The tourism industry is exploding. As more and more people seek out experiences instead of products to fill their recreational time, the need for competent managers to maintain and improve hotels, resorts, and cruise liners has never been bigger.
Featured Programs
If you want to jump into this industry and get your start as a hospitality manager, it’s a good idea to check out some of the best online Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management Degrees. These degree programs based in the United States can provide you with the education you need to succeed in this competitive and fast-paced industry any place in the world.
What is a Hospitality Management Degree?
A Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management educates students on the financial, business administration, and leadership aspects of running a hospitality business. Those who complete this degree will be prepared to manage a hotel, bed-and-breakfast, or similar institution.
In addition, many holders of this degree will be prepared to run large-scale social and networking events. Conventions and marketing hubs are all usually run by someone with a hospitality management degree.
Those with hospitality management degrees often work in the tourism industry as well. Many of the employees aboard cruise ships and in resorts have degrees in this field and manage other workers. Rather than working at the front desk or handling day-to-day customer interactions, hospitality managers oversee affairs from a bird’s eye view and make big decisions concerning employee scheduling, event planning, and organization.
Those with a keen eye for detail and an excellent social attitude will find success in hospitality management.
Many degrees with an emphasis on hospitality management will technically be business, not hospitality degrees. But these degrees are not any less valuable than the dedicated type, and in fact may be even more advantageous since they open up additional employment opportunities in other industries.
Depending on the program, you might be able to specialize in various aspects of hospitality administration, including:
- food service
- restaurant management
- lodging management
- event management
Hospitality Management degrees can be a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science – it really depends on the school in question.
How Much Can You Earn with a Hospitality Management Degree?
In general, hospitality managers earn reasonable salaries. The average hospitality manager is paid around $48,000 per year. This figure greatly varies, of course, depending on your work experience.
One opportunity in the hospitality industry is earning commission, which isn’t necessarily counted among the official salary report. In fact, in many cases, hospitality managers can make up to 20 percent of their salary on commissions alone.
If we take a look at some specific professions within the hospitality industry, such as “Lodging Managers,” the mean annual wage is $62,270, whereas a “Food Service Manager” can expect a mean annual wage of $58,960, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In jobs like these, you can expect your daily job to require a vast array of skills – everything from industry-specific skills like food and beverage management and event management to more generally applicable skills like human resources and operations management. And if those higher level management jobs are what you’re looking for, consider the Best Online Business Management Degrees. If it’s the exotic locales that hotel management might offer, consider a degree in International Business.
What is Required for a Hospitality Management Degree?
For just about any hospitality management program, you’ll need the standard plethora of initial qualifications like a high school diploma or equivalent certificate. You’ll also need to meet a certain number of credit hours for each university—typically around 120 credit hours.
Classes you’ll likely take during your coursework include:
- food service management
- business administration
- business management
- hospitality law
- information systems
- hospitality marketing
- hospitality administration
These diverse classes will prepare you for a variety of unique situations that you will encounter as a hospitality manager. You’ll also need some real-world experience for most degrees. This experience will come in either internships or after-graduation employment, depending on the school.
When choosing which college to get your online degree from, make sure that that school is strong in its online programs. Are online students happy there? Are they eligible for financial aid?
Are you a transfer student? Many prospective students have already studied at a community college and received their associate degree. If this is your path, verify that you can apply transfer credits toward your degree.
If the hospitality program is housed in the college of business, check out how it compares to other business schools at comparable institutions.
What Are the Best Hospitality Management Degrees?
OSR uses six data points: three school-wide and three program specific. For school-wide, OSR uses Student Satisfaction, Admission Rates, and the number of programs the school offers online. For program specific, OSR checks the Median Debt of graduates from that program, how many degrees are offered within that program’s umbrella department, and what percentage of students at that school graduated from that department.
The six statistics are displayed by each school. The sliding bar under each statistic represents how that school compares to other US institutions. “Not reported” means a school did not release that information to the US Department of Education. A more detailed description of the OSR process can be found on the methodology page.
