Resort manager education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a resort manager. Resort managers usually study business, hospitality management, or management. 59% of resort managers hold a bachelor's degree, and 21% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 1,005 real resort manager resumes to see exactly what resort manager education sections show.

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

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

There are certain resort manager certifications that you should consider. These resort manager certifications include Certified Hotel Administrator (CHA) and Certified Professional - Human Resource (IPMA-CP).

What education do you need to become a resort manager?

What degree do you need to be a resort manager?

The most common degree for resort managers is bachelor's degree, with 59% of resort managers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 21% and associate degree degree at 6%.

Bachelor's, 59%

Associate, 21%

High School Diploma, 6%

Master's, 5%

Other Degrees, 9%

What should I major in to become a resort manager?

You should major in business to become a resort manager. 29% of resort managers major in business. Other common majors for a resort manager include hospitality management and management.

Business, 29%

Hospitality Management, 15%

Management, 7%

Accounting, 6%

Other Majors, 43%

Most common colleges for resort managers

Resort managers often get their degrees at University of Phoenix, University of Nevada - Las Vegas, and Arizona State University. Here are the most common colleges for resort managers in the US based on their resumes.

Resort manager common college	Percentages
University of Phoenix	13.33%
University of Nevada - Las Vegas	7.78%
Arizona State University	6.67%
Johnson & Wales University	6.67%
University of Central Florida	6.67%

Show more common resort manager colleges

Best majors for resort managers

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	28.8%
2	Hospitality Management	15.4%
3	Management	7.1%
4	Accounting	5.6%
5	Health Care Administration	5.6%

Show more common resort manager majors

Best colleges for resort managers

The best colleges for resort managers are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.

A resort 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 resort 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 resort managers.

1. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

2. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

3. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

5. Howard University

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$26,756

Enrollment

6,166

6. Western Carolina University

Cullowhee, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$3,926

Enrollment

9,835

7. SUNY College at Plattsburgh

Plattsburgh, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,369

Enrollment

5,229

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

In-state tuition

$55,230

Enrollment

12,161

9. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

10. Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$18,454

Enrollment

40,108

20 best online courses for resort managers

Advertising disclosure

1. Financial Management Capstone

The Financial Management capstone will provide a learning experience that integrates across all the courses within this specialization. You will analyze a situation taking the vantage point of a company and develop a financial management plan (for instance, a global company working in a specific geography chosen by students’ region or country of residence, or other consideration). You will design a deliverable to create value from the perspective of potential employers while achieving...

2. Audit - Financial Statement

4.4

(2,545)

Master the Art of Auditing Financial Statements: In-Depth Analysis, Techniques, and Real-World Case Studies...

3. HR,HR Analytics, Human Resource Management, Black Friday Ed

4.6

(1,691)

HR Analytics ,HR Courses, human resource management, ,HR certification, HRM, hr payroll, people management, 2022...

4. Operational Risks Management ORM

4.3

(1,174)

Operational Risks Management ORM Case Studies for Risk Management, Compliance, Audit, IS Security, Banking Professionals...

5. Cost Accounting and Financial Management - A Complete Study

4.8

(268)

Learn theory and practical concepts in Cost Accounting and Financial Management with loads of video lectures...

6. Certification Course in Human Resource Management

4.3

(1,337)

Curriculum commensurate to Top B School's Management Program : with downloadable resources, quiz, assessments & exercise...

7. Financial Statement Analysis

4.7

(255)

Learn how to make understanding financial statements your superpower!...

8. Master Course in Human Resources 2.0

4.3

(312)

Strategic human resource management, strategic planning, recruiting, training, HR management,Labour welfare...

9. Payroll Management

4.5

(338)

Use free UK payroll software to perform essential payroll management...

10. Financial Statement Auditing Cycles

4.3

(251)

In this course, we learn how public accountants plan and execute an audit...

11. Fundamentals of Residential Property Management

(490)

Understand the foundation of residential property management as a property manager or landlord...

12. Introduction to Human Resource Management

4.7

(2,402)

HRM is an important function of any organization. It includes managing people in a structured and thorough manner...

13. Advanced Financial Management for CA/CMA/CFA/ACCA/CS/MBA

4.5

(738)

Expose yourself to advanced concepts in Financial Management & Prepare confidently for for CA / CS / CFA /CPA Exams...

14. Financial Risk Management (FRM): Foundational FRM Principles

4.5

(960)

Minimize Financial Risks While Maximizing Financial Reward. + Financial Risk Management (FRM) Process Implementation...

15. Ultimate HR Generalist and Human Resource Management Course

4.3

(1,866)

Hands-on HR Certification: All HRM topics. Master Employee Life Cycle, Payroll, Recruitment, Engagement, EXDesign and AI...

16. The Complete Finance Manager Course

4.6

(5,357)

Financial Management, ERP systems, Accounting, Capital budgeting, Presentation design, Management, and Negotiation...

17. Financial Management A Complete Study for CA/CMA/CS/CFA/ACCA

4.5

(2,564)

500+ lectures & case studies for CA IPCC / CFA / CS Final / CMA Inter / MBA Finance / B. Com Final Exams & Professionals...

18. Financial Analysis for Management Consultants & Analysts

4.5

(271)

A practical guide with case studies and examples of financial analyses done during consulting projects...

19. Restaurant Management - Human Resources Best Practices

4.4

(352)

Learn the best systems to find, develop and keep the best employees to run a profitable restaurant...

20. ISO 9001:2015-Quality Management System Implementation & Audit

4.2

(707)

Learn how to Implement and Audit a Quality Management System as per ISO 9001: 2015...

Top 10 most affordable universities for resort managers

The most affordable schools for resort managers are USF Sarasota-Manatee, suny farmingdale, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for resort 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 resort managers.

1. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

6. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

9. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

10. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for resort managers

The hardest universities for resort managers to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and University of Southern California.

Some great schools for resort 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 resort 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. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

4. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

6. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

8. Georgetown University

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,456

9. SUNY at Binghamton

Vestal, NY • Private

Admissions rate

40%

SAT average

1,376

10. Bentley University

Waltham, MA • Private

Admissions rate

43%

SAT average

1,338

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for resort managers

The easiest schools for resort managers to get into are University of North Texas at Dallas, oklahoma wesleyan university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a resort 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 resort managers.

1. University of North Texas at Dallas

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

992

2. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. LIM College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,061

5. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

6. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

7. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

8. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

9. Cleary University

Howell, MI • Private

Admissions rate

58%

SAT average

1,039

10. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

Average resort manager salary by education level

Resort managers with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $58,514 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, resort managers earn a median annual income of $47,376 compared to $43,051 for resort managers with an Associate degree.

Resort manager education level	Resort manager salary
Master's Degree	$58,514
High School Diploma or Less	$39,353
Bachelor's Degree	$47,376
Some College/ Associate Degree	$43,051

Resort manager education FAQs

What is the best college for Resort Managers?

Have more questions? See all answers to common executive management questions.

Search for resort manager jobs

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

Browse executive management jobs