Study Hotel Management and Hospitality in United States

Travel and tourism are closely linked, and both industries have significant overlap.

The industry has been long to augment rapidly over the last few decades, with the total number of international tourists of 1.4 billion and more travelers crossing borders at the beginning of 2019 (UNWTO).

This number indicates a big room of support that is needed from the hospitality industry to accommodate the ever-rising and a large portion of travelers around the world. 

With the vast increase coming from the hotel chains and restaurants incorporating to the same line, hospitality and hotel management promises a world of career opportunities. 

What is Hospitality and Hotel Management all about?

Hotel management course comprises various multidisciplinary studies, some of which are business management, marketing, public relations, event management and tourism. 

All operational aspects that are in line to the hotel and food services, such as restaurants, cafes are a big part of hotel management.

However, that does not limit the scope of hotel management to be all about food and not all graduates of hotel management are chefs.

There are four major departments in a hotel:

1. Housekeeping

Housekeeping covers the cleanliness of guest rooms as well as the hotel surroundings. It aims to ensure the aesthetic appeal of the hotel.

2. Front office

Front office involves everything that deals with customer satisfaction, from maintenance of guest records, maintenance of room inventory and financial reporting.

3. Food & beverage service 

This can be a part of service-oriented hospitality or run as an independent business. The services include preparation, managing customer’s orders and bills and various other things.

4. Food production

Food production ensures the maintenance of high quality of food and service, food costing up to the management of the restaurant. 

Hotel and restaurants aren’t the only forte to hotel management. There is a broader horizon that is the hospitality and tourism sector, such as the airline industry, resorts and cruise liners. 

If you choose to study hospitality and hotel management, United States is one of the popular study destinations for many students. 

In 2017, the number of international tourists in the US was at the level of 76.9 million people and it’s predicted to continue growing in the span of 5 years. 

Graduates of hotel management from American universities will be equipped to have ample set of skills and knowledge for your career. 

Through a career in this field, you will gain both personal and professional experience for your aspiring professional aspirations in the hotel industry. 

Why study Hospitality and Hotel Management in the US?

Here are some reasons as to why studying hotel management in the US sounds like a good idea:

Rapid growth in the tourism industry

United States has high and rapid growth in the tourism industry. Various of new tourist spots, hotels, restaurants continue on resurfacing across the country.

The triumph demand of graduates will allow you to have a seamless experience in your career search, both in the US or any other part of the world. 

Opportunity to view the world

Hospitality and tourism industry has a global, omnipresent characteristic. This allows you to have an enormous scope of travel. You get to make a living traveling the world, all while receiving free accommodations and food.

Whether you’re a part of the restaurant or housekeeping, there are opportunities for individuals of all backgrounds to work on one of the floating resorts. 

Elicit new soft skills for your career advancement

Once you have decided on going down a path in the hotel management line, you will acquire many new skills, especially soft skills. Soft skills that you will obtain throughout your studies will interrelate with leadership in a team. This will enhance your career growth. 

You can also be flexible in choosing a career that does not necessarily have to be under the same industry from the soft skill that you have possessed. 

A chance to set your foot on the international ground

Hotel management and hospitality graduates with the right knowledge and skillset can look forward to a diverse choice of international careers. 

Through the experiential learning, practical experience and management expertise, you will discover that your skills can open many doors that come with international exposure. 

What skills and characteristics do you need to study Hotel Management and Hospitality?

Here are the ideal characteristics for students in the Hospitality and Hotel Management course:

1. Interpersonal and communication skill

Career in tourism and hospitality will require you to be adept in all the techniques in communication. This is important as the industry is closely tied to service providing, therefore, effective communication towards clients and customers is essential. 

2. Creative and problem solving 

Not only will you learn how to offer the best service, but you‌ ‌will also have to understand how to tackle technical issues. 
Hotel management and hospitality course will entail you to solve problems through a good analytical approach. 

3.  Team player

The work in tourism and hospitality field is greatly affected by other industry. You must be able to understand the scope of work that is prompted by other responsibilities as a whole, enabling the work mechanism to be rather holistic than individualistic.

4. Relationship building and retention 

Jobs in hospitality will always relate to others, especially guests and clients. You will need the ability to build a pipeline with other people in order for you to advance your career in this field. For that, shaping up the right attitude, creating trust and being courteous are required.

If you think that you have all the characters as a whole, you are absolutely looking at the right career path.  

What are the top universities that offer Hotel Management course in the US?

There are many universities and colleges that you can choose for this course.

Here are the top 10 universities in the US for Hotel Management according to QS Universities:

How is the career outlook for Hotel Management course like?

The primary career path for hotel management and hospitality graduates lies in the tourism and hospitality line. 

Some career prospects that are probable for hotel management graduates include: 

• Accommodation Manager
• Catering Manager
• Executive Chef
• Event Manager
• Hotel Manager
• Restaurant Manager

The salary that you will receive as a hotel management graduate in the US is generally high, depending on the position. 

Following are the common job options for the hotel management graduates in the US along with the estimated average salaries according to PayScale:

How long is the duration of studies for Hotel Management course in the US?

In general, the duration that is needed to complete your studies in hotel management and hospitality course is comparable to the length of studies in Malaysia and will vary depending on the level of studies that you are taking. 

What are the requirements to study Hotel Management in the US?

Entry requirements in universities in the US for Hotel Management and Hospitality studies are varied, each to their own.

The requirements that are listed below will differ from one university to another.

Students who do not meet the minimum requirement of English may be asked to study a short English course before starting the university foundation course.

How much is the tuition fee for Hotel Management course in the US?

There is a different variant to tuition fees in the US, depending on the course that is chosen. 

The estimated tuition fee per annum for Hotel Management course in the top universities in the US can be seen here:

The fee above only covers the tuition fee and other additional fees nor living expenses. Living expenses of students in the US depend on the location of the university and the city that you live in. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

1. Is studying hospitality management considered easy? 

In general, you will find a lot of things as you uncover the whole study of hospitality. This will require you to have a good multitasking skill. Although the studies is not as easy as it seems, the benefits that you will gain out of accomplishing this degree will be immense. 

2. How do I prepare myself before going into hospitality and hotel management course?

Don’t be afraid or hesitant in learning new things and meeting new people. Hotel management course will involve facing different situations that are dynamical. 

Moreover, you will be able to hone your ability to work in a team. You will meet many different people with a whole lot of different background. Therefore, it’s important to self-manage to keep up with each other’s work ethique.

3. How is working conditions in the hotel like?

For the kitchen department, you will have long working hours and get busy even on the weekends even when your friends are free. You will have to be ready to sacrifice your social life. 

The typical 9-to-5 working life does not apply to some roles. While you have the same routines in the daily tasks on each shift, every day is different. If that makes any sense.