by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Hotel/Motel Administration/Management explores Hotel/motel Administration/management. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Manage Operations And Facilities That Provide Lodging Services To The Traveling Public. Includes Instruction In Hospitality Industry Principles; Supplies Purchasing, Storage And Control; Hotel Facilities Design And Planning; Hospitality Industry Law; Personnel Management And Labor Relations; Financial Management; Marketing And Sales Promotion; Convention And Event Management; Front Desk Operations; And Applications To Specific Types Of Hotels And Motel Operations. Continue reading for the key facts every hotel/motel administration/management major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering hotel/motel administration/management programs.
Across the country, hotel/motel administration/management is a widely-pursued major, with 1,734 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Hotel/Motel Administration/Management Schools ranking analyzes these 91 schools to determine the best overall colleges for hotel/motel administration/management students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of hotel/motel administration/management programs later in this article.
Programs in Hotel/Motel Administration/Management develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations hotel/motel administration/management graduates commonly enter.
The skill set emphasized by a hotel/motel administration/management program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a hotel/motel administration/management major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several hotel/motel administration/management degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate | Varies | 107 |
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 260 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 844 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 521 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 2 |
People currently working in careers related to hotel/motel administration/management tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 47.5% |
| Master’s degree | 11.0% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 10.3% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 8.8% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 8.2% |
| Some college courses | 7.2% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 4.5% |
| Less than a high school diploma | 2.6% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in hotel/motel administration/management careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in hotel/motel administration/management opens doors to numerous career paths. Here are some of the most common occupations related to hotel/motel administration/management.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to hotel/motel administration/management.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Security Management Specialists | 765,822 | -1.0% |
| Business Continuity Planners | 678,409 | 12.4% |
| Online Merchants | 677,689 | 10.1% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 615,875 | -1.7% |
| Sustainability Specialists | 564,227 | 14.3% |
| Food Service Managers | 397,799 | 7.7% |
| Security Managers | 360,967 | 0.6% |
| Facilities Managers | 268,353 | -0.6% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of hotel/motel administration/management graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $35,616 |
| 4 years | $42,558 |
| 5 years | $47,733 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for hotel/motel administration/management graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers hotel/motel administration/management grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Food Service Managers | $165,782 |
| Facilities Managers | $157,669 |
| Security Management Specialists | $128,654 |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | $113,637 |
| Online Merchants | $106,971 |
| Security Managers | $104,128 |
| Lodging Managers | $95,461 |
| Sustainability Specialists | $81,004 |
With 91 different hotel/motel administration/management programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased hotel/motel administration/management school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in hotel/motel administration/management, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
