Careers in Hospitality

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Whether you're a high school graduate thinking about your first career or a mid-career professional longing for a change, there are a number of careers in hospitality that could be right for you. Careers in Hospitality range from arts, entertainment and transportation, to accommodation, food services, tourism and other recreation services.[i]

What Kind of Degrees Are Typical for Careers in Hospitality?

Most entry-level positions in hotels and restaurants, like waiters,hostesses, housekeepers, or front-desk clerks do not require a post-secondary education. Management positions, like hotel or restaurant managers or head chefs, can also be attained with just a high school diploma and years of on the job experience. However, having formal training, an associates degree or a certificate in hotel, restaurant or operations management, may provide an advantage over the competition. In addition, many larger establishments, like full-service hotels or starred restaurants, require applicants to have a bachelor's degree. [v]

Hospitality Industry Facts & Stats

  • The median weekly earning for full time workers in this industry is $374.45.[ii]
  • Going by 2014 annual median salary,the top paying jobs within this industry are Independent Artists, Writers & Performers, Spectator Sports, Performing Arts Companies, and Arts & Sports Promoters, Agents & Managers.[iii]
  • The Hospitality industry is expected to grow .9% every year from 2012-2022. [iii]
  • The Hospitality industry currently employs over 15 million workers. It is one of the top high growth industries in the nation. In 2014, the industry had 4,921,000 gross job gains.
  • The number of establishments in the Hospitality industry has steadily increased in recent years. From 2011 to 2014 the number of establishments in this industry grew by 37,923. [iv]

According to the US Travel Association, Travel, Tourism and Hospitality is one of America's largest industries,

  • Generated $2.1 trillion in economic output in 2014, with $927.9 billion spent directly by domestic and international travelers.
  • Travel now accounts for 10 percent of all U.S. exports of goods and services (as of February2015).
  • The U.S. travel, tourism and hospitality industry generated nearly $74 billion in trade surplus for the U.S. economy in 2014.
  • One in every 9 American jobs depends on travel.

Sources: [i] bls.gov/iag [ii] bls.gov [iii] bls.gov/opub [iv] data.bls.gov [v] bls.gov/ooh

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