Best Online Accelerated Hospitality Management Degree Programs

The hospitality industry offers unique work environments for passionate people. Find the best online hospitality degrees and careers to get started!
By
portrait of Alison Plaut
Alison Plaut
Read Full Bio

Writer

Alison Plaut has been writing for educational nonprofit organizations and financial publications for more than 15 years. She is passionate about helping people empower themselves while making a positive impact on society. She is qualified to help ind...
Updated on October 2, 2023
Edited by
portrait of Daniella Ramirez
Daniella Ramirez
Read Full Bio

Editor

Daniella Ramirez is an associate editor for BestColleges, where she focuses on core content. She is passionate about college accessibility and helping students succeed. She previously worked as an associate editor on The Points Guy (a blog that produ...
Learn more about our editorial process

www.bestcolleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Turn Your Dreams Into Reality

Take our quiz and we'll do the homework for you! Compare your school matches and apply to your top choice today.


  • The hospitality industry offers opportunities for leadership in diverse areas.
  • An online accelerated degree in hospitality management can help you start working faster.
  • After earning an associate degree, you could qualify for some management positions.

A career in the hospitality industry can be an exciting career that involves meeting people and even traveling. The hospitality industry was valued at over $4 billion in 2022, with a projected growth of over 16% in the next five years.

With over 16 million people employed in the hospitality industry, an online accelerated degree could help you get ahead or could be an entry point into more senior positions.

Featured Online Bachelor's in Hospitality Management Degrees

Below is a review of online associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees in hospitality management, including common coursework and possible careers and salaries to help you find your ideal career.

Accelerated Hospitality Management Degree Overview

An accelerated hospitality management degree includes coursework on hospitality financial management, purchasing, advanced human resource management, hospitality law, accounting, and statistics for the hospitality industry.

Hospitality management degrees are offered at the associate, bachelor's, and master's levels. The sections below explain the differences between each degree level.

Types of Accelerated Programs for Hospitality Management

If you want to pursue an accelerated hospitality management degree, there are different accelerated degree programs and areas of study. For example, you could study restaurant management, casino management, or tourism management. The following list shows a few popular programs for bachelor degrees:

  • Administration & Management
  • Casino Management
  • Hotel & Restaurant Management
  • Management
  • Nonprofit Management

Featured Online Bachelor's in Hospitality Management Degrees

Associate Degree in Hospitality Management

An accelerated associate degree in hospitality management includes courses on business principles, marketing principles, technology in hospitality management, and convention and events management.

An associate degree in hospitality management usually requires 60 to 70 credits and takes two years to complete. With a top online accelerated degree, you could finish your degree faster.

An accelerated associate degree can be a step to earning a bachelor's degree. Or, it can prepare you for a career as a lodging, food service, or convention planner manager.

Bachelor's Degree in Hospitality Management

A bachelor's degree in hospitality management includes coursework in hotel operations, restaurant operations, tourism and events management, human resources for customer service leadership professionals, and marketing principles.

Some bachelor's degrees in hospitality management include specializations like golf enterprise management and real estate property management.

Featured Online Bachelor's in Hospitality Management Degrees

A bachelor's degree can open opportunities for you to move to more senior management positions like hotel manager, restaurant manager, or event manager. You could also go on to earn a master's degree.

Master's in Hospitality Management Programs

An accelerated online master's in hospitality management degree includes coursework to integrate business management, marketing, and financial skills with hospitality management.

Topics include data analytics for hospitality, business communication, and business models and markets. After graduation, you'll be prepared to apply for executive roles and leadership positions.

Featured Online Master's in Hospitality Management Degrees

Choosing to pursue an accelerated master's degree in hospitality management can prepare you with the skills to lead hotels, restaurants, or hospitality organizations successfully.

Careers With an Accelerated Degree in Hospitality Management

Wondering what you can do with an accelerated degree in hospitality management? Common career choices include hotel manager, event planner, and facilities manager.

8 Popular Jobs for an Accelerated Degree in Hospitality Management
Hospitality Management Jobs Median Annual Salary (2021)
Food Service Manager $59,440
Lodging Manager $59,430
Logistician $77,030
Event Planner $49,470
Facilities Manager $99,290
Gambling Manager $80,710
Sales Manager $127,490
Human Resources Manager $126,230
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics

The hospitality industry is diverse. With an associate degree in hospitality management, you can pursue administrative roles in restaurants, hotels, nonprofits, or events.

With a bachelor's degree, you'll be prepared for more senior-level roles. You could pursue a career as a logistician, sales manager, or human resource manager or work in food service or lodging management.

A master's degree can open the door to senior positions and higher salaries. As a senior executive, you could enter hospitality, lodging, or restaurant management. You could also pursue specializations like ski facilities management or international tourism management.

Featured Online Bachelor's in Hospitality Management Degrees

Frequently Asked Questions About Getting an Accelerated Hospitality Management Degree

What kind of degree is hospitality management?

A degree in hospitality management prepares you with the business acumen and communication skills for a career in the hospitality industry. Diverse specializations range from restaurant management to events planning to tourism planning.

Some hospitality management degrees are actually business or communication degrees with a concentration in hospitality, as many of the same skills are applicable.

On the other hand, some hospitality management degrees allow you to specialize in areas like golf enterprise management or international lodging management.

Is an online associate degree in hospitality management credible?

Yes, an online associate degree in hospitality management is credible if it comes from an accredited university with a standard curriculum. You can learn the same hospitality management skills online and demonstrate those skills upon graduation.

In addition, online degrees have gained increasing acceptance in the workplace and academics. To ensure that future employers or other universities accept your degree, check the college's accreditation and ability to transfer credits.

What can I do with a master's in hospitality management?

A master's in hospitality management can open careers in executive management positions throughout the hospitality industry. Some master's degrees in hospitality management offer a dual MBA or master's degree to prepare you to take leadership of a hospitality-related business.

With a master's degree, you could start a career in hotel management, event planning, restaurant management, tourism, or real estate management.

You could also consider sales management or human resource management. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these careers had higher median salaries of $127,490 and $126,230, respectively.

BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Compare Your School Options

View the most relevant schools for your interests and compare them by tuition, programs, acceptance rate, and other factors important to finding your college home.