An MBA in hospitality management online is the top choice for managers in the foodservice, leisure, entertainment, and travel industries. Perhaps you have reached a stopping point in your current professional pathway. The answer is a master of business administration degree specializing in your field of work. An online MBA will provide you with advanced leadership skills and specific business knowledge so you can flourish and earn a higher salary. Plus, online programs offer the flexibility for nontraditional students to continue their work throughout their education.
MBA in hospitality management online programs open the door to finance, marketing, business law, facilities management, and much more. If you are currently making an average salary of around $51,000 a year, a master’s degree can bump you closer to the top ten percent in your vocation. According to the BLS, that means annual pay ranging to $108,000! However, a hospitality degree online can set you back more than a few thousand dollars before you can make that first paycheck. Currently, the average hospitality management online degree costs around $26,000. But the cheapest is $14,300 less and can deliver just as excellent a program as the most expensive degree.
Through a complete survey of 19 fully accredited MBA in hospitality management online programs from 18 colleges, GetEducated has created a ‘Best Buy’ list for you. This list reveals the most affordable options available in the US–9 degrees below the $26,200 national average.
ARTICLE NAVIGATION: Rankings Table | Career Guide
Average Cost (In-state): ~$26,200
Least Expensive: Fort Hays State University ~$11,900
Most Expensive: Temple University ~$62,561
Our data-driven research creates a truly reliable system of scientific rankings. There are no fancy formulas here. We meticulously calculate total full-time tuition—including any fees—for the most accurate total cost. Our rankings cannot be bought, and therefore factually showcase the cheapest MBA in hospitality management online programs. The online MBA programs listed above the gray dividing line are official 2022 “Best Buys” and cost less than the national average.
Most Affordable MBA in Hospitality Management Online
| Rank | School / Degree | State | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Fort Hays State University | (KS) | $11,900.00 | All Students |
2 | Louisiana State University-Shreveport | (LA) | $12,474.00 | All Students |
3 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette | (LA) | $12,800.04 | All Students |
4 |  American Public University System | (WV) | $15,625.00 $10,100.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military |
5 | Columbia College - SC | (SC) | $17,280.00 | All Students |
6 | Midway University | (KY) | $17,625.00 | All Students |
7 | University of the Potomac | (DC) | $17,750.00 | All Students |
8 | Husson University | (ME) | $21,127.00 | All Students |
9 | Lakeland University | (WI) | $24,732.00 | All Students |
| School / Degree | State | Price | Note | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Liberty University | (VA) | $26,770.00 $12,475.00 | In-State/Out-of-State Military | |
Lynn University | (FL) | $27,750.00 | All Students | |
Johnson & Wales University | (RI) | $29,412.00 | All Students | |
Washington State University | (WA) | $30,780.00 | All Students | |
Florida Atlantic University | (FL) | $32,000.00 | All Students | |
Endicott College | (MA) | $34,486.00 | All Students | |
Roosevelt University | (IL) | $37,404.00 | All Students | |
University of New Hampshire | (NH) | $38,925.00 $44,205.00 | In-State Out-of-State | |
Temple University | (PA) | $62,561.00 | All Students |
Accreditation & Program Notes
To qualify for a ranking, a program must be regionally accredited. Additional programmatic accreditation is noted in the rank table.
14 Options for this program have changed since publication.
AACSB AACSB International
IACBE International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education
ACBSP Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs
Rankings Note
These online college rankings are based on a GetEducated Winter 2021 review of regionally accredited MBA in hospitality management online programs. Total cost includes full-time tuition and fees and was valid at the time of collection and specific to the online learning program. School profiles for the online MBA degrees in our directory may reflect a slightly different cost based on different editorial update schedules.
The published cost is an estimated sticker price for the entire online degree including fees. Actual costs may vary by student. Factors such as transfer credits, prerequisite courses, professional licensing and financial aid availability will affect final cost.
Editorial Note
Online schools do NOT pay to be included in any GetEducated online degree ranking. These rankings are editorially independent, open to any regionally accredited or candidate college that offers an MBA that is available at least 80 percent through online learning and that is open to enrollment by the public. If your online college is regionally accredited and not currently reviewed by GetEducated, please contact us for inclusion.
