The funeral industry is dying by a slow and steady lack of progressivism. It has remained stagnant and guided by old laws and regulations for the last 150 years. This has led to a fundamental difference between what consumers want and what the funeral industry can give. Despite the funeral industry affecting all Americans and being worth nearly $20 billion, lawmakers overlook the need for change because of the discomfort surrounding death. The industry is highly regulated to a point that keeps out willing participants. There are around 5,700 funeral director job openings per year, and only about 1,600 mortuary school graduates per year. In addition to the small subset of people willing to work as funeral directors, more than 60% of funeral home directors are expected to retire within the next five years. These factors are leading to an employment crisis in the industry where the United States will severely lack enough funeral directors to meet the demand of over three million deaths a year. The role of a funeral director is vital to the United States deathcare system because most states give licensed funeral directors the sole legal responsibility for the disposition of the deceased. The industry has regulated itself into a precarious position that can be righted by breaking down barriers to entry for those willing to become funeral directors.
This Essay will explain the barriers to entry in the funeral profession that have led to a shortage of funeral directors and propose a variety of solutions, from modifying licensing requirements to changing mortuary schools in order to increase the pool of qualified people interested in working in the deathcare industry. By increasing the amount of qualified and willing candidates to become funeral directors, Americans confronting their darkest days and the face of death will be better cared for by the funeral industry.
