Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service

What Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service does

Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service is a private, non-profit postsecondary institution founded on June 8, 1920, and currently headquartered at 5141 Snapfinger Woods Drive in Decatur, Georgia (Atlanta metro). The college delivers funeral service education primarily through its Associate of Applied Science (AAS) in Funeral Service program — a 100-credit, 24-month curriculum offered across eleven-week academic quarters in in-person, online, and hybrid formats. It is accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), authorized by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission, SEVIS-approved for F-1 international students, and a participant in the NC-SARA consortium that authorizes interstate distance education. Legacy enrollment in the prior Associate of Science program is being taught out following the October 2024 curriculum transition.

The college's revenue model is tuition-anchored at $340 per quarter credit hour (~$34,000 for the full AAS program), augmented by a quarterly $250 technology fee, textbook/course materials fees ($125–$250/quarter depending on credit load), a one-time $800 practicum/lab/supply fee, and a $50 non-refundable application fee waived for active-duty military, IRR members, and honorably discharged veterans. Instructional technology centers on Blackboard or Canvas LMS, Orbund SIS powering the MyGJCFS student portal, ProctorU for online proctored examinations, Follett Destiny electronic library, Microsoft Office 365, and a Tutor.com partnership for 24/7 general-education tutoring. Clinical training requirements include 12 embalming cases, a five-component funeral directing practicum, and an on-campus restorative art lab.

Gupton Jones operates as part of the three-school Pierce Mortuary Colleges network alongside Dallas Institute of Funeral Service (TX) and Mid-America College of Funeral Service (IN), enabling consortium course access and credit articulation across campuses. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer: recruitment via the college website, virtual and on-campus open houses, campus visits, a self-serve Orbund online application portal, and financial aid/Veterans Affairs (including Yellow Ribbon Program) support. Articulation agreements signed in 2024 with Mercy University and pre-existing with National American University extend graduate pathways into BS degrees in funeral home management, organizational management, business administration, or management.

Name

Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service

Legal name

Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service

Website

https://gupton-jones.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1920

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service is a 501(c)(3) postsecondary institution in Decatur, Georgia, accredited by ABFSE to deliver an Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service program, preparing students for funeral director and embalmer licensure nationwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Funeral Service Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Funeral service education
• Mortuary science programs
• Embalming clinical training
• Funeral director licensure
• Associate degree funeral

Headquarters

HQ city

Decatur

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Tuition: The college charges tuition on a quarterly basis at $340 per quarter credit hour. The Associate of Applied Science program comprises 100 credit hours, resulting in approximately $34,000 in total tuition over the program duration. Tuition is charged per quarter based on enrollment.
2. Application Fee: A non-refundable $50 application fee accompanies each application for matriculation. This fee is waived for active duty military, IRR members, and honorably discharged veterans.
3. Technology Fee: A $250 per quarter technology fee is charged each quarter of enrollment, covering LMS access, online proctoring, help desk support, software, and IT infrastructure.
4. Textbook/Course Materials Fee: A textbook fee of $125 (for 5.5 or fewer credits) or $250 (for 6 or more credits) per quarter covers textbooks, e-textbooks, shipping, and associated software.
5. Practicum, Lab, and Supply Fee: A non-refundable $800 fee charged to AAS program students upon enrollment in COR 232 Restorative Art Lab I, covering student supplies, lab materials, preceptor costs, and on-site inspection fees.
6. Re-Admission Fee: A non-refundable $50 re-entry application fee for students re-entering the program, covering demographic updates, re-entry documentation, and financial aid updates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service provides funeral service education through its flagship Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service degree program (100 credit hours, 24 months), covering embalming, restorative arts, funeral directing, and funeral home management with required hands-on clinical and practicum components. Programs are delivered in person at the Decatur, Georgia campus and online across NC-SARA member states, and prepare graduates to sit for the National Board Examination and obtain state licensure as funeral directors and embalmers.