These rankings of the cheapest online schools for a hospitality management MBA may NOT be re-posted online or reprinted in any format without a license from GetEducated ®. Consumer finance bloggers and writers can contact our editors for a free custom article on the best MBA in hospitality management online options for use on your website. Our mission: Help consumers GetEducated ® about the best online colleges for cost and credibility.
Career Guide: MBA in Hospitality Management Online
If you are working in the hospitality industry and want to enhance your knowledge, increase your earnings, and prepare yourself for career advancement, an MBA (for “Master’s of Business Administration”) may be perfect for your future.
What Counts as the “Hospitality Industry?”
The hospitality industry is more than just hotels and motels. Yes, these make up a large portion, and they are certainly the businesses that most people think of when they hear the term “hospitality.” But these are not the only businesses that are included in the hospitality industry.
At its foundation, the hospitality industry is focused on providing products and services that support recreation, travel, entertainment, dining, and vacations. It can include different activities, but the main goal, the underlying aim, is to support a customer’s overall satisfaction and happiness.
Sectors of the larger hospitality industry can include resorts, restaurants, concerts, theaters, bars, bed and breakfasts, wedding planning, hosting conferences, guided tours, and much more. An MBA in hospitality management online, therefore, is not limited to hotels, but can include so much more!
What to Expect from an MBA in Hospitality Management Online
These are challenging degrees that have rigorous entry standards. To be frank, not all applicants will gain entry, as MBA programs, regardless of the concentration, have some of the strongest entry requirements among any education. To enroll, you need a bachelor’s degree, usually in business or a related field. You’ll also need a high GPA from previous studies; most programs require a score around 3.5 or higher.
When you complete an MBA in hospitality management online, you’ll be prepared to be a leader in restaurants, luxury resorts, entertainment venues, and much more. You’ll know how to organize teams, assign roles, monitor staff, organize services, and perform many other functions that are essential to the hospitality industry.
Your degree will include a combination of core MBA classes, which apply to any industry, as well as concentration courses, which are specific to the hospitality industry.
The core classes will include numerous topics that make you a stronger business manager in virtually any field. Classes may include topics like accounting, marketing, human resources, communication, public relations, and more. This is a master’s level program, so the classes will take a deep dive into these topics, giving you the most up-to-date information so you can lead top organizations.
Classes in your concentration can include a variety of topics that are specific to the hospitality industry. This may include marketing practices that are most effective for hotels, restaurants, or resorts. It could also include operations analysis and efficiencies in the hospitality industry, or using data to increase customer sales.
Popular Careers in Hospitality Management
Lodging Manager
- Salary: $56,670
- Education: High school diploma
- Experience: Under 5 years
For anyone trained in hospitality management, this is perhaps the most obvious and direct career choice. These managers, who need at least five years of industry experience, are responsible for guiding the overall operations of a hotel or resort establishment. They ensure guests have a positive experience, and work to ensure that the business is run profitably and efficiently.
An MBA in hospitality management online may seem like an overreach for this profession. Most hospitality managers only need a high school diploma plus experience to work in the occupation, but a master’s will boost your career potential and help you qualify for some of the top positions with the largest and most successful hospitality chains. It can also boost your potential for high pay in this exciting profession.
Public Relations Manager
- Salary: $118,430
- Education: Bachelor’s degree
- Experience: Over 5 years
Generating a steady base of customers, or “guests,” as they are known in the hospitality industry, can be difficult. Even more so when a company, organization, or entire industry has a poor public persona. For this reason, public relations professionals are often found in the hospitality industry.
These highly skilled experts use their communication skills to maintain the positive public image of a company or even the full industry. They may create a corporate image, identify potential audiences, designate spokespeople, and write press releases. An MBA is an excellent choice for this career, as it builds your understanding of the needs of businesses and how to communicate a positive public image.
To work in this profession, you’ll need the right education as well as experience. Most PR managers, in any industry, need at least five years of industry experience before they are hired in these high-paying careers.