The American Board of Funeral Service Education is recognized as the only national academic accreditation agency for college and university programs in Funeral Service and Mortuary Science Education by both the U.S. Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation. ABFSE focuses on programmatic accreditation, rather than institutional accreditation. ABSFE became an independent accrediting agency in 1962. There are a total of fifty-six accredited programs in the United States accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Thirteen of these programs are dedicated exclusively to funeral service education.

The American Board of Funeral Service Education is made up of one representative from each of its accredited programs, along with representatives from the National Funeral Directors' Association, the National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association, the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards, and the general public. The board functions as a peer review board, making decisions as a group, to assure accountability in uphold the quality of funeral service training.