Education and Training

A hospitality degree may be earned at community colleges or junior colleges. In addition, a number of universities offer both hospitality degree and certificate-track programs. These programs can focus on hospitality in a number of different settings, with hotels and restaurants being the most common.

Employment Opportunities

Most people interested in pursuing a hospitality degree do so in order to work within the hotel or restaurant business. In either case, earning a hospitality degree can teach you all you need to know in order to create and maintain a welcoming environment for your guests. This may include offering valet services at the hotel or restaurant. Other hotel amenities may include maintaining swimming pools, providing laundry services, and offering fitness centers to guests.

In the case of a hospitality degree focusing on hotels, you may choose to pursue a career in resorts, motels, bed-and-breakfasts, casino hotels, or other similar businesses. For those interested in a career in the restaurant business, a hospitality degree opens up the possibility of managing restaurants, taverns, or even diners within a hotel. Some individuals with a hospitality degree manage both types of businesses, particularly when they are a part of the same facility.

Job Outlook and Salary

According to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities for those with a hospitality degree are expected to grow as fast as the average occupation over the next several years. The Bureau reports that the median annual salary for those working as lodging managers was $37,660 in May of 2004. Those working in restaurant management earned $38,770.

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