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Excellence in hospitality depends on human interaction, so in hindsight, it's no surprise COVID-19 crushed the industry and collapsed a number of established customs.
In a 2021 report by the McKinsey Global Institute this statement can be found, "Before COVID-19, the largest disruptions to work involved new technologies and growing trade links. COVID-19 has, for the first time, elevated the importance of the physical dimension of work." McKinsey developed a system to illustrate how jobs with the highest physical proximity are the most likely to be disrupted, including hospitality.
When the bottom fell out, shocking stats began to emerge from the travel and tourism industry. One in particular reported that tourist arrivals in Hawaii fell 99.5 percent in April of 2021 and another reported that only 3 percent of hotels were booked in Austin, Texas.
There's more to the story than quantitative stats, however. On Florida Atlantic University's podcast, "What's Happening," FAU's Director of Hospitality & Tourism Management Program, Dr. Peter Ricci, talks about the results from a survey sent to hospitality and tourism workers in the wake of COVID-19. He says the personal, qualitative responses are the most jarring.
There's an upside to all of this, though. New trends are shaping the hospitality industry for the good. Digitalized experiences, new work venues and holistic experiences top the list.
It's a new era for the hospitality industry with a new generation of workers to help make the shift. We wanted to know which institutions are producing the best outcomes for recent grads going into the field. We looked at professionals who earned a degree in 2019, 2020 and 2021 working in hospitality and earning over $90,000 per year.
Here are 11 universities producing the most high-earning alumni working in hospitality in the U.S.
1. Cornell University
Top Employers by Volume:
Marriott International, Hilton, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Director Sales and Marketing, General Manager, Director of Finance
Top Skills by Salary:
Yield Management, Lodging, Revenue Management
2. Florida Atlantic University
Top Employers by Volume:
Marriott International, Hilton, Universal Orlando Resort
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Director of Sales, Sales Manager, Director Sales and Marketing
Top Skills by Salary:
Resort Management, Yield Management, Travel Incentive
3. Harvard University
Top Employers by Volume:
Marriott International, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Carnival Cruise Line
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Director of Operations, Business Insight and Analytics Manager, Product Manager
Top Skills by Salary:
Financial Analysis, Franchising, Business Analytics
4. University of Central Florida
Top Employers by Volume:
Universal Orlando Resort, Chick-fil-a, Darden
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Entertainer, Business Insight and Analytics Manager, Manager
Top Skills by Salary:
Incentives, Yield Management, Resort Management
5. Western Governors University
Top Employers by Volume:
Chick-fil-a, Marriott International, Hilton
Top Job Titles by Volume:
General Manager, Information Technology Manager, Human Resources Director
Top Skills by Salary:
Franchising, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard, Information Security
6. Florida International University
Top Employers by Volume:
Marriott International, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Director of Finance, General Manager, Product Manager
Top Skills by Salary:
Yield Management, Lodging, Travel Website
7. Southern New Hampshire University
Top Employers by Volume:
Chick-fil-a, Domino's, Enterprise Holdings
Top Job Titles by Volume:
General Manager, Director of Finance, Director of Operations
Top Skills by Salary:
Cash Flow Reporting, Sponsor (Commercial), Property Management System
8. University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Top Employers by Volume:
MGM Resorts International, Caesars Entertainment Corporation, Diamond Resorts
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Casino Manager, General Manager, Group Sales Manager
Top Skills by Salary:
Yield Management, Tableau Software, Gaming Industry
9. New York University
Top Employers by Volume:
Hyatt Hotels Corporation, Marriott International, Lindblad Expeditions
Top Job Titles by Volume:
CEO, Director of Finance, Head of Marketing
Top Skills by Salary:
Market Research, Yield Management, Contracts
10. Arizona State University
Top Employers by Volume:
Chick-fil-a, Marriott International, Domino's
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Manager, Director of Operations, Director of Sales and Marketing
Top Skills by Salary:
Yield Management, Resort Management, Property Management System
11. Johnson & Wales University
Top Employers by Volume:
Marriott International, Bon Appétit Management Company, Chick-fil-a
Top Job Titles by Volume:
Director of Operations, Executive Chef, Food and Beverage Director
Top Skills by Salary:
Franchising, Yield Management, Lodging
Who ranks No. 12? Maybe it's you.
Want to see where your institution ranks? Get a free consultation for student success, and we’ll show you a lifetime of graduate outcomes data in seconds.
Photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash.
