by our College Data Analytics Team
[Hospitality Management](/majors/business-management-marketing-sales/hospitality-management/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
College Factual analyzed 6 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying hospitality management schools.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send hospitality management graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is University Of Denver, our #1 for hospitality management graduate salaries in the Rocky Mountains Region. University Of Denver is a private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. Hospitality Management graduates of University Of Denver earn a median of about $62,364 a year early in their careers.
Strong graduate earnings at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #2 place for hospitality management. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a public institution. Early-career hospitality management graduates from Colorado State University Fort Collins make a median of around $53,160 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at Utah Valley University earned it the #3 place for hospitality management. Utah Valley University is a public school located in the city of Orem. After graduating, hospitality management degree recipients from Utah Valley University typically earn about $52,381 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in hospitality management will find them at Colorado Mountain College, which ranked #4. Colorado Mountain College is a public school located in the town of Glenwood Springs. After graduating, hospitality management degree recipients from Colorado Mountain College typically earn about $38,625 annually.
A rank of #5 makes Southern Utah University one of the highest-paying schools for hospitality management. Located in the town of Cedar City, Southern Utah University is a public institution. Hospitality Management graduates of Southern Utah University earn a median of about $44,327 a year early in their careers.
Metropolitan State College Of Denver ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying hospitality management schools. Located in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a public institution. Hospitality Management graduates of Metropolitan State College Of Denver earn a median of about $52,594 a year early in their careers.
The ranking above is published by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their hospitality management graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.