Swimming activity varies among cetaceans; interspecific differences in vertebral column morphology determine varying caudal oscillatory modes, while deep-diving species have been shown to glide a greater proportion of the time compared to their shallow-diving counterparts. We categorized 10 cetacean species (Families Delphinidae and Kogiidae) into functional groups determined by swimming modes (rigid vs. flexible torso) and diving behavior (shallow vs. deep). Our goals were to: (1) quantify the form and function of trabecular bone, a dynamic tissue, among functional groups and regions of the vertebral column, and (2) compare cetacean trabecular bone structure with previous findings on terrestrial mammals. Vertebrae were obtained from necropsies and dissected from four regions of the vertebral column. Vertebrae were µCT scanned in a Bruker SkyScan 1173, and microarchitectural parameters (bone volume fraction and degree of anisotropy) were quantified. After scanning, 6mm bone cubes were cut from vertebrae and compression-tested at 2 mm/min using an Instron E1000 material tester. Mechanical properties (yield strength and stiffness) were calculated using stress-strain curves. Rigid-torso, shallow-diving cetaceans had the greatest yield strength, stiffness, and bone volume fraction of all functional groups, suggesting relatively greater loading of the vertebral column. Rigid-torso species had a greater degree of anisotropy than flexible-torso animals, independent of habitual diving behavior. Increasing bone volume fraction was a strong predictor for increases in yield strength and stiffness. We found that cetacean vertebral trabecular bone had greater microarchitectural variables compared to previously investigated terrestrial mammals, which may reflect an evolutionary adaptation to a non-weight bearing environment.