by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Hospitality and Recreation Marketing Operations involves the study of Hospitality And Recreation Marketing Operations. A Program That Prepares Individuals To Provide Marketing Services In The Hospitality And Leisure Fields. Includes Instruction In Hospitality Operations, Customer Sales And Assistance Operations And Techniques, Telephone Operations, Basic Office Management, Retail Sports, Recreation Equipment, Food And Beverage. Continue reading for the key facts every hospitality and recreation marketing operations major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering hospitality and recreation marketing operations programs.
In the U.S., hospitality and recreation marketing operations draws strong interest, with 53 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Hospitality and Recreation Marketing Operations Schools ranking analyzes these 8 schools to determine the best overall colleges for hospitality and recreation marketing operations students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of hospitality and recreation marketing operations programs later in this article.
Programs in Hospitality and Recreation Marketing Operations build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations hospitality and recreation marketing operations graduates commonly enter.
Skills developed in a hospitality and recreation marketing operations program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Based on O*NET data, a hospitality and recreation marketing operations major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several hospitality and recreation marketing operations 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 | 4 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 44 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 5 |
People currently working in careers related to hospitality and recreation marketing operations tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 54.8% |
| Master’s degree | 28.6% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 4.5% |
| Some college courses | 3.7% |
| First professional degree | 2.7% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.5% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 1.7% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 1.5% |
See the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in hospitality and recreation marketing operations careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
A degree in hospitality and recreation marketing operations prepares you for many career paths. These are some of the most common occupations related to hospitality and recreation marketing operations.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to hospitality and recreation marketing operations.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | 671,367 | 10.3% |
| Marketing Managers | 259,371 | -4.4% |
| Search Marketing Strategists | 199,758 | 8.2% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of hospitality and recreation marketing operations graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $37,031 |
| 4 years | $44,812 |
| 5 years | $50,781 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for hospitality and recreation marketing operations graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers hospitality and recreation marketing operations grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists | $124,518 |
| Marketing Managers | $90,143 |
| Search Marketing Strategists | $85,177 |
With 8 different hospitality and recreation marketing operations programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased hospitality and recreation marketing operations school rankings to help you.
Students interested in hospitality and recreation marketing operations, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
