Is a degree in Hospitality worth it? (bachelor, Ivy League, degrees)

[musicislife.glee]

So let me just start by saying that the Hospitality industry is my passion.
Hospitality (hotels, airlines, transportation, travel) has interested me since I was very little. It’s something that I actually like to do, even down to scheduling, booking tickets and the like.
I’m wondering, though, if it would be wise to get a degree in Hospitality, or if it would be better to just get an entry-level job at a hotel. I was thinking about getting an Associate’s degree first, and seeing how everything works out before getting a Bachelor’s degree. I would love to study the industry, and have a good idea of the ins and outs of Hospitality management and tourism, but I’m wondering if it would be wise to spend the time and money on it.
Do you think that a degree in Hospitality is worth it? What is happening with the hospitality industry? Would it be a waste to get a Bachelor’s in Hospitality Management? What's it like to work in hospitality?

[Pitt Chick]

The people I know who work hotels (who work front end/management, not housekeeping and the like) all have a degree, except for one lady who has been in the business for decades and two guys whose family owns the hotel.

My travel agent does not have a degree, but she owns her own business.

[jlawrence01]

I worked in the hospitality industry for 15+ years and if I mentioned the two employers, you would easily recognize BOTH of them.

The hospitality business is generally NOT one that I recommend to most people. The hours are generally longer than most other industries and the pay is much less. The benefits are lower than you will find in many positions, especially in health care and retirement.

In general, you do NOT need a degree even get into management. Certifiable experience and expertise is far more relevant. HOWEVER, it is a lot easier and quicker to get the degree if you want to manage. DO NOT over pay for it.

EXPERIENCE is critical. The more experience you can get in a wide variety of positions the better. When I was hiring, I PREFERRED people with experience with certain employers. For example, in the food service area, I want people who worked 1-2 years at MCDONALD'S as those people learned what CLEAN means and could deliver it. MARRIOTT was my preference for the hotel industry. BTW, let me make one thing clear. I NEVER hired anyone without industry experience for anything more than a dishwasher position.

By the way, scheduling and booking travel is done online. What is remaining in the travel agent business fall into two categories - those booking corporate travel and those travel agents with a niche market (Las Vegas, Disney, overseas, cruises, etc.) where there is some value added. In the travel agency business (even in their heyday before the internet), the ONLY people making GOOD money were the owners. Most of the TAs were making little more than minimum wage with perhaps a commission bonus.

If you want to be a culinary professional, I recommend that you do a lot of research and find a good community college with a good culinary program to learn the very basics. You can generally get out of an 18 month program irelatively inexpensively. I DO NOT recommend the Culinary Institute or Johnson and Wales as I cannot see spending that much for a position where you will start in the low to high $20s.

If you want to work in the hotel side, I would recommend finding a reasonably priced university with a solid business school and perhaps a hospitality program. I am not recommending the obvious choice in your state - Cornell - as you cannot go into tremendous debt to get the degree as the salaries in teat field are not that great.

[Blondebaerde]

Originally Posted by jlawrence01

I worked in the hospitality industry for 15+ years and if I mentioned the two employers, you would easily recognize BOTH of them.

(snip)

If you want to work in the hotel side, I would recommend finding a reasonably priced university with a solid business school and perhaps a hospitality program. I am not recommending the obvious choice in your state - Cornell - as you cannot go into tremendous debt to get the degree as the salaries in teat field are not that great.

As a Johnson (S.C. Johnson Graduate School of Management) alumni from Cornell, thought these comments were intriguing. I've stayed at the Statler and had a few operations-type courses from instructors in Hospitality school as part of my MBA coursework. My MBA had a significant, quantifiable payoff post-grad but that wasn't really the question originally asked.

As a segue: your comments about "experience" are a common refrain in most industries these days. Thus I feel bad for young people (I am a technology industry senior manager) with fresh degrees and little experience. I completed my undergrad with near-zero practical experience yet had good work in about a month. Long time ago, several recessions in between. Lucky timing, for me. Not so today.

To your point, speaking more-broadly, a hundred thou in tuition debt (approximately) from a top Hospitality school, e.g. Cornell, doesn't sound too attractive. Assuming that one, jobs aren't plentiful for recent grads with no experience; and two, starting salaries are low. Starting to sound quite a bit like Law, these days, though Law is in dire straights indeed due to reduced demand and over-supply.

We have a broken system here.

[SportyandMisty]

I've stated @ Statler a few weeks ago for the Cornell Reunion (spouse, not me). I had the opportunity to speak with 4 or 5 undergrads there working @ Statler. Good conversation.

An alternative to consider might be the UNLV hospitality school. Much less expensive. Not Ivy League, but exceptionally well regarded.


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[jlawrence01]

Originally Posted by Blondebaerde

To your point, speaking more-broadly, a hundred thou in tuition debt (approximately) from a top Hospitality school, e.g. Cornell, doesn't sound too attractive. Assuming that one, jobs aren't plentiful for recent grads with no experience; and two, starting salaries are low. Starting to sound quite a bit like Law, these days, though Law is in dire straights indeed due to reduced demand and over-supply.

The other problem with "no experience" in the hospitality field is that the person really has not determined whether they enjoy the field. The first professional position that I held was replacing a Johnson & Wales graduate who detested working in a large commercial kitchen. He did not like working with the employees, who were not culinary grads.

Personally, I did not have problems with the pay after a few years in a commercial kitchen. What I was shocked was how little hotels (even the major high-end chains) pay their low-end managers.

[musicislife.glee]

I would initially like to work at the front desk, guest services, or ideally, a concierge. I have administrative experience, as I am an administrative assistant in the insurance industry, but I would like to get into the hospitality industry.
Thank you all for your responses. I see that experience is critical in this industry. Are there any specific jobs that would require a Hospitality degree? OR could anything be done with experience?

[Pitt Chick]

No one just becomes a concierge. You have to know everything about your city and know a lot of well-placed people.

What contacts do you have? Can you get me into that hot restaurant or the latest show? 4am with a sick kid... where is the open pharmacy? Etc...