Nice Place You Got Here: Hospitality Management Degree Programs

Whether catering to road weary corporate warriors or honeymooning couples, well-run hotels refresh and renew people. But well-run hotels do not run themselves; hotel managers do. They solve problems and make adjustments every day to keep guests happy. If that sounds like something you could do, a hospitality management degree program might be just the ticket to start you on the road to a promising career.

Available Hospitality Management Degrees

Hospitality management is a multi-faceted career. Hotels have various departments--a restaurant, perhaps a casino, maintenance--and schools therefore offer various hospitality programs. Approximately 150 universities have one or more hospitality programs. Popular hospitality degrees include:

• Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality and Restaurant Management
• Associate of Arts in Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism
• Master of Business Administration (MBA) with an emphasis in Hospitality

All of the programs above, and more, are available online. Typical coursework for an online degree program can include:

• Administration
• Human resources
• Law and liability
• Accounting
• Risk assessment
• Data analysis

Hospitality Degree Program Career Options

With so many hotels and other lodging places available, it's no surprise that an online degree in hospitality qualifies you for many different jobs. Some of these positions pay quite well; manager jobs at upscale hotels can pay more than $100,000 per year, plus bonuses. Note, however, that for most high-end jobs, proficiency with financial management is required--so don't skip those accounting classes.

Hospitality Management Employment Outlook

Graduates of hospitality management degree programs are in high demand because they understand both the customer service and technical aspects of how well-run hotels stay that way, and get even better. For example, employment for lodging managers is slated to grow 12 percent over the next ten years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And in 2007, lodging managers earned a median salary of $44,240. So if you have a degree and solid experience, call one of the national hotel chains. They may be looking for you.
Sources :
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lodging Managers
CNN Money, Who gets paid six figures?, by Jeanne Sahadi

Andrew Freiburghouse is a writer and businessman. As a partner at Los Angeles tax preparation firm Pronto Income Tax of California, Inc., Andrew learned the fine art of growing a small business into a not-so-small business. Currently, Andrew lives in Brooklyn, NY.