Back

Hospitality & Tourism

Colleges offering this major Rankings Trends

What you'll do in college

Hospitality and tourism majors study how hotels, restaurants, resorts, events, and travel services are run. Coursework covers hospitality operations, food and beverage management, event planning, tourism marketing, hospitality law, and revenue management, alongside core business classes.

Many programs require extensive internships at hotels, restaurants, cruise lines, or theme parks, and some campuses operate student-run hotels or restaurants. Culinary tracks add kitchen labs and food-science coursework.

What you'll do after college

Grads work at hotel chains, restaurant groups, cruise lines, casinos, event-planning companies, theme parks, and destination marketing organizations. Common early roles are management trainee, front-office manager, food and beverage supervisor, event coordinator, and revenue analyst.

The work is people-intensive, often includes nights, weekends, and peak-season hours, and rewards those who enjoy service and operations. Pay starts modest but rises into comfortable senior-management salaries at global hotel and restaurant brands.

Famous graduates

  • Guy Fieri — Restaurateur and TV host; B.S. in Hospitality Management from UNLV

Selectivity vs. earnings

By acceptance rate

$56,202
1,474
100–91%
$58,935
3,471
91–77%
$60,184
3,201
77–43%
$68,802
1,650
43–0%
Acceptance rate · bar = degree-weighted earnings

By SAT median

$55,009
1,213
400–1080
$57,767
2,828
1080–1200
$62,202
2,867
1200–1350
$75,743
1,177
1350–1600
Combined SAT composite median (submitters + non-submitters) · bar = degree-weighted earnings

