Hospitality Management

30 schools compared · Average earnings $28,970/yr

Quick Facts: Hospitality Management Training

Where it's offered

Hospitality Management programs are offered at 30 schools across 16 states. Most students attend a school within driving distance of home — use the state picker below to see programs near you.

Earnings expectations

Graduates earn approximately $28,970/year on average one year after completion, per the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard. Pay scales with experience, certifications, and regional cost-of-living.

Apprenticeship pathways

The U.S. Department of Labor recognizes 9 registered apprenticeship pathways related to Hospitality Management — earn-while-you-learn alternatives to traditional schooling. See apprenticeship.gov for the federal registry.

Program quality benchmark

Across the 30 schools we analyze, the average TradeSchoolOutlook Score is 48/100. Higher-scoring programs combine strong graduate earnings, manageable cost, and strong job-market demand — see the leaderboard further down for the highest-rated options.

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.

Read more

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.

You may also want to compare Hospitality Management with Business, International Business, and Construction Management on earnings and ROI.

Schools Offering
30
Avg Grad Earnings
$28,970/yr
Avg TradeSchoolOutlook Score
48/100
Apprenticeship Paths
9

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.

Find Hospitality Management Programs in Your State

Trade and community college programs are local decisions — most students pick a school within driving distance. Hospitality Management is offered at 30 schools across 16 states. Pick your state to see a local comparison (states with fewer programs link to the state hub).

Explore our Hospitality Management rankings across 30 schools nationwide →

Top Hospitality Management Programs Nationally

For context, here are the highest-scoring Hospitality Management programs in the country. Most students attend a school within 60 miles of home, so your state list above is usually more actionable — but these are the benchmarks others compete against.

Top 20 of 30 schools ranked by TradeSchoolOutlook Score. Click any row for full earnings projections and career analysis.

# School Score Earnings 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.

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 and ROI.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do Hospitality Management graduates make in their first year?
The median first-year salary across 30 Hospitality Management programs is $28,970. School selection matters — the gap between the lowest ($14,091) and highest ($47,411) earning programs is significant.
Will AI replace Hospitality Management jobs?
AI resilience for Hospitality Management is classified as "Resilient." Approximately 52% of typical job tasks are hands-on — most the daily work involves skills that current AI technology cannot perform.
Where should I study Hospitality Management?
Austin Community College District leads all 30 programs with a TradeSchoolOutlook Score of 74/100. Graduates earn $37,880/yr — the ranking weighs earnings, ROI, AI resilience, and job market size equally.
What's the ROI on a Hospitality Management program?
On average, Hospitality Management graduates earn 31.8x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.
Data from College Scorecard, Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024–2034, and DOL RAPIDS. Methodology & sources →