Hospitality Management
What Hospitality Management Graduates Do
Your work in hospitality management is dynamic and people-focused. One day, you might be walking the floor of a convention center with a headset, coordinating with caterers and A/V technicians to execute a flawless corporate event. The next, you could be in a hotel, analyzing occupancy reports and staff performance before doing a property walk-through to ensure everything meets brand standards.
You’ll typically enter the field as a supervisor or coordinator and progress to managing a department, like food service or front-of-house. With experience, you can advance to senior positions like a hotel’s General Manager or a resort’s Facilities Manager, where earnings often exceed six figures. The job market is healthy, with particularly fast growth for managers in entertainment and food service. While AI tools may help with routine planning and analysis, they can’t handle the on-the-spot problem-solving or lead a team through a busy dinner rush. Your ability to manage people and create positive guest experiences remains the core of the job.
Registered Apprenticeship Pathways
The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 9 registered apprenticeship occupations related to Hospitality Management. Apprenticeships let you earn while you learn — most have zero tuition costs and pay wages from day one.
| Apprenticeship | Training Hours | Type | Salary RangeSalary | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Energy Auditor And Analyst
RAPIDS 2005HY |
2000-3350 hrs | Hybrid | $61K – $81,270 – $110K | 3.0% |
|
Energy Specialist
RAPIDS 2005R1-HY |
3900-6000 hrs | Hybrid | $61K – $81,270 – $110K | 3.0% |
|
Energy Specialist
RAPIDS 2005R-HY |
2600-4000 hrs | Hybrid | $61K – $81,270 – $110K | 3.0% |
|
Health Information Management Privacy And Security Officer
RAPIDS 2073CB |
Competency | Competency | $100K – $136,550 – $179K | 4.5% |
|
Hotel Manager
RAPIDS 2032CB |
Competency | Competency | $50K – $68,130 – $91K | 3.4% |
|
Lodging Manager (Existing Title: Hotel Manager)
RAPIDS 2032R-CB |
Competency | Competency | $50K – $68,130 – $91K | 3.4% |
|
Manager, Food Service
RAPIDS 593 |
6000 hrs
~3.0 yrs |
Time | $53K – $65,310 – $82K | 6.4% |
|
Operations Assistant (Energy)
RAPIDS 2049CB |
Competency | Competency | $61K – $81,270 – $110K | 3.0% |
|
Restaurant Manager (Existing Title: Manager, Food Service)
RAPIDS 0593CB |
Competency | Competency | $53K – $65,310 – $82K | 6.4% |
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Registered Apprenticeship Partners Information Database (RAPIDS). Wages and job growth from Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034 projections.
Best Schools for Hospitality Management
Top 20 of 30 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and AI-proof analysis.
| # | School | Score | EarningsEarn | ROI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Community College District Austin, TX |
74 70–77 |
$37,880/yr | 73.3x |
| 2 | Florida Atlantic University Boca Raton, FL |
74 70–77 |
$37,272/yr | 75.4x |
| 3 | Valencia College Orlando, FL |
69 64–72 |
$31,588/yr | 69.5x |
| 4 | Sinclair Community College Dayton, OH |
67 58–70 |
$22,960/yr | 99.9x |
| 5 | Temple University Philadelphia, PA |
66 61–68 |
$47,411/yr | 20.5x |
| 6 | Northern Arizona University Flagstaff, AZ |
66 57–69 |
$34,908/yr | 41.4x |
| 7 | Indiana University-Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN |
66 58–69 |
$33,343/yr | 46.4x |
| 8 | Northampton County Area Community College Bethlehem, PA |
65 61–67 |
$37,199/yr | 34.0x |
| 9 | University of Iowa Iowa City, IA |
64 61–66 |
$36,752/yr | 32.5x |
| 10 | Missouri State University-Springfield Springfield, MO |
63 59–65 |
$33,275/yr | 35.9x |
| 11 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ |
62 58–64 |
$35,128/yr | 28.1x |
| 12 | Institute of Culinary Education New York, NY |
61 56–64 |
$33,101/yr | — |
| 13 | Monroe Community College Rochester, NY |
60 56–62 |
$32,302/yr | 27.7x |
| 14 | CUNY LaGuardia Community College Long Island City, NY |
58 51–60 |
$27,031/yr | 34.1x |
| 15 | College of Southern Nevada Las Vegas, NV |
58 49–61 |
$23,035/yr | 45.4x |
| 16 | Kapiolani Community College Honolulu, HI |
58 49–61 |
$20,557/yr | 49.3x |
| 17 | Ivy Tech Community College Indianapolis, IN |
57 52–60 |
$27,031/yr | 33.1x |
| 18 | Tidewater Community College Norfolk, VA |
55 51–57 |
$21,416/yr | 36.5x |
| 19 | Bergen Community College Paramus, NJ |
54 50–56 |
$25,550/yr | 25.9x |
| 20 | CUNY New York City College of Technology Brooklyn, NY |
53 47–55 |
$25,329/yr | 21.8x |
Highest Earning Hospitality Management Programs
Schools where Hospitality Management graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.
| School | 1-Year Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|
| Temple University | $47,411/yr | 66 |
| Austin Community College District | $37,880/yr | 74 |
| Florida Atlantic University | $37,272/yr | 74 |
| Northampton County Area Community College | $37,199/yr | 65 |
| University of Iowa | $36,752/yr | 64 |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | $35,128/yr | 62 |
| Northern Arizona University | $34,908/yr | 66 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | $33,343/yr | 66 |
| Missouri State University-Springfield | $33,275/yr | 63 |
| Institute of Culinary Education | $33,101/yr | 61 |
Best ROI for Hospitality Management
Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Hospitality Management.
| School | ROI Multiple | Earnings | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sinclair Community College | 99.9x | $22,960/yr | 67 |
| Florida Atlantic University | 75.4x | $37,272/yr | 74 |
| Austin Community College District | 73.3x | $37,880/yr | 74 |
| Valencia College | 69.5x | $31,588/yr | 69 |
| Kapiolani Community College | 49.3x | $20,557/yr | 58 |
| Indiana University-Indianapolis | 46.4x | $33,343/yr | 66 |
| College of Southern Nevada | 45.4x | $23,035/yr | 58 |
| Northern Arizona University | 41.4x | $34,908/yr | 66 |
| Tidewater Community College | 36.5x | $21,416/yr | 55 |
| Missouri State University-Springfield | 35.9x | $33,275/yr | 63 |
Related Majors
Explore similar fields of study.
Considering a 4-Year Degree?
Compare the trade route with a bachelor's degree. See how Hospitality Management degree programs stack up on earnings, AI disruption risk, and ROI.