Earnings by acceptance rate and institution category

$46,875p10 $65,989p90 Art & Music STEM, Business & Military Liberal Arts Public University Religious University Private University 20–30% 10–20% 0–10% Johnson & Wales University - Providence · $53,305 Rochester Institute of Technology · $42,783 Cal Poly - Pomona · $55,918 Northwood University · $53,514 Nichols College · $58,365 Champlain College · $55,483 Lees-McRae College · $44,030 Endicott College · $72,107 Hastings College · $63,143 Lipscomb University · $72,683 Meredith College · $55,013 Bay Path University · $53,219 Ferrum College · $59,462 Warren Wilson College · $43,470 Davis & Elkins College · $53,583 Catawba College · $60,264 Houghton University · $48,003 Mars Hill University · $48,547 York College of Pennsylvania · $60,022 Flagler College · $42,230 Briar Cliff University · $60,763 University of Georgia · $58,615 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign · $64,907 San Diego State University · $62,691 Alcorn State University · $46,959 North Carolina State University · $61,895 University of South Florida · $53,976 University of Tennessee, Knoxville · $64,222 Clemson University · $57,042 University of Central Florida · $57,154 Purdue University · $70,765 Cal State Long Beach · $52,522 Auburn University · $63,721 Chicago State University · $51,381 Delaware State University · $51,559 Ohio State University · $67,793 Alabama State University · $46,763 Texas A&M University - College Station · $74,167 Northern Illinois University · $62,910 University of West Florida · $44,810 Virginia Tech · $67,632 Pennsylvania State University · $64,797 University of South Carolina · $64,231 New Mexico State University · $50,634 Georgia State University · $56,196 CUNY Lehman College · $42,846 Central Connecticut State University · $54,124 Florida Atlantic University · $46,701 University of Massachusetts - Amherst · $70,812 Florida International University · $53,113 State University of New York at Cortland · $58,405 Frostburg State University · $49,386 Minnesota State University, Mankato · $57,171 West Virginia University Institute of Technology · $60,209 University of North Carolina Wilmington · $55,458 Fresno State · $59,777 Western Carolina University · $46,216 Ball State University · $53,552 Eastern Michigan University · $50,986 Jacksonville State University · $49,488 Kean University · $58,032 North Carolina Central University · $48,199 University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff · $49,888 James Madison University · $74,671 Texas Tech University · $66,000 Georgia Southern University · $50,827 Eastern Illinois University · $56,845 University of Alabama · $65,251 University of Delaware · $74,334 College of Charleston · $64,668 Western Illinois University · $50,321 University of Pittsburgh - Bradford · $55,217 University of Vermont · $54,405 Oklahoma State University · $61,901 University of Arkansas · $62,589 University of Wisconsin - La Crosse · $59,895 Cal State East Bay · $50,191 Henderson State University · $44,167 University of Idaho · $58,854 University of Houston · $59,679 Indiana University · $62,411 Purdue University Northwest · $49,459 SUNY Brockport · $47,195 University of Missouri · $65,425 Winona State University · $53,231 Eastern Kentucky University · $48,563 Middle Tennessee State University · $54,739 University of Louisiana at Lafayette · $62,815 University of New Hampshire · $65,366 Youngstown State University · $47,046 Oregon State University · $33,285 Coastal Carolina University · $59,838 Southeast Missouri State University · $57,836 Kennesaw State University · $60,141 University of West Georgia · $48,307 Metropolitan State University of Denver · $58,446 Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania · $51,599 University of Nebraska, Lincoln · $62,552 San Jose State University · $68,200 University of Central Oklahoma · $56,295 University of New Orleans · $50,146 University of North Texas · $61,588 Winston-Salem State University · $46,645 Bowling Green State University · $58,842 California State University, Monterey Bay · $50,087 East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · $56,534 Eastern Washington University · $55,539 Indiana University of Pennsylvania · $55,350 Kent State University at Kent · $55,548 Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · $63,242 Morgan State University · $47,878 Shepherd University · $66,061 University of Maryland Eastern Shore · $59,189 University of Utah · $59,059 Ferris State University · $59,453 Purdue University Fort Wayne · $59,670 Southern Connecticut State University · $52,323 Western Michigan University · $51,247 Michigan State University · $68,821 Stephen F. Austin State University · $51,932 Lamar University · $42,101 Framingham State University · $53,086 Indiana University - Indianapolis · $59,771 University of Nevada, Las Vegas · $65,364 University of South Carolina, Beaufort · $50,462 SUNY Buffalo State University · $51,030 Indiana University - Kokomo · $45,476 Central Washington University · $40,384 Colorado Mesa University · $56,593 Emporia State University · $57,052 Fort Hays State University · $68,311 Saint Cloud State University · $59,084 South Dakota State University · $54,909 Southern Oregon University · $32,800 Southern Utah University · $43,369 Stockton University · $56,610 University of Maine · $54,923 West Virginia University · $57,388 Ohio University · $59,541 University of Alaska - Southeast · $55,536 Northern Michigan University · $42,753 Northwest Missouri State University · $64,931 University of Southern Maine · $49,699 Illinois State University · $61,991 