Highest-paying business careers with a hospitality degree

The commercial sector provides a wide range of rewarding and lucrative career paths for individuals with a customer service-related qualification. Employment in these roles is projected to increase more rapidly than in any other industry up to 2032.

These positions play a central role to the success of organizations ranging from small startups to global enterprises and demand excellent interpersonal abilities, business acumen and a solid grasp of customer service.

This article explores some of the highest-paying business careers available to those with a hospitality degree, including the expected salaries and the necessary skills required for these roles.

Career opportunities in business for hospitality graduates

A degree in hospitality opens doors to many high-paying jobs in the service sector. Let’s take a look at some of these positions available to graduates with a degree in hospitality management, along with their potential salaries.

Customer success manager

The primary goal of customer success managers is to ensure clients have a smooth and positive experience with a company’s services. This role can typically be found in SaaS (software as a service), technology and telecommunications sectors and involves actively managing client accounts, handling complaints and implementing feedback to improve service quality.

With a strong focus on customer service, responsibilities also include tracking client satisfaction metrics and suggesting improvements. Salaries typically reach up to $146,935 per year, depending on experience and company size.

Sales director

As a leading figure in the department, a sales director will create and deliver strategies to meet or exceed revenue targets in sectors such as technology, manufacturing, finance and pharmaceutical. This career path requires significant strategic planning and negotiation skills and commands an average annual salary ranging from $178,303 to $234,210.

Sales directors must have a good understanding of their market and strong relationship-building skills. Their duties also include supervising a team of sales professionals, establishing goals and developing key client relationships.

Training and development manager

In charge of designing and delivering programs to boost employee skills and performance, these managers create comprehensive learning materials and evaluate their effectiveness. With staff management experience and a good knowledge of service standards, training and development managers in the corporate, manufacturing, education and healthcare sectors can earn between $121,701 and $158,287 per year.

Additional responsibilities include running workshops, mentoring staff and assessing training outcomes to ensure alignment with company goals.

Experience designer

This position often found in the entertainment, media, retail and technology sectors requires creating exceptional customer interactions and blending creativity with user research. Key tasks involve designing physical spaces and digital interfaces to improve the customer experience.

The job demands a thorough understanding of user behavior and emerging trends for designing memorable experiences, and salaries typically range from $65,587 to $80,869 per year,

Operations analyst

Evaluating business processes to identify areas for improvement in industry sectors such as logistics, healthcare, technology or finance is the core responsibility here. In this role, you must have strong analytical skills and an understanding of hospitality operations to assess data to optimize processes and increase efficiency.

Key duties include performing cost analyses, streamlining workflows and implementing new procedures. Earnings are typically in the range of $65,412 to $85,784 per year.

Brand manager

Tasked with maintaining and improving the company’s brand image, brand managers can earn between $115,806 and $168,678 per year. Commonly found  in the media, retail, technology or consumer goods industries, these managers develop marketing strategies and oversee campaign execution.

This role involves market research, coordinating with creative teams and ensuring brand consistency across all communication channels.

Customer insights analyst

In any customer-focused role, you’ll find analysts who are tasked with evaluating data to generate plans and recommendations that can lead to business improvements.

Being a customer insights analyst involves understanding customer needs and preferences, collecting and interpreting feedback and presenting results to guide strategic decisions. Salaries for this role typically are up to $75,166 per year.

Digital marketing manager

With annual salaries typically ranging from $108,968 to $142,648, this role is a rewarding one that involves optimizing the company’s online presence by creating engaging content, overseeing social media strategies and conducting email marketing campaigns.

Key tasks include analyzing digital performance metrics and adjusting strategies to improve online engagement.

E-commerce manager

Oversees the functionality and performance of online sales platforms, ensuring a seamless shopping experience for customers in sectors such as retail, consumer goods and technology. Duties include managing product listings, improving website features and analyzing sales data to drive improvements.

This role requires an understanding of revenue management and online booking systems and comes with an average base salary of $79,638 per year.

Innovation manager

With average annual salaries of $148,189, these professionals lead initiatives to introduce new products, services or processes. Innovation managers’ main focus is on research and development to stay ahead in the market and the role involves working with various departments, managing projects and promoting a culture of creativity.

If you’re inspired by one of these exciting, high-paying business careers, the right hospitality degree could enable you to improve your skills and gain the valuable hands-on experience you will need.

Skills required for high-paying business jobs

The lucrative roles outlined above demand a combination of technical knowledge, leadership qualities and interpersonal aptitude. Among the skills you’ll need for thriving in them include:

• Leadership: the ability to guide and motivate a team, train employees, inspire confidence, delegate tasks appropriately and drive teams toward achieving organizational goals
• Interpersonal skills: collaborating with colleagues, negotiating deals and interacting with clients means you’ll need strong verbal and written communication abilities
• Analytical skills: the capacity to look at data, identify trends and make informed decision. Analytical thinkers can solve complex problems and develop strategies based on their insights
• Financial acumen: you need to be able to understand economic principles, such as budgeting, forecasting and financial analysis. Sound financial knowledge enables better business decisions and helps professionals manage resources more efficiently
• Adaptability: being able to adjust to changing conditions and new challenges is important. Adaptable individuals can thrive in fast-paced environments and embrace innovation
• Time management and organizational skills: prioritizing tasks and managing time effectively is essential for productivity and meeting deadlines. This is particularly important in roles with multiple responsibilities and high demands
• Networking: building and maintaining professional relationships can open doors to new opportunities. Networking involves attending industry events, connecting with peers and leveraging contacts
• Customer focus: client and guest satisfaction comes first and understanding their needs leads to better service delivery. A strong customer focus improves satisfaction, boosts loyalty, drives positive reviews and encourages repeat business

How can a hospitality school prepare you for a high-paying business career?

A degree in hospitality management or related discipline can open doors to lucrative careers by equipping individuals with a highly versatile skillset. These degree programs usually include coursework in management, marketing, finance and human resources, providing a comprehensive understanding of business operations.

They usually involve internships for aspiring professionals to gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside industry professionals.

Hospitality schools equip students with the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive in high-paying business careers by offering:

• Specialized curriculum: tailored coursework focused on topics such as hospitality management, hotel operations, event planning and food and beverage management. This specialized education provides students with transferable skills and knowledge to help them thrive in any high-paying business role
• Hands-on experience: many programs incorporate hospitality internships, co-op placements or other practical experiences that allow students to gain real-world exposure to management-level roles
• Industry connections: renowned hospitality schools such as Glion have strong relationships with industry partners, including hotels, restaurants, real estate companies, event venues, luxury industries and tourism organizations. These can lead to networking opportunities, job placements and mentorship programs, helping students to establish valuable connections in the business community
• Professional development: resources and support for students to develop essential skills such as communication, leadership, customer service and problem solving. These skills are important for success in high-paying business careers in the hospitality industry and beyond

Conclusion

A hospitality degree provides a solid foundation for various lucrative career paths in a wide range of industries, all of which offer excellent opportunities for advancement. With specialized training in management, marketing, finance and human resources, graduates are well-prepared to take on numerous different roles, particularly ones that require a blend of technical knowledge and interpersonal skills.

Practical experience gained through internships and industry placements further increases graduates’ readiness for more high-paying careers.

Whether aiming to become a hotel manager, sales director or customer insights analyst, the education and training provided by a hospitality program are relevant.

Candidates with the right blend of strategic planning, customer focus and financial acumen can expect competitive salaries and opportunities for significant career growth and development.

A hospitality school provides students with the academic knowledge, experience and connections needed to pursue high-paying business careers in a broad range of industries.

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Main Image: Getty Thomas Barwick