Best Online Hospitality Management Programs of 2025
An online bachelor’s program in hospitality management can prepare you for a career in a growing, diverse industry. Learn more about this degree path.
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2025The hospitality management field is growing rapidly. In fact, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects that by 2033 1 in 8 jobs will be in the leisure and hospitality sector — that’s more than 800,000 new jobs.
An online hospitality management degree prepares you to run the business side of hotels, restaurants, and tourism. These programs offer comprehensive training in event planning, customer service, and food service management, all through a remote format.
Once you graduate with this degree, you could work as an event planner, food service manager, lodging manager and revenue manager, among other roles.
Read on to learn more about the top online hospitality management programs and how this degree can help you advance your career in the industry.
Hospitality Management Program Highlights
- A hospitality management degree prepares you for management roles in the hospitality industry, such as hotel manager and event coordinator.
- These online programs can cost nearly $42,000, but financial aid can help lower the price to around $37,000.
- Bachelor’s programs require you to earn 120 credits to graduate — about 30 credits per year.
Source: NCES PowerStats
Best Online Hospitality Management Programs
How We Rank Schools
Florida International University
- Miami, FL
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose This School
Florida International University's hospitality management program tops our list for its high completion, graduation, and retention rates and low net price. The university has a very high completion rate for low-income students. A majority of students who attend the school finish their programs. The school's relatively low tuition and good earnings outcomes point to a fast return on their investment.
FIU’s curriculum focuses on logistics, accounting, and business management, in addition to specialized hospitality-specific skills. The university also partners with major hospitality businesses to give students industry experience as part of its program.
Highlights
- Large number of electives
- Minors in travel, restaurant, hotel, and beverage management
- Built-in internships
Know Before You Apply
- Requires industry experience
- Includes required internships
- 59% admission rate
67%
$ 6,168
92%
$18,566
- Acceptance Rate
- 59%
- Students Enrolled
- 54,085
- Institution Type
- Public
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
- Amherst, MA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose This School
UMass Amherst offers an online bachelor's degree in hospitality and tourism management through the Isenberg School of Management. It is AACSB-accredited and includes courses on entrepreneurship to help students start their own hospitality businesses. The program has an 83% graduation rate and a high Pell Grant graduation rate of 77% but also has a high net price of $21,846.
UMass has a wide alumni network and networking opportunities to meet professionals. It also has a high job placement rate, with 92% of its 2023 graduates finding jobs within six months of finishing their degree.
Highlights
- Large global alumni network
- AACSB accredited
- 92% job placement rate
Know Before You Apply
- Selective admissions (58%)
- Fourth largest public research university in New England
- Need at least 27 transferable credits to apply
21%
$16,591
91%
$38,527
- Acceptance Rate
- 58%
- Students Enrolled
- 31,810
- Institution Type
- Public
University of Central Florida
- Orlando, FL
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose This School
The University of Central Florida (UCF) combines relatively low cost with strong student outcomes to earn the third spot on our ranking of hospitality management programs. The program’s instructors have decades of experience in the industry and help students prepare for the workforce with relevant skills.
UCF charges a net price of $9,949 and has a 75% graduation rate, including a high graduation rate for Pell Grant recipients. It is also notable for its 92.2% retention rate, the highest on our list. That means the overwhelming majority of students who start their degree at UCF stay there.
The program highlights international work and places a major emphasis on creative decision-making in the classroom, helping students tackle issues in the industry.
Highlights
- UCF’s Rosen College is dedicated to hospitality management
- Faculty include industry professionals
- Built-in internship opportunities
Know Before You Apply
- One of the nation’s fastest-growing hospitality programs
- More than 3,000 undergraduate students
- Online program is aimed at working professionals
9%
$ 6,368
92%
$22,467
- Acceptance Rate
- 43%
- Students Enrolled
- 68,842
- Institution Type
- Public
Washington State University
- Pullman, WA
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose This School
Washington State University’s hospitality management curriculum is designed by industry experts and features broad instruction in areas like hotel and restaurant management. Washington State specializes in preparing adult learners to work in a fast-paced environment by combining rigor and flexibility.
Washington State also stands out for having the highest four-year completion rate for low-income students on this list, with more than half of students finishing the program in four years. The university has the highest average earning for students six years after they initially enroll at roughly $44,700.
Highlights
- Offers flexibility-focused courses
- Has an industry relations manager to help students land jobs
- One of the nation’s oldest programs
Know Before You Apply
- Requires prerequisite courses for admission
- Paid work in the industry is part of the online program
- Includes writing requirements
28%
$10,976
81%
$27,052
- Acceptance Rate
- 85%
- Students Enrolled
- 26,490
- Institution Type
- Public
The University of Alabama
- Tuscaloosa, AL
- 4 year
- Campus + Online
- Accredited
Why We Chose This School
The University of Alabama offers an online BS in hospitality management with courses in the fast-growing field of sustainable tourism. The program gives students an overview of hospitality law and aims to prepare them to lead in the changing tourism industry.
Alabama has a relatively high admission rate, a 74% graduation rate, and an 86% retention rate. It also has the highest four-year completion rate for middle-income students on our list, at over 54%.
