Advance your future with a Bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management—and gain an edge on a global, leading-edge industry.
If you're looking for a career that is fast-paced, engaging, and rarely boring, the hospitality industry might be calling your name. And while entry-level jobs in the hospitality industry don't usually require a bachelor's degree—if you want to thrive in the industry and move into positions of leadership, a Bachelor's in Hospitality Management is a great way to get started.
Hospitality Management programs tend to be a challenging blend of business fundamentals and hands-on experience—giving you a good grounding for a career in the field. Whatever your goals are, a good Hospitality Management program will give you skills that you can apply in a variety of settings.
What kind of Hospitality Management degree should you get?
This is the big question. Depending on your ultimate career goals, there are hospitality management programs that emphasize a variety of aspects of the industry—from the business end to food and nutrition. Look closely at college websites to get a good sense of the program emphasis.
This ranking is for campus-based programs, but if you don't want to take a break from your current job—or if moving away to attend school full time isn't an option—there are plenty of online programs worth looking at.
Online degrees from accredited colleges are convenient, flexible, and often affordable—and they'll be taken seriously by employers. If that sounds good to you, check out our ranking of Best Online Hospitality Management Degrees.
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How much money do people make with a Hospitality Management degree?
The hospitality industry encompasses a vast array of career opportunities. And your bachelor's degree—combined with extensive work experience—will open doors for positions that would otherwise be closed to you.
The company you work for, your level of education, and your work experience will to a large extent determine your salary. But here are some median salaries for holders of a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management, according to Payscale.com:
Restaurant Manager: $43,537
General Manager, Hotel: $62,081
Event Coordinator: $39,170
Event Manager: $48,318
What can you do with a degree in Hospitality Management?
What can't you do? Earning a degree in Hospitality Management will prepare you for a huge range of management careers in the hospitality-tourism industry. Whether your interests lie in event planning, lodging, food, accounting—or the myriad other areas you can delve into—your degree will give you both broad-based knowledge and specific skills that you can apply in a variety of settings.
Special event management
Hospitality real estate
Hospitality human resources
Hospitality information technology and social media
Hospitality marketing and sales
What are the requirements for a bachelor's degree in Hospitality Management?
The requirements for your degree will depend largely on the program you enroll in. To declare a major in hospitality management, some schools will require students to complete their lower level courses first. And more competitive programs may even have GPA or work experience requirements.
If you're transferring from a community college, you should consult the college's online transfer guides and the Undergraduate Catalog for detailed information. And an academic counselor or advisor can help to review your degree plan and keep you on track for graduation.
What are the best Hospitality Management degrees?
There are lots of Hospitality Management programs out there. So what makes a good program? In order to give you the best chance of success in your future career, the best hospitality management programs will require extensive internships and hands-on work experiences—as well as chances to network and build professional relationships.
To compile our College Choice ranking of the best Hospitality Management degrees, we compiled data that reflects both academic excellence and return on investment. We look at the school's reputation, tuition costs, and early career earnings of graduates—and all schools on our rankings are regionally accredited. Our sources include sites like U.S. News and World Report, the National Center for Educational Statistics, Payscale, and metadata aggregation of student review sites.
We hope this helps you find a great Hospitality Management program!
Rankings
See our rankings methodology page.
