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Job outlook for hotel managers in the United States
Hotel manager job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected hotel manager job growth rate is 18% from 2018-2028.
About 9,200 new jobs for hotel managers are projected over the next decade.
Hotel manager salaries have increased 9% for hotel managers in the last 5 years.
There are over 5,673 hotel managers currently employed in the United States.
There are 268,415 active hotel manager job openings in the US.
The average hotel manager salary is $69,364.
Are hotel manager jobs in demand?
Hotel manager job and salary trends over time
Hotel manager jobs over time
Hotel manager job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,673 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 4,892 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 5,713 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 5,508 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 5,420 | 0.00% |
Average hotel manager salary over time
Hotel manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $69,364 | $33.35 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $66,622 | $32.03 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $65,349 | $31.42 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $63,403 | $30.48 | --0.1% |
| 2021 | $63,452 | $30.51 | +4.3% |
Hotel manager jobs by state
Most common states for hotel managers
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 101 | 15% |
| 2 | Virginia | 8,470,020 | 660 | 8% |
| 3 | Tennessee | 6,715,984 | 514 | 8% |
| 4 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 490 | 8% |
| 5 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 378 | 8% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 58 | 8% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 856 | 7% |
| 8 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 804 | 7% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 743 | 7% |
| 10 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 408 | 7% |
| 11 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 392 | 7% |
| 12 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 203 | 7% |
| 13 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 103 | 7% |
| 14 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 622 | 6% |
| 15 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 558 | 6% |
| 16 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 422 | 6% |
| 17 | South Carolina | 5,024,369 | 288 | 6% |
| 18 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 263 | 6% |
| 19 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 104 | 6% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 61 | 6% |
Most common cities for hotel managers
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beverly Hills | 2 | 6% | $87,785 |
| 2 | Aberdeen | 1 | 4% | $69,864 |
| 3 | Auburn | 1 | 4% | $77,431 |
| 4 | Aliso Viejo | 1 | 2% | $86,040 |
| 5 | Anaheim | 2 | 1% | $86,849 |
| 6 | Alexandria | 1 | 1% | $83,025 |
| 7 | Ann Arbor | 1 | 1% | $70,414 |
| 8 | New York | 4 | 0% | $80,127 |
| 9 | San Francisco | 3 | 0% | $94,541 |
| 10 | Chicago | 2 | 0% | $60,825 |
| 11 | Detroit | 2 | 0% | $70,702 |
| 12 | Indianapolis | 2 | 0% | $65,280 |
| 13 | Long Beach | 2 | 0% | $86,878 |
| 14 | Los Angeles | 2 | 0% | $87,653 |
| 15 | Phoenix | 2 | 0% | $70,335 |
| 16 | San Jose | 2 | 0% | $94,033 |
| 17 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $63,558 |
| 18 | Atlanta | 1 | 0% | $64,621 |
Hotel Manager job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of hotel manager experts
Susquehanna University
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Manhattan College
Western Carolina University
Sacred Heart University
Dedman College of Hospitality
Pepperdine University, Seaver College
Sam Houston State University
University of Indianapolis
The City College of New York
Belmont University
The University of Akron
Sonoma State University
Centenary College of Louisiana
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Lauren Smith
Lecturer of Management & MarketingSusquehanna University
Business Administration, Management And Operations
What general advice would you give to a Hotel Manager?
Lauren Smith: Lauren Smith advises graduates to actively engage in a dual pursuit of entrepreneurship and traditional corporate roles, emphasizing the importance of gaining diverse experiences.
What Hotel Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jaunelle Celaire: Never stop learning! This may consist of going back to school, earning new certifications in your field of study, attending conferences and seminars, and making sure that your time management is always at its finest level of excellence.
What technical skills for a Hotel Manager stand out to employers?
Dr. John Leylegian Ph.D.: I think almost any graduate will finish school with the same skill set in terms of technical knowledge. What can stand out is an ability to code and use various professional-grade software packages - the actual programming languages and software packages are secondary. If you can code in VBA, moving to Matlab or Python is not a big deal - it's just a matter of syntax. If you can use one CFD code or one FEA code, others will be much easier to learn. The foundation will be attractive to employers. Of course, the non-technical skills are SO important as well, most notably communication (speaking and writing).
What's a good job out of college for Hotel Managers?
