courses. If the student has already completed college courses, the cumulative grade point average must be at least 2.5. Science courses that are more than 5 years old may need to be repeated; for further information, contact the Allied Health admissions counselor.

Tuition fees – https://www.dcc.edu/future-students/how_to_pay_for_college.aspx visit this link for more information related to the course fees and other expenses. 

• Commonwealth Institute of Funeral Service –

Program Link – https://commonwealth.edu/associate-of-applied-science-degree-funeral-service/ 

Program description – The Associate of Applied Science Degree in Funeral Service (A.A.S.) is intended to educate students the skills and talents required to work as an embalmer or funeral director. Graduates of this programme will be able to clean, preserve, and/or repair human remains for viewing, services/rites, and final disposition using embalming and restorative art. They will learn how to perform a variety of funeral ceremony rites. They will also be able to hold funeral arrangement conferences with families, produce appropriate funeral home paperwork, complete funerary administration activities, and understand the workplace safety requirements for funeral care staff.

Program requirements – Completion of all general education and specialized courses for a total of 97 quarter credit hours, either by transfer or enrolling.  At CIFS, a minimum of 30 quarter credit hours must be completed (Residency Requirement). Pass each specialized course with a final letter grade of “C” or higher. Achieve a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 in all CIFS curriculum.

Tuition fees – Visit the course link for more information related to the tuition aid and other information.