Product overview

Gupton-Jones College of Funeral Service offers funeral service education through its core Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service degree program (100 credits, 24 months), which has replaced the legacy Associate of Science program. The institution provides comprehensive clinical training including embalming clinicals, funeral directing practicum, and restorative art labs. Students access coursework through multiple learning management systems (Blackboard and Canvas), the MyGJCFS student portal, and Microsoft Office 365. The college maintains articulation agreements with Mercy University and National American University for degree completion pathways, and participates in NC-SARA for distance learning delivery across member states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Associate of Applied Science in Funeral Service A 100-credit, 24-month degree program covering embalming, restorative arts, funeral directing, and funeral home management, delivered in eleven-week quarters both in-person and online, qualifying graduates to sit for the National Board Exam and pursue state licensure as funeral directors and embalmers.
• Embalming Clinical Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 94% of 2025 graduates were employed overall; 75% employed specifically in funeral service
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration9 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Mercy UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Articulation agreement with Mercy University offering a Career Pathway in Funeral Home Management. Graduates of Gupton-Jones College with an Associate's Degree in Mortuary Science can transfer credits toward a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management, completing the degree in 12–18 months through accelerated monthly courses.
• Mid-America College of Funeral ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement with Mid-America College of Funeral Service (Jeffersonville, IN), a sister institution in the Pierce Mortuary Colleges network. The agreement enables students to transfer between programs without losing credits, with coordinated academic advising and transfer planning. Students may also take consortium courses at Mid-America College while remaining enrolled at Gupton-Jones.
• Dallas Institute of Funeral ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement with Dallas Institute of Funeral Service (Dallas, TX), a sister institution in the Pierce Mortuary Colleges network. Students can transfer credits between programs and take consortium courses at Dallas Institute while financial aid continues through Gupton-Jones. Both institutions share the Pierce Mortuary Colleges infrastructure and academic standards.
• National American University (NAU)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArticulation agreement with regionally accredited National American University (Higher Learning Commission) enabling Gupton-Jones graduates to transfer into Bachelor of Science in Business Administration or Bachelor of Science in Management degree programs. NAU offers both online and on-campus options with credit for military training and real-world experience.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves11 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Mid-America College of Funeral Service: Sister institution within the Pierce Mortuary Colleges network, located in Jeffersonville, IN. Offers the same ABFSE-accredited funeral service degree programs and shares consortium/articulation rights with Gupton-Jones; the most directly comparable competitor for cross-enrollment.
• Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science: ABFSE-accredited mortuary science college in Cincinnati, OH. Delivers associate and bachelor degree pathways in funeral service education and is a comparable niche competitor for both traditional and online cohorts.
• Dallas Institute of Funeral Service: Sister institution within the Pierce Mortuary Colleges network, located in Dallas, TX. Delivers ABFSE-accredited funeral service education under the same shared infrastructure and articulation/consortium arrangements as Gupton-Jones.
• American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service (AAMI): ABFSE-accredited mortuary science college in New York City and one of the longest-standing funeral service schools in the U.S. Competes for the same national pool of prospective funeral directors and embalmers seeking licensure.
• Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science (PIMS): Independent ABFSE-accredited mortuary science school in Pittsburgh, PA. Operates a similar associate-degree model and recruits nationally through distance learning; competes head-to-head for online and on-campus funeral service students.

Emerging players

• Mercy University: Four-year university partner via an articulation agreement allowing Gupton-Jones graduates to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management with a Funeral Home Management career pathway. Serves as an upstream/downstream articulation counterpart rather than a direct competitor.
• National American University (NAU): Regionally accredited online and on-campus university with which Gupton-Jones holds a credit-transfer articulation agreement for graduates to pursue BS degrees in Business Administration or Management. Functions as a degree-completion partner, broadening Gupton-Jones's educational pipeline.

Broad incumbents

• SUNY Canton - Mortuary Science Program: Public ABFSE-accredited mortuary science program within the State University of New York system. Operates as a broader-omnibus public institution offering the same licensure-track curriculum; competes on price for in-state and online students.
• Cypress College - Mortuary Science Department: California community college offering an ABFSE-accredited associate degree in mortuary science. Despite California NC-SARA limitations for Gupton-Jones, it serves the same end-customer of aspiring funeral service professionals on a public-community-college basis.

Regional players

• Ogeechee Technical College - Funeral Service Education: Georgia-based technical college offering an ABFSE-accredited associate degree in funeral service education. Operates primarily in Georgia and the Southeast, overlapping the same regional labor market Gupton-Jones serves.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gjadmissions
• Facebookfacebook.com/193964340675750
• Instagraminstagram.com/MACreapers1
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gupton-jones-college-of-funeral-service

Compliance6 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Gupton Jones College of Funeral Service