Career Specializations

• Food Service Manager: Food service managers oversee customer service, day-to-day operations, employees, human resource functions, and inventory.
• Lodging Manager: Lodging managers oversee every detail of a hotel, including employees, finances, guest services, and marketing.
• Front Office Manager: Front office managers are lodging managers who specialize in front desk operations and guest service.
• Convention Services Manager: Convention services managers coordinate special events at hotels, including conferences, conventions, and meetings.
• Restaurant General Manager: Restaurant general managers are usually high-level food service managers or restaurant owners.

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Degree Levels Available for Hospitality/Restaurant Management

• Certificate: 1 to 1.5 years to complete
• Associate: 2 years to complete
• Bachelor's: 4 years to complete
• Master's: 1 to 2 years to complete

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Education and Certification Requirements

While it is possible to work your way into a supervisory role through experience alone, education has become increasingly important in obtaining a management position.  The degree level you choose will depend on your specialization and the level of management you wish to pursue.

An associate degree will take about two years to complete and will get your foot in the door at most mainstream hotels and restaurants.  Food service management typically requires a specialized degree, along with on-the-job training and experience.  Some companies even require that management trainees complete internships.  Lodging establishments also prefer candidates with hospitality degrees, although a few chains will accept liberal arts degrees if the candidate has enough applicable experience. If you really want to increase your chances at success, a bachelor's degree is recommended. 

Students in both restaurant and hospitality management programs will learn basic business management skills.  Typical courses include accounting, business law, marketing, and human resource management.  Restaurant management programs also include coursework on culinary arts, food safety, nutrition, and sanitation.  Both programs commonly include internships, which provide real-world experience. (BLS)

Food service managers may decide to become a certified Foodservice Management Professional.  The National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation administers an exam and courses that must be completed in order to receive certification.  While certification is not required, it does let employers know that a candidate is qualified and has a passion for food service management.

The American Hotel and Lodging Institute offers a similar certification program for hotel managers.  Candidates may choose to become a certified hotel administrator or a certified lodging manager.  These certification programs have separate tracks for meeting prerequisites, either through education or experience.

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Salary Information

How much you make in hospitality and restaurant management depends on your level of education and experience.  Those with lower level degrees will make less than those with bachelor's or master's degrees. 

For food service managers with lower level degrees, salary ranges may be in the lowest 10%, or less than $29,450 per year.  Mid level managers make a median salary of about $46,320.  High-level managers can earn much more.  The top 10% have reached an annual wage of up to $76,940. (BLS)

Lodging managers earn annual salaries very close in amount to food service managers.  The lowest wages are under $28,160.  Mid-level managers can expect about $45,800 and higher-level management earns up to $84,270. (BLS)

Both sectors offer managers other perks.  Depending on the position and company, both hospitality and restaurant managers can be offered bonuses, free meals, special parking privileges, and profit sharing plans. 

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Job Outlook

The Bureau of Labor Statistics expects food service management to grow by 5% by 2018, which is a bit more slowly than other occupations.  The bright side is that job opportunities are still expected to be good for new managers due to turnover in the industry.  There will also be new settings for food service managers over the next few years, such as in supermarkets and retail locations.

Hotel managers will face stiffer competition since, according to the BLS, the industry will experience slow job growth.  Turnover will create some new positions but the best opportunities will be in large establishments like casinos and resorts.  Because of the level of competition, those with a combination of education and experience will see the best job opportunities.

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Related Careers

• Retail Management: Retail managers share many of the same skills as food service and lodging managers.  They oversee daily operations of a retail store, including meeting sales expectations, providing customer service, and managing employees.  The median annual wage for retail managers is about $35,000. (BLS)
• Real Estate Management: Real estate and property managers oversee finances, insurance issues, contracts, and employees, much like lodging managers do.  They are responsible for maintaining the value of the properties they manage.  Real estate managers make about $46,000 per year. (BLS)
• Culinary Arts: Like food service managers, chefs and head cooks manage and train other food service workers.  They are responsible for menus, recipes, and serving sizes, in addition to ensuring smooth operation of the kitchen.  Head chefs earn around $38,000 annually. (BLS)

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