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Restaurant and Food Services Management: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Designed for aspiring leaders in the dynamic foodservice sector, this program equips students with the strategic, operational, and managerial expertise needed to succeed in restaurants, hospitality venues, multi-unit chains, franchise systems, and supply distribution networks. Graduates emerge with a comprehensive understanding of how to design, launch, and sustain high-performing food service enterprises in competitive, fast-paced environments.

  • Hospitality Administration: Core principles of managing hospitality operations, including service standards, guest experience, and organizational leadership within foodservice contexts.
  • Food Services Management: Techniques for overseeing daily kitchen and dining operations, ensuring consistency, efficiency, and compliance across all service points.
  • Wholesale Logistics and Distribution: Strategies for managing the flow of food, equipment, and supplies from suppliers to point-of-service, emphasizing cost control and supply chain reliability.
  • Franchise Operations: In-depth study of franchising models, including legal frameworks, brand standards, operational scalability, and franchisee support systems.
  • Business Networking: Development of professional relationships and strategic partnerships that enhance market access, supplier alliances, and business growth opportunities.
  • Personnel Management: Best practices in recruiting, training, scheduling, and retaining staff, with emphasis on team culture and performance management.
  • Culinary Arts: Foundational knowledge of cooking techniques, menu development, food safety, and the integration of culinary innovation into business strategy.
  • Business Planning and Capitalization: Methods for creating viable business plans, securing funding, and managing financial projections for startup and expansion phases.
  • Food Industry Operations: Analysis of operational workflows, equipment utilization, inventory control, and process optimization within commercial foodservice settings.
  • Marketing and Retailing: Approaches to branding, customer engagement, digital marketing, menu pricing, and retail strategies tailored to foodservice environments.
  • Business Law and Regulations: Understanding of legal requirements related to food safety, labor practices, licensing, zoning, and compliance in the foodservice industry.
  • Finance and Accounting: Tools for budgeting, cost analysis, profit margin tracking, and financial reporting to support data-driven decision-making.
  • Professional Standards and Ethics: Exploration of integrity, accountability, sustainability, and ethical leadership in foodservice management and customer relations.

Restaurant and Food Services Management Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

730
Total Graduates (2023-2024)
46
Universities & Colleges
2
Career Pathways

Restaurant and Food Services Management Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Restaurant and Food Services Management degrees, including Lodging Managers and Food Service Managers. These career paths represent common employment outcomes but are not guaranteed for all graduates. Salary ranges vary by location, employer, experience level, and specific role requirements. Nationally, these occupations employ approximately 285,580 professionals.


National Average Salaries

Occupation Median Salary Salary Range Total Employment Hourly Rate
Lodging Managers 11-9081 $68,130 $39,490 - $126,990 41,350 $32.76
Food Service Managers 11-9051 $65,310 $42,380 - $105,420 244,230 $31.40

Restaurant and Food Services Management Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $49,930 in Arkansas to $94,470 in Hawaii—a 89% difference. The highest-paying states include Hawaii, Rhode Island, and Washington. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 285,580 professionals across all states. Explore the interactive map below to compare regional compensation and identify optimal markets for your career goals.

Average Salary Range:

Top Universities for Restaurant and Food Services Management by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 45 institutions offering Restaurant and Food Services Management programs for the 2023-2024 academic year (the most recent data reported as of 2025), ranked by the number of graduates. The highest graduate enrollment in Restaurant and Food Services Management is found at Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (259 graduates), Central Texas College (CTC) (82 graduates), Sinclair Community College (41 graduates), Colorado State University (CSU), Fort Collins (40 graduates), and University of Central Florida (UCF) (33 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 730 graduates across all degree levels. Program availability varies by award level, including Associate, Bachelor's, Master's, and Doctoral degrees at participating universities and schools.