Angela Sebby Ph.D.: It depends on which area of tourism one would like to go into (hotels, country clubs, event planning, attractions, etc.) and how quickly that industry will bounce back after the vaccines are administered. Therefore, all students should make sure that they pay attention to the diverse sectors, look for trends and adaptations in the industry, gather experience while going to college, network with those in the industry, consider appropriate certifications, and be willing to relocate. So, although the initial job out of college might not be the "dream" job, it is important for graduates to create a personal strategic plan to acquire the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary for the dream job. I would suggest investing time and attention to jobs that offer exceptional customer service, concentrate on training and development, and are aligned with the graduate's core values.
What technical skills for a Hotel Manager stand out to employers?
Keith Hassell: Employers are increasingly looking for applied skillsets and additional certifications to set a candidate apart. Sacred Heart University has recently launched a remote work certification, which houses three modules - focusing on the remote worker, the remote team and the remote leader, providing the tools and resources to comfortably leverage and utilize virtual platforms at various organizations. Additional specialized training, certifications and more are great selling tools pending on the specific area of interest. Certifications are common in areas such as project management, sales, IT/network/software, Google application and more. The candidate needs to think, "What can I do that is beyond my coursework to show I am passionate about my field? How do I make myself stand out?" Certifications is an attainable way to do this.
In addition, soft skills continue to be equally important in today's job market. NACE (the National Association of Colleges and Employers) identified seven core competencies that employers seek from entry level candidates which include critical thinking/problem solving, oral/written communication, teamwork/collaboration, digital technology, leadership, professionalism/work ethic, career management and global/intercultural fluency.
What's a good job out of college for Hotel Managers?
Alishia Piotrowski Ed.D.: I think in today's market, students have to think less about the actual job, and think more about the company that they want to work for. I encourage students to look into different companies in their area of hospitality and assess how they feel they would "fit" into that company. What are the company's values? What type of culture has that company created? What are your opportunities for advancement, or for movement? These are the types of questions that a student should be asking. Unfortunately, in today's market, a great student may not get their "dream job" right out of college. But, if they target a company that they see themselves growing with, they should focus on finding any job within that company that would allow them to gain experience and to grow. If they do this, and they work hard, they will be much more likely to get that dream job once the industry has recovered and positions are available.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Hotel Managers?
Steven Bauer: The coronavirus has accelerated the transformation to a digital world, and this effect will continue after the pandemic is behind us. Graduates will need to be able to navigate a hybrid business environment, with in-person and virtual meetings, interactions and platforms. There will also be increased opportunities to be entrepreneurial and innovative in the digital area. In addition, graduates will have to become more skilled at navigating a global environment since greater digitization will draw countries closer to each other.
Carliss Miller Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of ManagementSam Houston State University
Department of Management & Marketing
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Hotel Manager job market given the pandemic?
Carliss Miller Ph.D.: Flexible working arrangements were considered a perk or benefit, but given the pandemic more and more jobs will be designed with flexible work arrangements in mind. We will continue to see trends in the labor market with a push towards personal services (e.g. virtual assistants, professional organizers) and professional services. There will also continue to be a demand for knowledge work. More and more, employers are looking to hire applicants that can provide concrete evidence of being "Day 1" ready.
Employers will focus more on identifying prospects with certain "soft skills" which were a nice-to-have pre-pandemic, but are now critical for organizational survival. These skills include: critical thinking, agility, ability to adapt to change, resilience, virtual team effectiveness, crisis management, emotional intelligence, empathy, and inclusive leadership. Additionally, data analysis and interpretation is a highly sought after skill even for jobs that historically did not require analytical ability.
Dr. Gaoming Zhang
Associate Professor, Chair, Department of Leadership & Educational StudiesUniversity of Indianapolis
Department of Leadership & Educational Studies, School of Education
What skills stand out on Hotel Manager resumes?
Dr. Gaoming Zhang: -Instructional technology & tools
-Online/virtual/hybrid experiences (e.g., curriculum design, online/virtual/hybrid teaching experiences, etc.)
-Social-emotional learning. How to support students' social emotional learning in a challenging time? How to build relationships with students when you don't see them on a daily basis?
-Communication and collaboration skills. These non-cognitive skills remain important skills that employers are looking for from resumes.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Hotel Manager job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Gaoming Zhang: Teacher shortage. We have heard the term of teacher shortage for a while. But this year the pandemic has intensified this long standing shortage to crisis levels. Thousands of teachers are needed during the pandemic, to keep schools open (in-person and virtual learning).
