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Hospitality Management: Program Overview, Universities, Careers & Salaries

Program Overview

Designed for students seeking leadership roles in dynamic service environments, this program equips learners with the strategic, operational, and interpersonal competencies essential for success in the global hospitality industry. It prepares individuals to manage complex service systems across hotels, resorts, restaurants, event venues, and tourism enterprises through a comprehensive blend of theory, practical application, and industry-relevant skills.

  • Hotel and Resort Operations: Explores the day-to-day management of lodging facilities, including front desk services, housekeeping, maintenance, and guest experience optimization.
  • Food and Beverage Management: Focuses on the planning, execution, and oversight of餐饮 services, covering menu development, inventory control, staffing, and revenue generation strategies.
  • Event and Conference Planning: Develops expertise in organizing and managing large-scale gatherings, from logistics and vendor coordination to budgeting and client relations.
  • Revenue Management: Teaches data-driven strategies to maximize profitability through pricing models, demand forecasting, and occupancy optimization.
  • Customer Experience and Service Excellence: Emphasizes the design and delivery of high-impact guest interactions, focusing on satisfaction, loyalty, and brand perception.
  • Marketing and Branding in Hospitality: Covers promotional techniques tailored to the service sector, including digital marketing, social media engagement, and destination branding.
  • Human Resource Management in Service Industries: Addresses recruitment, training, performance evaluation, and labor relations within high-turnover hospitality environments.
  • Sustainability and Responsible Tourism: Integrates eco-conscious practices into operations, promoting environmental stewardship and community engagement in travel and hospitality.

Hospitality Management Graduate Trends (2010-2024)

584
Total Graduates (2023-2024)
30
Universities & Colleges
3
Career Pathways

Hospitality Management Career Pathways & Salary Outlook

The following table presents salary data for occupations typically aligned with Hospitality Management degrees, including Managers, All Other, 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 916,560 professionals.


National Average Salaries

Occupation Median Salary Salary Range Total Employment Hourly Rate
Managers, All Other 11-9199 $136,550 $68,860 - $227,590 630,980 $65.65
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

Hospitality Management Salary Map by State

Geographic location significantly impacts earning potential for these careers. Average salaries range from $60,805 in Utah to $115,883 in Massachusetts—a 91% difference. The highest-paying states include Massachusetts, Washington, and Colorado. Nationwide, these occupations employ over 916,560 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 Hospitality Management by Graduate Enrollment

Below are the top 30 institutions offering Hospitality 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 Hospitality Management is found at Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) (179 graduates), Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (111 graduates), California State University (CSUEB), East Bay (45 graduates), California State University (CSUN), Northridge (38 graduates), and University of Delaware (UD) (31 graduates). Combined, these colleges produced 584 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
Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
Associate's
Other Award
179 Indianapolis, Indiana Public ivytech.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
Doctorate (Research)
111 University Park, Pennsylvania Public psu.edu
California State University (CSUEB)
Bachelor's
Master's
45 Hayward, California Public csueastbay.edu
California State University (CSUN)
Bachelor's
Master's
38 Northridge, California Public csun.edu
University of Delaware (UD)
Bachelor's
Master's
31 Newark, Delaware Public udel.edu
Southern Illinois University
Bachelor's
Other Award
16 Carbondale, Illinois Public siu.edu
Pima Community College (PCC)
Associate's
15 Tucson, Arizona Public pima.edu
Career Technical Institute (CTI)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
14 Washington, District of Columbia Private careertechnical.edu
Culinary Institute of America (CIA)
Bachelor's
13 Hyde Park, New York Private ciachef.edu
Boston University (BU)
Bachelor's
12 Boston, Massachusetts Private bu.edu
University of Southern Mississippi (USM)
Bachelor's
Other Award
12 Hattiesburg, Mississippi Public usm.edu
Campbell University
Bachelor's
12 Buies Creek, North Carolina Private campbell.edu
Johnson & Wales University (JWU)
Master's
12 Providence, Rhode Island Private online.jwu.edu
Mount Mercy University (MMU)
Bachelor's
11 Cedar Rapids, Iowa Private mtmercy.edu
Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU Metro)
Bachelor's
9 Teaneck, New Jersey Private fdu.edu
East Carolina University (ECU)
Postbac Cert.
Master's
8 Greenville, North Carolina Public ecu.edu
Pennsylvania State University
Bachelor's
8 Reading, Pennsylvania Public berks.psu.edu
Missouri State University
Postbac Cert.
5 Springfield, Missouri Public missouristate.edu
Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU)
Bachelor's
5 Madison, New Jersey Private fdu.edu
University of the District of Columbia (UDC)
Associate's
Bachelor's
4 Washington, District of Columbia Public udc.edu
Beal University
Associate's
4 Bangor, Maine Private beal.edu
Cape Cod Community College (4Cs)
Associate's
Other Award
4 West Barnstable, Massachusetts Public capecod.edu
Bristol Community College
Associate's
3 Fall River, Massachusetts Public bristolcc.edu
Purdue University Northwest (PNW)
Other Award
3 Hammond, Indiana Public pnw.edu
Lawson State Community College (LSCC)
Associate's
2 Birmingham, Alabama Public lawsonstate.edu
Stevens Institute of Technology
Master's
2 Hoboken, New Jersey Private stevens.edu
East Central University (ECU)
Certificate (1-2 yrs)
2 Ada, Oklahoma Public ecok.edu
Johnson & Wales University
Bachelor's
Master's
2 Providence, Rhode Island Private jwu.edu
Iowa Lakes Community College
Associate's
1 Estherville, Iowa Public iowalakes.edu
Siena Heights University (SHU)
Bachelor's
1 Adrian, Michigan Private sienaheights.edu

Frequently Asked Questions

Find answers to the most common questions about Hospitality Management programs

How much can I earn with a Hospitality Management degree?

Salaries for Hospitality Management graduates vary by role and location. Managers, All Other earn a median of $136,550 annually, while Lodging Managers earn around $68,130. Geographic location significantly impacts earnings—professionals in Massachusetts average $115,883 compared to $60,805 in Utah. Approximately 916,560 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 Hospitality Management programs?

Currently 30 accredited institutions offer Hospitality Management degrees across the U.S. Programs with the highest enrollment include Ivy Tech Community College (Ivy Tech) (179 graduates), Pennsylvania State University, Main Campus (111 graduates), and California State University (CSUEB), East Bay (45 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 Hospitality Management growing or declining?

Graduate numbers have decreased over the past decade, rising from 994 in 2010 to a peak of 779 in 2020, before declining slightly to 584 in 2023-24. This represents a 41% 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 Hospitality Management degree?

This degree prepares you for roles such as Managers, All Other, Lodging Managers, and Food Service Managers. Related occupations employ approximately 916,560 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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