College Name Award Levels Graduates Location Control Website
Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
Bachelor's
Master's
259 Hyde Park, New York Private ciachef.edu
Central Texas College (CTC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
82 Killeen, Texas Public ctcd.edu
Sinclair Community College
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
41 Dayton, Ohio Public sinclair.edu
Colorado State University (CSU)
Bachelor's
40 Fort Collins, Colorado Public colostate.edu
University of Central Florida (UCF)
Bachelor's
33 Orlando, Florida Public ucf.edu
University of Southern California (USC)
Postbac Cert.
32 Los Angeles, California Private usc.edu
CUNY LaGuardia Community College
Associate's
32 Long Island City, New York Public lagcc.cuny.edu
Valencia College
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
29 Orlando, Florida Public valenciacollege.edu
St Petersburg College (SPC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
19 St. Petersburg, Florida Public spcollege.edu
Hillsborough Community College (HCC)
Other Award
14 Tampa, Florida Public hccfl.edu
ECPI University (ECPI)
Bachelor's
14 Virginia Beach, Virginia Private ecpi.edu
Pensacola State College (PSC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
13 Pensacola, Florida Public pensacolastate.edu
Northwest Florida State College (NWFSC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Other Award
11 Niceville, Florida Public nwfsc.edu
Florida State College (FSCJ)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
9 Jacksonville, Florida Public fscj.edu
Miami Dade College (MDC)
Other Award
8 Miami, Florida Public mdc.edu
Palm Beach State College (PBSC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
8 Lake Worth, Florida Public palmbeachstate.edu
University of North Alabama (UNA)
Bachelor's
7 Florence, Alabama Public una.edu
Scottsdale Community College (SCC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
7 Scottsdale, Arizona Public scottsdalecc.edu
American Public University System (APUS)
Associate's
Other Award
7 Charles Town, West Virginia Private apus.edu
Daytona State College (DSC)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
6 Daytona Beach, Florida Public daytonastate.edu
Arizona State University Campus Immersion (ASU)
Other Award
5 Tempe, Arizona Public asu.edu
Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver)
Bachelor's
4 Denver, Colorado Public msudenver.edu
Triton College
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
4 River Grove, Illinois Public triton.edu
Erie Community College (SUNY Erie)
Associate's
4 Buffalo, New York Public ecc.edu
Northern Arizona University (NAU)
Other Award
3 Flagstaff, Arizona Public nau.edu
Atlanta Technical College (Atlanta Tech)
Other Award
3 Atlanta, Georgia Public atlantatech.edu
Quinsigamond Community College (QCC)
Associate's
3 Worcester, Massachusetts Public qcc.edu
Atlantic Cape Community College
Associate's
3 Mays Landing, New Jersey Public atlanticcape.edu
Northampton County Area Community College (NCC)
Associate's
3 Bethlehem, Pennsylvania Public northampton.edu
Johnson & Wales University
Bachelor's
3 Providence, Rhode Island Private jwu.edu
NUC University (NUC)
Bachelor's
3 Bayamon, Puerto Rico Private nuc.edu
Central Arizona College (CAC)
Residency
2 Coolidge, Arizona Public centralaz.edu
College of Southern Nevada (CSN)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
2 Las Vegas, Nevada Public csn.edu
Cuyahoga Community College District (Tri-C)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
2 Cleveland, Ohio Public tri-c.edu
Johnson & Wales University (JWU)
Bachelor's
2 Providence, Rhode Island Private online.jwu.edu
Seminole State College of Florida
Other Award
1 Sanford, Florida Public seminolestate.edu
Albany Technical College
Other Award
1 Albany, Georgia Public albanytech.edu
Gwinnett Technical College (Gwinnett Tech)
Other Award
1 Lawrenceville, Georgia Public gwinnetttech.edu
Northern Michigan University (NMU)
Associate's
1 Marquette, Michigan Public nmu.edu
Zane State College (ZSC)
Other Award
1 Zanesville, Ohio Public zanestate.edu
Walnut Hill College (WHC)
Bachelor's
1 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Private walnuthillcollege.edu
Westmoreland County Community College
Associate's
1 Youngwood, Pennsylvania Public westmoreland.edu
Guam Community College (GCC)
Associate's
1 Mangilao, Guam Public guamcc.edu
Florida Education Institute (FEI)
Associate's
1 Miami, Florida Private fei.edu
Johnson & Wales University (JWU)
Bachelor's
1 Charlotte, North Carolina Private jwu.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Restaurant and Food Services Management programs

How much can I earn with a Restaurant and Food Services Management degree?

Salaries for Restaurant and Food Services Management graduates vary by role and location. Lodging Managers earn a median of $68,130 annually, while Food Service Managers earn around $65,310. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Hawaii average $94,470 compared to $49,930 in Arkansas. Approximately 285,580 professionals work in related occupations nationwide.

Salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2024. Earnings vary by experience, employer, and market conditions.

Which universities have the largest Restaurant and Food Services Management programs?

Currently 46 accredited institutions offer Restaurant and Food Services Management degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Culinary Institute of America (CIA) (259 graduates), Central Texas College (CTC) (82 graduates), and Sinclair Community College (41 graduates).

Program size doesn't necessarily indicate quality—consider factors like faculty expertise, production opportunities, location, and available degree levels when choosing a school.

Data based on IPEDS program completions for 2023-2024 academic year. Numbers reflect programs where students graduated.

Is enrollment in Restaurant and Food Services Management growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 1,118 in 2010 to a peak of 1,043 in 2020, before declining slightly to 730 in 2023-24. This represents a 35% decrease overall from 2010.

The field remains specialized with consistent demand, though opportunities are most concentrated in major metropolitan areas with active arts scenes like New York, California, and Illinois.

Graduate enrollment data from IPEDS, 2010-2024 academic years. Trends reflect reported completions at participating institutions.

What career paths are available with a Restaurant and Food Services Management degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Lodging Managers, Food Service Managers, . Related occupations employ approximately 285,580 professionals nationwide.

Skills in project management, creative leadership, and collaboration also transfer to event planning, arts administration, marketing, and corporate training roles. Many professionals work freelance or on a project basis across theatre, film, and live events.

Career pathways mapped using CIP-SOC crosswalk from the National Center for Education Statistics. Employment data from BLS OEWS May 2024.

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