- An increasing need for people with experiences/knowledge of online/hybrid/virtual learning. For decades technology has been viewed as a supplemental tool (or in some people's mind a disruption) in teaching and learning. Not any more. How to design content/curriculum that can be delivered online? How to accommodate learners with special needs in an online environment? How to promote learners' engagement in an online/hybrid environment? These are all great opportunities and challenges unfolded for beginning teachers in such a highly changing environment nowadays.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Hotel Managers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Gaoming Zhang: I believe most people choose to stay in their home state and teach. But the teacher shortage tends to be more intensified in larger school districts and in metropolitan areas. So people may choose a state with better job outlooks as well.
What type of skills will young Hotel Managers need?
Prabal Kumar De Ph.D.: I think the necessary skills remain the same. One modification that would stay is greater virtual engagement. Therefore, newly essential skills such as acing a virtual interview, making a mark during a Zoom meeting, or managing or being a valuable part of a remote working group would be useful long after the immediate threats from the COVID-19 crisis be gone.
Nina Woodard
Senior Career Development SpecialistBelmont University
Office of Career & Professional Development
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Hotel Manager job market given the pandemic?
Nina Woodard: The pandemic hasn't impacted all areas of the entertainment industry in the same way. Anything related to live events and touring has been placed on an extended pause, which has been very difficult for graduates hoping to work in those fields. On an encouraging note, consumers will always find a way back to live experiences, so that segment of the industry will absolutely recover; the timing is just still a bit unknown. Other areas such as record or publishing companies have held steady. And, digital marketing and content creation companies are as busy, if not busier, than they've ever been as artists seek alternative ways to stay connected to their fans. Technology has intersected with entertainment in exciting, creative ways that will continue even as some of the more traditional avenues become available again. For many companies, ideas that started as pivots are now vibrant components of their long-term strategies.
The way we work may have also permanently changed. Companies have realized that remote working is a truly viable option for most businesses. While maintaining company culture, and the social nature of an entertainment-based organization, may still require some level of in-person interaction, it seems likely that many organizations may continue with remote/hybrid office models.
What Hotel Manager skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Nina Woodard: For entertainment, digital marketing and content creation skills are critical. Even if a role isn't specifically connected to digital marketing, social media is almost always involved in most entry-level roles. We strongly encourage students and recent graduates to learn basic graphic design platforms, video editing and audio editing. Learning how to maximize impact on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram or TikTok is also a worthy investment of time. There's a wide range of self-paced training resources online, many available for free or at reduced costs for students.
Rhiannon Kallis Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Social MediaThe University of Akron
School of Communication
What experience really stands out on Hotel Manager resumes?
Rhiannon Kallis Ph.D.: Any experience that is accompanied by measurable outcomes is important to highlight. For example, if a candidate managed social media accounts for an organization, including relevant metrics and measurable objectives would be standout information.
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.
Adjunct LecturerSonoma State University
School of Business & Economics
What type of skills will young Hotel Managers need?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: I see the essential human skills gaining importance to build a new post-covid work life. These include creativity, leading and working in teams, writing, speaking, being self-aware, and lowering bias and networking; career branding as critical areas for graduates to focus on now.
What experience really stands out on Hotel Manager resumes?
Craig Nathanson Ph.D.: Most important on resumes to only show accomplishments you are proud of and reflect measurable success and completion of past work. These accomplishments should be a snapshot of what we have done and can do in the future. The most important two lines of a resume are in the objectives, to list what the person is seeking. These two lines give the reader a quick view of what the person wants.
Now is a great time to start the new year to build a portable work portfolio to represent an alignment of what a person is excited about and enjoys in their work.
Dr. Barbara Davis
William J. Atkins DeanCentenary College of Louisiana
Frost School of Business
What experience really stands out on Hotel Manager resumes?
Dr. Barbara Davis: Graduates participating in internships related to their areas of interest. Internships spanning more than one semester at the same firm stand out as well.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Hotel Manager job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: I think more journalists and media professionals will work remotely. The pandemic has proven that the technology is sufficient enough to facilitate this change, and this trend will help save costs for media outlets.
What skills stand out on Hotel Manager resumes?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Writing and research skills. Analytical and critical thinking skills. Technical skills such as web design, graphic design, audio and video production skills. Employers are interested in potential employees knowledge, intelligence and skills.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Hotel Managers to find work opportunities?
Dr. Timothy Edwards: Like most jobs, opportunities exist in major media hubs like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami, Atlanta. But one can find digital media jobs in medium and small markets as well. Looking media and media-related jobs in non-traditional places such as hospitals, schools, colleges and universities, non-profit organizations, religious institutions could bear fruit for the enterprizing college graduate.