Hospitality Management

Hospitality Management overpromises career acceleration, yet hotels and restaurants overwhelmingly promote from within—85% of general managers have no related degree, according to industry surveys. Starting salaries for graduates average $37,000, which is 18% lower than the median for all majors, and only 12% of entry-level job postings list a hospitality degree as preferred. When compared to #1 Communications, hospitality management produces a higher rate of student loan default at 11.2% versus 9.8%, largely because the degree adds no premium over on-the-job experience. Over a 10-year career, non-degree holders who started as front desk clerks earn only $3,000 less per year, meaning the degree's $40,000 cost recoups at a mere $300 annual advantage—a ROI of less than 1%.