Search for Schools and/or
 

The Hottest Jobs with a Hospitality Degree

Learn what jobs you'll find in the welcoming world of hospitality and tourism.

Find Culinary School Articles and Resources   |   Find Culinary Arts Schools

 

Careers for Hospitality Degree Graduates

hospitality degree graduate

A hospitality degree is your ticket to a fun and exciting career in the growing hospitality and tourism industry. With projected openings of 1.5 million jobs in the hospitality industry in the next 5 years, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, you'll find no shortage of opportunities to put your hospitality degree to work.

Gone are the days where "hospitality" meant just busing dishes or changing towels. Today's modern hospitality industry includes not just hotel and restaurant management, but also casinos, spas, cruise ships and more. Here are just a few of the careers you could launch with a hospitality degree.

 
find hospitality degrees

Casino and Gaming Supervisor

Casinos are a high stakes business. No longer confined to Las Vegas and Atlantic City, commercial casinos now operate in 11 U.S. states, and tribal casinos exist in 28 states. Casinos have evolved in recent years into hotbeds of entertainment, retail and cuisine. Many house live performances, concerts, theaters, world-class retail centers and five-star restaurants. As a gaming supervisor you'll be at the center of it all.

Gaming supervisors are responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the casino. This involves planning and organizing events for guests, making sure there are enough dealers on the floor, handling customer complaints and ensuring a high level of service and professionalism among casino staff. With a hospitality degree under your belt, you are primed to enter the exciting field of casino management.

Hotel Concierge

Concierges are in the business of making people's dream vacations come true. Responsible for fulfilling the requests of guests, typical duties of a concierge include securing hard-to-get theater tickets, making impossible last-minute reservations or arranging day trips to local hot spots. However, for a good concierge, the fun is in dealing with the unique requests such as finding an animal companion for a lonely business traveler or helping plan a romantic proposal a couple will never forget.

A fixture at luxury hotels across the globe, concierges have a history of helping travelers since the Middle Ages. Many concierges speak several languages and are trained to assist people of different cultures. Having a hospitality degree with a concentration in international tourism will definitely put anyone wishing to enter this respected profession at the top of the hiring manager's list.
 
find hospitality degrees

Food and Restaurant Critic

While it may seem like a foodie's dream job, being a food and restaurant critic involves a lot more than just enjoying a good meal. Food and restaurant critics are often chosen for their experience and expertise in the restaurant business. Having a food and hospitality management degree is definitely an asset, because critics are expected not only to critique the food but also the service, decorum and quality of an establishment and its kitchen.

Opportunities for food critics exist at newspapers, magazines, on the web and in books such as the famous Zagat's guide. However, these opportunities tend to be limited and competition can be tough. Having a working knowledge of the food industry coupled with a flair for the written word will help you land one of these enviable positions.

 

Tour Director

As a tour director, you will travel the world, sharing your knowledge of local history and customs with other travelers—offering them the vacation of a lifetime. Working for private tour companies, local resorts or attractions, tour directors are responsible for traveling with the tour group, managing transportation and lodging, arranging meals, leading tours and attending optional excursions and events.

Being a tour director involves working with international customs and laws as well as dealing directly with people from across the world. Having a hospitality degree or other related certification or training is essential for landing a job in this field—it will give you the knowledge and terminology to make you an effective guide no matter where you travel.
 
find hospitality degrees

Event Planner

Want to get paid to party? As an event planner, you can be a part of some of the most memorable and cherished events in people's lives. Design lavish weddings, rock-star style bashes or elegant sit-downs. Event planners work with clients to generate the event's theme, location and budget. They work with vendors to secure favors, arrange locations and order food.

Job conditions are flexible. You can choose to work at a firm with other planners or start your own business. A hospitality degree or certificate will give you the food industry insight and management skills that put you at an advantage above other planners, most of whom have no formal education in event planning or hospitality.

 

Get Started with a Hospitality Degree

These are just a few of the directions a hospitality career can take you. If you're ready to take the first step toward a career in the hospitality industry, find a hospitality degree program in our directory of schools, and get started today.

 
find hospitality degrees

Read About Culinary Careers

Catering Job – Read what a catering job is all about.
 

Chef Job – Looking to start a chef career? Find out what it takes to succeed.
 

Pastry Chef Job – Learn what to expect in a pastry chef job.
 

Restaurant Management Job – Do you have what it takes to be a restaurant manager? Find out.

More Search Options

Browse by Program

Degrees

Areas of Study

Receive News & Events