Highlights
- No ACT or SAT scores required
- Year-round applications accepted
- Wide-ranging curriculum
Know Before You Apply
- Internship required
- Minimum 2.0 college GPA required for transfer students
42%
$11,100
86%
$32,400
- Acceptance Rate
- 76%
- Students Enrolled
- 39,622
- Institution Type
- Public
Why You Should Get a Hospitality Management Degree
Learn industry-relevant skills: A hospitality management degree program can teach you specialized skills in hotel and restaurant operations, event planning, food and beverage services, and more.- Find networking opportunities: Many hospitality management programs offer access to alumni events, industry conferences, and other opportunities to build a professional network, which can help you find job opportunities.
- Advance your career: The hospitality industry is broad and offers many career opportunities across many sectors, such as resort or restaurant management.
- Earn a higher salary: With a bachelor’s degree, you can expect to earn nearly $600 more per week than you would with just a high school diploma, per the BLS.
Benefits of Getting a Hospitality Management Degree Online
- In our 2024 Online Education Trends Report, online program graduates (73%) said their degrees prepared them for employment after graduation.
- Over 90% of all students said their online degree has or will have a positive ROI.
- Nearly all (97%) said they would recommend online education to others.
- Around 80% of respondents said that online education is better than or equal to on-campus learning.
How to Choose the Best Hospitality Management Degree Program for You
As you research programs, evaluate tuition cost, financial availability, and program length. You should also consider the career paths you can pursue after graduation to make sure the hospitality industry is the right fit for you.
Weighing these factors can help you make the right choice before enrolling.
How Much Does a Hospitality Management Degree Cost?
Cost of Bachelor’s Degrees in Business, Management, and Marketing, 2019-2020
Online
Avg. Tuition & Fees
$10,473
Avg. Net Price
$5,918
In-Person
Avg. Tuition & Fees
$16,941
Avg. Net Price
$9,248
Source: NCES PowerStats, 2019-2020
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), bachelor’s degrees in business, management, and marketing (which includes hospitality management) cost around $10,400 per year in 2019-2020. That’s nearly $42,000 for a four-year program.
Fortunately, financial aid like grants and scholarships can reduce the cost to around $9,200 yearly — $37,000 total for a four-year degree.
Remember that this data is based on the 2019-2020 school year. Also, tuition rates vary based on your in-state vs. out-of-state status and whether you attend a public or private college.
For example, in-person students without financial aid paid around $25,000 more for their bachelor’s in hospitality management degrees than online students during the 2019-2020 school year.
If you’re interested in learning more about tuition rates and financial aid, make sure to visit your desired school’s website. There, you can find detailed information or contact details for the relevant office or person who can answer your questions.
Find Financial Aid for Your Hospitality Degree
How Long Does It Take to Get a Hospitality Management Degree?
Typical # of Credits
120 Credits
Typical Program Length
4 Years
Unless you enroll in an accelerated bachelor’s program, you’ll spend around four years completing your online hospitality management degree program as a full-time student.
Most bachelor’s programs require students to earn 120 credits, which equals around 30 credits per year. You can speed up this timeline by taking summer classes, transferring credits, and earning credit for life and work experience.
What Can You Do With a Hospitality Management Degree?
Once you graduate, you can get a job as a food service manager. According to the BLS, these professionals earned a median annual salary of $65,310 in May 2024. In this role, you’ll organize the daily operations of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages.
You can also work as a lodging manager, ensuring that guests have a satisfying experience. Lodging managers earned a median of $68,130 per year in May 2024, per the BLS.
For those who prefer variety over a fixed workplace, event planning offers the chance to coordinate and oversee different types of events. These workers earned a median annual wage of $59,440 as of May 2024.
| Job | Median Annual Salary (May 2024) | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | $65,310 | Oversee restaurant staff and operations to help improve performance and increase profitability. |
| Lodging Managers | $68,130 | Manage guests’ experience, increasing efficiency and profitability. |
| Event Planners | $59,440 | Coordinate, launch, and manage conferences, trade shows, festivals, and other events, ensuring they run smoothly and efficiently. |
Source: BLS
Learn More About Hospitality Jobs
Is a Hospitality Management Degree Worth It?
A hospitality management degree can be worthwhile if you want to develop business and customer service skills that can open leadership opportunities within the industry.
Beyond the skills you’ll learn, you may also want to consider the degree’s return on investment. You can determine this by comparing the cost of your degree against the salary you expect to earn once you graduate.
The average starting salary for people with bachelor’s degrees in hospitality management was around $48,000 in 2023, per the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). However, remember that your wages will vary depending on location, experience level, and the particular sector you work in.
Education Beyond a Bachelor’s Degree
After you earn a bachelor’s, you can go after an advanced degree, such as a master of science in hospitality management, a master of management in hospitality, or a master’s in hospitality administration.
With a master’s degree, you can earn a higher starting salary since these programs provide further industry knowledge and networking opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hospitality Management Degrees
A bachelor’s degree in hospitality management teaches the skills to oversee the daily operations of hotels, restaurants, casinos, resorts, and more. While studying, you’ll learn about organizational marketing, finances, law, revenue management, strategic planning, and human resources.
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