Hospitality Management Education and Career Guide


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What is a Hospitality Manager's annual salary?  

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Median salary

A hospitality manager is an umbrella for many careers in the hospitality industry, such as facilities, PR, restaurant, and casino managers. One of the most common hospitality careers is hotel manager. These managers are responsible for keeping a hotel running smoothly by scheduling staff, addressing customer concerns, and managing inventory. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), hotel managers earn a median salary of $59,430 which equates to an hourly rate of $29.

Lodging Managers
hero-widget-desktop-graph hero-widget-desktop-graph

10%$35,530

25%$46,400

50%$59,430Median

75%$77,510

90%$103,780

Median Hourly Wage$29

Job growth18%

Total Employment35,920

State Median Salary Bottom 10% Top 10%
Alabama $59,750 $32,660 $97,410
Alaska $59,740 $30,010 $98,290
Arizona $59,430 $36,510 $99,570
Arkansas $36,640 $22,880 $72,670
California $61,620 $29,860 $105,340
Colorado $75,690 $46,350 $126,910
Connecticut $80,670 $47,400 $119,400
Delaware $84,000 $73,600 $125,630
District of Columbia $98,780 $47,410 $205,870
Florida $61,870 $37,120 $125,930
Georgia $52,690 $36,510 $82,000
Hawaii $99,310 $46,490 $203,050
Idaho $59,180 $37,460 $97,270
Illinois $58,030 $35,240 $77,590
Indiana $45,000 $28,250 $78,440
Iowa $46,500 $29,110 $76,160
Kansas $47,230 $36,560 $149,000
Kentucky $57,600 $33,770 $93,890
Louisiana $64,360 $39,140 $97,210
Maine $59,650 $36,170 $98,070
Maryland $58,420 $40,470 $96,780
Massachusetts $61,720 $47,050 $149,320
Michigan $63,130 $44,010 $92,710
Minnesota $58,040 $35,430 $77,810
Mississippi $36,790 $28,880 $75,400
Missouri $48,100 $42,470 $75,930
Montana $47,040 $35,890 $61,070
Nebraska $38,740 $29,010 $76,860
Nevada $47,360 $29,190 $92,910
New Hampshire $59,700 $18,120 $97,630
New Jersey $98,240 $48,740 $124,120
New Mexico $60,320 $45,290 $77,610
New York $73,520 $46,730 $159,520
North Carolina $77,550 $40,810 $118,740
North Dakota $59,700 $37,430 $78,350
Ohio $60,110 $31,100 $98,620
Oklahoma $46,600 $36,190 $69,860
Oregon $45,980 $29,830 $79,780
Pennsylvania $49,990 $35,910 $98,080
Rhode Island N/A N/A N/A
South Carolina $58,470 $37,720 $96,190
South Dakota $47,290 $45,900 $61,190
Tennessee $47,870 $31,490 $88,920
Texas $58,870 $37,720 $123,740
Utah $66,810 $30,670 $79,140
Vermont $47,260 $38,060 $75,460
Virginia $58,500 $36,020 $98,500
Washington $60,300 $38,260 $98,900
West Virginia $46,730 $29,600 $80,160
Wisconsin $55,460 $27,570 $96,890
Wyoming $60,960 $23,170 $99,600

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2021 median salary; projected job growth through 2031. Actual salaries vary depending on location, level of education, years of experience, work environment, and other factors. Salaries may differ even more for those who are self-employed or work part time.

In this Article

Highest paying cities

Metro Area Median Annual Salary
Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI $124,800
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT $98,490
Ocean City, NJ $98,240
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT $97,620
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA $97,120
Urban Honolulu, HI $93,780
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ $91,810
New Orleans-Metairie, LA $80,240
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL $78,880
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA $77,430

How do hospitality management salaries compare to other roles in hospitality?

There are many other management careers in the hospitality industry, and some are growing at a similar rate or significantly faster than hotel managers. Here's a look at four other careers with BLS salaries and projected job growth to 2031.

Meeting, convention, and event planners help book, plan, and oversee events like weddings, conferences, and conventions.


  • Median annual salary: $49,470
  • Median hourly rate: $24
  • Job growth: 17.8%

Restaurant managers keep restaurants running smoothly by managing staff schedules, ordering supplies, addressing customer concerns, and ensuring food is handled appropriately and safely.


  • Median annual salary: $59,440
  • Median hourly rate: $29
  • Job growth: 9.8%

Facilities managers oversee a property like a casino, hotel, or resort and schedule maintenance and repairs. They also make sure departments have the supplies and equipment they need and keep the property safe.


  • Median annual salary: $97,930
  • Median hourly rate: $47
  • Job growth: 6.9%

Marketing and PR managers work with businesses like resorts, hotels, and entertainment venues, helping to maintain the business' image through branding, advertising, social media campaigns, and other marketing efforts.


  • Median annual salary: $135,030
  • Median hourly rate: $65
  • Job growth: 9.9%

How do they compare to other management roles?

Hospitality manager salaries can vary when compared to managerial salaries for other roles or in other industries. This chart shows how a hotel manager's median annual salary stacks up against some other professions.

Career Median Annual Salary
Lodging Managers $59,430
Human Resources Managers $126,230
Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Managers $59,230
Sales Managers $127,490

Keep in mind that when it comes to your career, salary is only one consideration. You may want to weigh salaries when deciding which hospitality field is right for you, but it's important to also think about the lifestyle that you prefer, the types of challenges you enjoy, and the type of work that you'll find most rewarding.

What factors affect earnings?

Many factors beyond your job title can affect your salary, including where you live and your employer.

Experience

Experience tends to have the greatest influence on your earning potential, especially if it's quantifiable and demonstrates success, says May Silvers, who worked as a director of catering and event planning at several luxury hotels before starting her own company, M2 Hospitality, in 2012.

"If you're in a sales position, and you have a degree from a hospitality school but you have no certification for the position and no proven record of the sales you've brought in previously, they won't offer you as high a pay rate," says Silvers. "With previous experience, an employer will compensate you more."

Another quantifiable example she cites is experience in a busy setting, such as a restaurant or hotel. "If you used to work or intern in a high-volume, high-end location, you (could) be paid a lot more," says Silvers, who started her career as a food and beverage trainee at the historic Raffles Hotel in Singapore.

Experience that you can quantify and that demonstrates success, such as in sales, can help you earn a higher salary than someone who's just starting out.

Education

Most hospitality manager positions typically require a bachelor's degree. The school you attend could play a role in your being hired for a position and could affect your salary as well. Any degrees that you get beyond a bachelor's degree can demonstrate that you're invested in your career and can equip you with specialized skills and knowledge. For instance, a master's degree in hospitality can help you move up into senior roles and qualify for positions that pay more.

Certification

Professional certifications can influence your salary because they demonstrate expertise in a field or specialty. There are many available in the hospitality industry, depending on our field or specialty. One of the most valued hospitality certifications is Certified Meeting Planner (CMP), says Silvers.

"As an event planner with a CMP certification—the most widely recognized certification—then even if you graduated from a regular school and have no work experience, that certification will put your foot in the door and give you more pay compared to someone who could be working in a junior position for a year without the CMP title," says Silvers.


paige cerulli

Written and reported by:

Paige Cerulli

Contributing Writer

may silvers

With professional insight from:

May Silvers

Owner, M2 Hospitality

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