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Grand Canyon University
20-Year ROI$1,049,692
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $16,365(in state) / $16,365(out of state)
- Must complete 600 hours in the hospitality industry
- 120 credit hours
- Only seven weeks per course
School Wide
Program Level
100%OSR ScoreThis online degree has classes that are taught by experienced GCU faculty who already have plenty of expertise in the area of hospitality management. Students in this program will work at the University golf course and hotel to gain useful skills. Finding a job after graduation is easy with such experience.
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ECPI University
20-Year ROI$683,123
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $14,996(in state) / $14,996(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- Collaborate with the College of Culinary Arts
- Frequent live chat opportunities with advisors and teachers
School Wide
Program Level
87%OSR ScoreThis program can provide you with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in just 2.5 years. You can choose a focus on hospitality management to obtain the skills needed to make it in the hospitality industry without narrowing your expertise too much. This program combines a lot of culinary knowledge and food-service operational knowledge as well.
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Granite State College
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $7,368(in state) / $8,280(out of state)
- Top-ranked by U.S. News and World Report
- Generous transfer policy
- Can transfer up to 90 credits
School Wide
Program Level
85%OSR ScoreAlthough this degree program requires that you have a related associate degree, it’s well worth it. The college gets over 84 percent of its student body from other schools. The students take advantage of the extremely affordable tuition and excellent online program to reach their dreams with flexible scheduling and classes.
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American Public University System
20-Year ROI$1,257,003
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $6,480(in state) / $6,480(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- No admission fee
- Up to 90 credits may be transferred
School Wide
Program Level
83%OSR ScoreThis online Hospitality Management program combines practical thinking with research and writing skills. All of the classes are taught by faculty who have had previous experience in hospitality management. There are four different concentrations you can focus on: food-service, tourism, lodging, and meeting and event planning.
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Columbia Southern University
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $5,280(in state) / $5,280(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- Up to 90 transferable credits
- Textbooks included with some classes or degrees
School Wide
Program Level
75%OSR ScoreThis degree program is a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with a focus on hospitality and tourism. It offers plenty of start dates, so you aren’t limited to the typical fall or spring semesters as rigidly as some other schools. Its tuition rates are particularly affordable.
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Northern Arizona University
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $9,366(in state) / $16,006(out of state)
- Seven hospitality certificates are also available
- 120 credit hours
- Must complete 15 hours of hospitality electives
School Wide
Program Level
75%OSR ScoreThis program offers a full major in Hotel and Restaurant management. Students have to complete 1200 hours in hospitality establishments to gain real-world experience. This helps graduates obtain jobs upon completion of their degree.
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Florida International University
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $4,721(in state) / $16,529(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- Easy transfers to TUC
- Can be combined with a Master’s degree program
School Wide
Program Level
75%OSR ScoreIn this program, students think about hospitality management from a global and commerce-based perspective. This school operates a dual degree program with the Tianjin University of Commerce in China, offering possible study abroad opportunities. This program also provides incredibly affordable tuition per credit hour.
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East Carolina University
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $4,452(in state) / $20,729(out of state)
- School has relationships with known companies, leading to internships
- 120 credit hours
- School includes loss of employment job data for students in North Carolina
School Wide
Program Level
74%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of Hospitality Management degree offers three different concentration areas. Students can choose between focusing on food and beverage management, conventions and special events, or lodging management. The internationally recognized faculty all work side-by-side with students to improve expertise and real-world experience.
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Charleston Southern University
20-Year ROI$731,768
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $24,800(in state) / $24,800(out of state)
- Very flexible scheduling
- Ranked #25 nationwide by U.S. News and World Report
- Includes strong liberal arts foundation
School Wide
Program Level
71%OSR ScoreThis degree program focuses on hospitality and tourism management through the lenses of economics and marketing. All of the faculty is made up of experienced hospitality managers who know what they’re talking about. Each course is completed in an accelerated seven-week format to help you graduate more quickly.
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Everglades University
20-Year ROI$828,429
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $18,920(in state) / $18,920(out of state)
- 41-month program completion time
- 123 credit hours
- $50 application fee
School Wide
Program Level
71%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management degree ensures that students have a well-rounded base of knowledge and expertise before they enter the workforce. Emphases on marketing, financing, and management will all be combined for maximum versatility. Strong knowledge of relevant software is included in the education.