Washington State University · $74,578 Temple University · $66,740 George Mason University · $69,312 University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · $52,940 Longwood University · $51,236 Iowa State University · $64,455 Cal State Northridge · $45,956 Towson University · $62,253 University of Hawaii at Manoa · $52,087 University of Nebraska at Kearney · $63,664 Arizona State University · $58,368 Colorado State University - Fort Collins · $55,168 Virginia State University · $47,046 University of Northern Colorado · $56,180 Florida Gulf Coast University · $59,386 University of Minnesota - Duluth · $43,215 Montclair State University · $55,603 Northern Arizona University · $58,435 University of Montana · $50,917 University of North Alabama · $53,720 University of North Texas at Dallas · $52,857 Central Michigan University · $54,703 Southwest Minnesota State University · $51,765 University of Wisconsin - Stout · $61,018 Chico State · $57,857 Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · $55,593 Texas State University · $50,594 Old Dominion University · $58,451 Western Kentucky University · $56,736 University of North Carolina at Greensboro · $47,057 North Dakota State University · $72,764 Pennsylvania State University - Abington · $57,004 Pennsylvania State University - Berks · $69,093 Pennsylvania State University - Greater Allegheny · $56,346 Plymouth State University · $55,014 Utah State University · $45,274 East Carolina University · $63,405 University of Southern Mississippi · $53,519 Missouri State University - Springfield · $56,133 Grand Valley State University · $58,017 Cal Poly - Humboldt · $35,181 San Francisco State University · $60,367 University of Northern Iowa · $54,197 University of Memphis · $63,550 University of Kentucky · $63,220 Cal State Sacramento · $54,811 Western Washington University · $49,482 Appalachian State University · $50,304 Pittsburg State University · $58,756 Southern Illinois University - Carbondale · $53,213 University of South Alabama · $61,914 Northwestern State University of Louisiana · $45,019 Kansas State University · $57,451 University of Wyoming · $54,143 Troy University · $54,342 Western Colorado University · $50,842 Salem State University · $52,578 Marshall University · $53,882 University of Mississippi · $61,737 Arkansas Tech University · $43,967 Northeastern State University · $53,288 Montana State University · $56,478 Missouri Western State University · $66,116 Lake Superior State University · $51,374 Montana State University - Billings · $54,601 Navajo Technical University · $57,765 Southwestern Oklahoma State University · $60,509 University of the District of Columbia · $60,756 Utah Valley University · $63,362 Union University · $51,434 Liberty University · $55,698 Livingstone College · $42,164 Belmont Abbey College · $51,450 Warner University · $54,140 Oklahoma Wesleyan University · $64,026 Oklahoma Baptist University · $51,475 Charleston Southern University · $50,866 High Point University · $65,570 Southeastern University · $51,788 University of San Francisco · $65,989 Merrimack College · $59,704 Shaw University · $39,884 Sacred Heart University · $66,046 Simpson University · $49,836 Brigham Young University · $64,224 University of St Francis · $55,701 Concordia University Wisconsin · $57,371 Lewis University · $58,942 Saint Leo University · $48,043 Baker University · $56,702 Niagara University · $53,345 Lindsey Wilson College · $45,346 Colorado Christian University · $47,896 Baldwin Wallace University · $57,395 Brigham Young University - Hawaii · $53,366 Gordon College · $58,495 Carson-Newman University · $57,168 Methodist University · $52,966 St. Joseph's University - New York · $54,732 Canisius University · $58,237 Mount Mercy University · $55,058 Mercyhurst University · $53,753 Grace College and Theological Seminary · $48,386 Saint Xavier University · $57,291 St. John's University - New York · $62,154 Wingate University · $52,776 Campbell University · $62,869 DePaul University · $79,857 Belmont University · $63,677 Dallas Baptist University · $58,869 St. Thomas Aquinas College · $56,808 Morris College · $41,403 Brigham Young University - Idaho · $46,670 Central Methodist University · $51,317 University of New Haven · $51,177 Ithaca College · $58,061 Webber International University · $48,459 Springfield College · $62,480 Pace University · $63,325 Bradley University · $63,569 Trine University · $55,454 Drexel University · $58,926 Lasell University · $65,240 Husson University · $51,058 Aurora University · $57,633 Lynn University · $51,178 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Florham · $67,667 Fairleigh Dickinson University - Metropolitan Campus · $67,667 New England College · $50,781 University of Denver · $80,200 Robert Morris University · $46,875 Culinary Institute of America · $57,180 Roosevelt University · $60,956 Delaware Valley University · $51,968 Wilkes University · $55,723 National-Louis University · $60,923 Bellevue University · $61,372 University of Florida · $62,803 Florida State University · $69,116 Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo · $55,512 Boston University · $81,311 Cornell University · $107,550 New York University · $83,018 College of the Ozarks · $50,764 Art & Music: mean $53,305 STEM, Business & Military: mean $52,645 Liberal Arts: mean $55,751 Public University: mean $56,220 Religious University: mean $55,353 Private University: mean $58,603 20–30%: mean $62,477 10–20%: mean $81,311 0–10%: mean $80,444 All colleges: p10 $46,875 All colleges: p90 $65,989
Each dot = a college · y = degree-weighted earnings

