Front desk manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a front desk manager. Front desk managers usually study business, hospitality management, or health care administration. 47% of front desk managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 22% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 21,641 real front desk manager resumes to see exactly what front desk manager education sections show.

The most common colleges for front desk managers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.

There are also many online front desk manager courses to help get the education required to be a front desk manager.

There are certain front desk manager certifications that you should consider. These front desk manager certifications include Certified Management Accountant (CMA) and Certified Hospitality and Tourism Management Professional (CHTMP).

What education do you need to become a front desk manager?

What degree do you need to be a front desk manager?

The most common degree for front desk managers is bachelor's degree, with 47% of front desk managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 22% and associate degree degree at 19%.

Bachelor's, 47%

Associate, 22%

High School Diploma, 19%

Diploma, 5%

Other Degrees, 7%

What should I major in to become a front desk manager?

You should major in business to become a front desk manager. 28% of front desk managers major in business. Other common majors for a front desk manager include hospitality management and health care administration.

Business, 28%

Hospitality Management, 10%

Health Care Administration, 7%

Psychology, 7%

Other Majors, 48%

Most common colleges for front desk managers

Front desk managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, Johnson & Wales University, and Florida International University. Here are the most common colleges for front desk managers in the US based on their resumes.

Front desk manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	17.06%
Johnson & Wales University	10.34%
Florida International University	5.86%
University of Central Florida	5.54%
Miami Dade College	5.54%

Show more common front desk manager colleges

Best majors for front desk managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	28.5%
2	Hospitality Management	9.8%
3	Health Care Administration	6.7%
4	Psychology	6.5%
5	Communication	4.9%

Show more common front desk manager majors

Best colleges for front desk managers

The best colleges for front desk managers are Stanford University, Cornell University, and Northwestern University.

A front desk manager with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for front desk managers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become front desk managers.

1. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

2. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

3. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

4. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Enrollment

9,142

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

6. SUNY College of Agriculture & Technology at Morrisville

Morrisville, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,670

Enrollment

2,758

7. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

8. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

9. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$14,184

Enrollment

30,845

20 best online courses for front desk managers

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Top 10 most affordable universities for front desk managers

The most affordable schools for front desk managers are Baruch College of the City University of New York, california state university - bakersfield, and university of florida.

If the best universities for front desk managers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for front desk managers.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

3. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

6. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

7. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

8. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

10. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for front desk managers

The hardest universities for front desk managers to get into are Stanford University, Cornell University, and Northwestern University.

Some great schools for front desk managers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for front desk managers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

9. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

10. University of California, Berkeley

Berkeley, CA • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,448

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for front desk managers

The easiest schools for front desk managers to get into are D'Youville College, gwynedd mercy university, and mount saint mary's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a front desk manager without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for front desk managers.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

3. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. Lewis-Clark State College

Lewiston, ID • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,009

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Cleary University

Howell, MI • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,039

8. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

9. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

10. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

Average front desk manager salary by education level

Front desk managers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $58,010 annually. With a Master's degree, front desk managers earn a median annual income of $54,109 compared to $47,758 for front desk managers with an Bachelor's degree.

Front desk manager education level	Front desk manager salary
Master's Degree	$54,109
High School Diploma or Less	$40,461
Bachelor's Degree	$47,758
Doctorate Degree	$58,010
Some College/ Associate Degree	$41,909

Front desk manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Front Desk Managers?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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