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University of the Southwest
20-Year ROI$719,683
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $16,000(in state) / $16,000(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- No application fee
- Degree can be completed at accelerated rate
School Wide
Program Level
71%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of the Arts degree emphasizes core business fundamentals and focuses on both tourism and hospitality. The education provided is optimally designed to prepare students for work in both the standard hospitality industry as well as tradeshow and convention opportunities. Coursework becomes more focused on two different paths toward the end of the program.
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National American University-Rapid City
20-Year ROI$685,442
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $15,000(in state) / $15,000(out of state)
- 180 credit hours possible
- No application fee
- Lots of scholarships available
School Wide
Program Level
69%OSR ScoreThis degree is in Business Administration with an emphasis on hospitality management and tourism. It emphasizes a focus on collaboration and teamwork skills that will be necessary for the workforce. In addition, completing this degree prepares students for graduate degrees in business.
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Missouri State University-Springfield
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $6,300(in state) / $13,740(out of state)
- 90% job placement rate after graduation
- Affordable tuition
- Six specialization tracks available
School Wide
Program Level
69%OSR ScoreThis degree focuses on hospitality leadership and general operations. It’s particularly well-suited for students who want to become the manager of their own hotel or bed and breakfast one day. The school has a strong network of alumni were already work in the hospitality industry, so there’s plenty of opportunity for employment after graduation.
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Utah Valley University
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $4,962(in state) / $15,376(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- $35 application fee
- Has school-specific scholarship available: deadline is February 1
School Wide
Program Level
69%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of Science degree offers four different specializations to choose from. Students can select between general operations, revenue management, food and beverage management, and foreign language. The foreign language focus also provides some extra credit towards the general foreign language requirement.
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Fort Hays State University
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $3,900(in state) / $13,723(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- No application fee
- Freshman and transfer scholarships available
School Wide
Program Level
69%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of Science degree focuses on both tourism and hospitality management. Students will get to choose between one of three different concentrations. Concentrations available are hospitality operations, event management, and health and wellness tourism operations.
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Southern Illinois University-Carbondale
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $8,950(in state) / $22,374(out of state)
- Program is a member of the International Council on Hotel, Restaurant, and Institutional Education
- Only students with an associate’s degree in the field can complete the online degree
- Students must complete 800 hours of real-world experience
School Wide
Program Level
68%OSR ScoreThis degree is focused on hospitality, tourism, and event management all together. It combines excellent faculty education with lots of hands-on opportunities to get real-world experience. There’s also a lot of chances for internships and networking for the industrious student.
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Sullivan University
20-Year ROI$612,050
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $20,540(in state) / $20,540(out of state)
- In the top 20 culinary schools in the US
- Small, focused classes
- 180 credit hours
School Wide
Program Level
66%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of Science degree can be completed in as little as 18 months with the right attitude. It prepares students for advanced positions in the hospitality industry without having to start at the bottom. There’s also a series of certificates you can earn for greater employment opportunities.
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Madonna University
20-Year ROI$814,363
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $20,700(in state) / $20,700(out of state)
- 120 credit hours
- 900 scholarships are awarded annually
- Automatic scholarship inclusion for incoming students
School Wide
Program Level
66%OSR ScoreThis hospitality and tourism program teaches students all of the essential aspects of hotel, restaurant, and event management. An internship is required for graduation that will be completed with an industry employer. This can often lead to a job right out of the gate.
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Lakeland University
20-Year ROI$848,934
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $26,550(in state) / $26,550(out of state)
- Choose between housekeeping, food and beverage, and hospitality management leadership courses
- Practical hours must be earned for graduation
- 120 credit hours
School Wide
Program Level
64%OSR ScoreThis Bachelor of Arts degree teaches students all of the major aspects of hospitality management. It also includes extensive education on legal and ethical issues related to hospitality positions and operations. Financing and accounting skills are included as part of the coursework as well.
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University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Quick Facts
- Tuition: $15,030(in state) / $33,096(out of state)
- Coursework includes education on business principles
- Lots of integrated professional organizations at school
- #1 public undergraduate business program in the Northeast (U.S. News and World)
School Wide
Program Level
63%OSR ScoreThis degree program teaches students the knowledge and expertise required to handle management concerns in the hospitality industry. It requires a minimum of 27 transferable credits before beginning the program. Possible concentrations include beverage management, club management, special event management, and more.