Majors in this category

Major Colleges Degrees ▼ Male/Female Intl Earnings Employment
Hospitality & Tourism 316 9,796 38% / 62% 6% $58,052 95%
Hospitality Management 157 4,163 32% / 68% 8% $58,332 96%
Recreation Management 78 1,043 46% / 54% 3% $52,855 94%
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Studies 26 496 48% / 52% 2% $54,379 96%
Parks, Recreation, and Leisure Facilities Management 19 394 54% / 46% 1% $53,443 95%
Food Service Management 5 323 37% / 63% 13% $58,860 96%
Hospitality and Tourism Management 8 244 20% / 80% 8% $64,366 95%
Hotel Administration 2 221 46% / 54% 13% $82,413 96%
Event Management 2 201 10% / 90% 6% $60,804 96%
Tourism and Travel Services Management 7 181 35% / 65% 12% $56,299 93%
Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management 2 155 46% / 54% 1% $53,869 92%
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management 2 132 64% / 36% 1% $63,507 94%
Meeting and Event Planning 11 116 9% / 91% 2% $59,175 96%
Recreation, Sport and Tourism 1 107 76% / 24% 7% $64,150 96%
Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration 1 106 30% / 70% 0% $55,512 91%
Parks, Recreation and Leisure 1 101 70% / 30% 2% $57,337 96%
Therapeutic Recreation 8 99 11% / 89% 1% $61,927 93%
Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences 1 99 33% / 67% 3% $64,911 92%
Recreation and Leisure Studies 4 96 52% / 48% 0% $50,400 96%
Recreation and Sport Management 1 95 80% / 20% 4% $47,171 94%
Recreation Administration 4 86 36% / 64% 0% $46,837 98%
Hotel/Motel Administration/Management 3 84 19% / 81% 1% $60,004 95%
Recreation and Park Administration 2 84 46% / 54% 0% $54,862 98%
Hospitality Administration/Management 4 81 30% / 70% 1% $64,394 96%
Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality Management 1 80 39% / 61% 4% $50,382 94%
Resort Management 2 79 66% / 34% 3% $59,612 97%
Recreation 3 63 67% / 33% 2% $61,082 97%
Hospitality Administration 13 56 34% / 66% 2% $56,668 98%
Hotel and Restaurant Management 3 52 25% / 75% 2% $60,909 96%
Hospitality, Travel, and Tourism Management 1 50 36% / 64% 42% $83,018 87%
Tourism, Recreation and Sport Management 1 49 37% / 63% 2% $62,803 93%
Hospitality, Sport, and Tourism Management 1 45 62% / 38% 2% $54,342
Tourism Development and Management 1 38 32% / 68% 13% $62,323 96%
Recreation and Event Management 1 37 73% / 27% 0% $58,103 94%
Hospitality, Tourism, and Event Management 2 36 42% / 58% 0% $64,169 98%
Recreation and Tourism Management 3 35 37% / 63% 0% $41,394 92%
Hotel and Resort Management 1 35 26% / 74% 3% $63,362 88%
Recreation, Tourism and Events 1 35 43% / 57% 0% $49,179 96%
Restaurant, Hotel, and Institutional Management 1 35 40% / 60% 9% $66,000 94%
Leisure Studies 3 33 55% / 45% 3% $54,235 100%
Park Management and Tourism 1 32 88% / 12% 0% $55,994 100%
Restaurant/Food Services Management 2 30 43% / 57% 7% $62,124 98%
Tourism Management 1 28 50% / 50% 4% $64,231 96%
Customer Service Management 4 25 20% / 80% 0% $85,130 95%
Entertainment and Media Management 3 23 96% / 4% 0% $51,588 96%
Recreation, Tourism, and Nonprofit Leadership 1 22 27% / 73% 0% $54,197 95%
Recreation and Tourism 2 21 81% / 19% 0% $55,190
Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management 1 21 62% / 38% 0% $54,143
Parks, Recreation and Tourism 1 18 61% / 39% 0% $54,405
Recreation Marketing 1 15 73% / 27% 20% $61,957 98%
Lodging and Restaurant Management 1 13 23% / 77% 0% $57,154 95%
Parks, Recreation and Tourism Resources 1 12 17% / 83% 8% $52,505 100%
Hotel, Motel, and Restaurant Management 1 11 9% / 91% 0% $56,934
Restaurant and Foodservice Management 1 10 50% / 50% 0% $57,154 95%
Nutrition and Food Management 1 9 22% / 78% 11% $56,295
Food Business Management 1 8 75% / 25% 0% $71,497 100%
Hospitality, Recreation, and Resort Management 1 8 38% / 62% 0% $44,810 96%
Recreation and Leisure Services 2 5 40% / 60% 0% $53,366 96%
Outdoor Leadership 1 4 75% / 25% 0% $47,896
Restaurant, Culinary, and Catering Management/Manager 2 3 67% / 33% 0% $57,556
Tourism and Travel Services Marketing Operations 2 3 0% / 100% 67% $54,741 89%
Foodservice Systems Administration/Management 2 2 0% / 100% 0% $47,484 90%
Recreation, Park, and Tourism Management 1 2 0% / 100% 0% $54,898 96%
Travel and Tourism 1 2 0% / 100% 0% $53,335
Hospitality Marketing 3 1 0% / 100% 0% $56,322 95%
Tourism Promotion Operations 2 1 100% / 0% 0% $52,583 95%
Event Planning 1 1 100% / 0% 0% $53,753 97%
Hospitality Management (Food Service) 1 1 0% / 100% 0% $72,006 94%
Parks, Recreation, Leisure, and Fitness Studies 3 0 $53,534 97%
Foodservice Systems Administration 2 0 $52,052 92%
Casino Management 1 0 $54,703 97%
Environmental Recreation and Tourism 1 0 $55,685
Meeting and Event Management 1 0 $82,403 100%
Restaurant Management 1 0 $57,276 95%