Welcome to our ranking of the best, most affordable hospitality management associate degrees online.
Whether you’re just starting your career in hospitality or looking to improve your current standing, you can draw attention to yourself (and your résumé) by earning an accredited associate’s in hospitality management online. This strategy allows you to enhance your knowledge and demonstrate your understanding of the business without infringing on your day-to-day work responsibilities.
Methodology
Of course, you want to attend the best hospitality management associate degree online program that you possibly can, and this ranking is designed to point you in the right direction. In fact, these 15 schools represent some of the top online hospitality programs in the country. We scoured databases like College Navigator and sifted through dozens of pages of search engine results just to compile this brief top ten list.
In one sense, all of these schools made the “top 15” by default. But at the same time, they represent the few universities and colleges that are committed to meeting this unique need, and their passion is reflected in the thorough, detail-oriented, thoughtful nature of the curricula. They are ranked according to raw affordability (from most to least expensive), but you’ll soon see that even the priciest of these colleges is still far below the national average when it comes to annual costs.
The undergraduate tuition/fees were obtained from College Navigator, a division of the National Center for Education Statistics.
#15 – Stratford University
Online Associate’s in Hotel and Restaurant Management
Fairfax, Virginia
Undergraduate Tuition: $15,135
Stratford University’s online associate’s in hotel and restaurant management program provides students with a foundation in hotel and restaurant management that will position them for career advancement in the industry. This completely online degree is ideal for those interested in pursuing a bachelor’s. Stratford also offers a bachelor’s degree with a seamless transition for its associate degree graduates. The program consists of 20 classes that can be completed in just 24 months. Classes include business communication, event management, food and beverage management, hospitality resort tourism, and special events planning. Stratford’s program is accredited, and the school has earned recognition from major publications. It is one of the most affordable online hotel and restaurant management associate degree programs on our list.
#14 – Kaplan University
Online Associate’s in Business Administration – Hospitality Management
Davenport, Iowa
Undergraduate Tuition: $14,325
Kaplan University offers an associate’s in business administration degree with a concentration in hospitality management. All business programs at Kaplan are ACBSP-accredited and meet the standards set forth by the Higher Learning Commission. Classes are delivered online and include convention sales and services, food and beverage management, global hospitality, and hotel management and operations. The total program consists of 90 credits, which include 20 hospitality management specialization credits. Kaplan is recognized for offering convenient online programs and flexible classes aimed to serve its large working student population. Also, completion of the associate’s degree serves as a foundation for any of the online bachelor’s programs offered at Kaplan.
#13 – Bryant & Stratton College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality Management
Orchard Park, New York
Undergraduate Tuition: $14,054
Bryant & Stratton College offers an accredited associate’s in hospitality management designed to serve as a foundation for entry-level careers in the field or entry to a bachelor’s degree program. All courses can be completed entirely online and are taught by experienced Bryant & Stratton instructors. These courses include ethical hospitality management, fundamental hospitality management principles, introduction to hospitality management, leading hospitality services management, and technology in the hospitality management industry. A total of 39 credits are required to satisfy the hospitality portion of the program. Students are also required to take several business courses that add to the knowledge and preparation needed to successfully pursue employment opportunities.
#12 – American Public University
Online Associate’s in Hospitality
Charles Town, West Virginia
Undergraduate Tuition: $6,880
American Public University offers an online associate’s in hospitality degree that takes approximately two years to complete. This program has been designed with industry business leaders and is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Courses are delivered entirely online and taught by experienced APU instructors and faculty members. These courses include hospitality marketing, hotel and restaurant purchasing, introduction to hospitality management, and hotel and restaurant purchasing. Students wanting to focus their studies on restaurant operations may choose to complete a concentration in restaurant operations management. This concentration requires an additional nine semester hours and explores topics in beverage management, menu planning, and quality assurance. The school is accredited and ranked with major publications like U.S. News and World Report.
#10 – Tompkins Cortland Community College
Online Associate’s in Hotel and Restaurant Management
Dryden, New York
Undergraduate Tuition: $5,832
Tompkins Cortland Community College offers an online associate’s in hotel and restaurant management specifically designed for career-seeking students. Most students enrolled in the program gain transfer credits toward a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management or closely related degree. Classes are administered online and include essentials of nutrition, food service and preparation, rooms division management, and safe alcohol handling. The program covers leadership and management skills necessary to work in the hotel and restaurant business. According to the program website, graduates go on to work as lodging managers, food service managers, or chefs and head cooks. The school is a two-year college with a successful transfer rate to four-year institutions. Also, the Tompkins Cortland is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top public community college.
#9 – Onondaga Community College
Associate’s in Hospitality Management
Syracuse, New York
Undergraduate Tuition: $5,154
One of the top hybrid (50% online) hospitality management programs on our list is offered by Onondaga Community College. This 63-credit hour degree program is regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is open to high school graduates. Courses are delivered and completed around the student’s work and family commitments with no set time where students must log in or attend class. The same faculty that teach on campus also lead the online courses. For those with transfer credits, previously taken classes may be accepted. The school is accredited and recognized as a top community college by major publications like U.S. News and World Report.
#8 – Finger Lakes Community College
Online Associate’s in Tourism Management
Canandaigua, New York
Undergraduate Tuition: $4,952
One of the top community colleges on our list to offer online associate’s degrees in hospitality management or closely related degrees is Finger Lakes Community College. This two-year institution offers an online associate’s in tourism management that is both accredited and highly affordable. The tourism program is designed to prepare students for careers in marketing or management within the specialized hospitality niche of tourism. Online learning offers students a flexible and convenient way to meet their educational goals while balancing family and work obligations. As part of the program, students gain internship opportunities that provide applicable work experience in tourism management. Some students have gone on to secure employment after completing an internship with the American Automobile Association, The Seneca Park Zoo, or The Niagara Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau. Transferring to a four-year college is also possible with this degree.
#7 – Chemeketa Community College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management
Salem, Oregon
Undergraduate Tuition: $4,230
The AAS in Hospitality and Tourism Management program at Chemeketa Community College is designed to equip students with the skills necessary for management jobs in hospitality or transfer to a four-year university. What makes this accredited program unique is the number of optional certificates students may earn while completing their classes. The certificates serve as specializations and allow students to tailor their AAS degree toward personal interests or career goals. These certificates include event management, food and beverage management, hospitality and tourism management, lodging management, and tourism and travel management. While the program is delivered online, students have access to the same classes and curriculum as their on-campus counterparts. The school and all of its online programs are accredited.
#6 – Seminole State College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality Management
Seminole, Oklahoma
Undergraduate Tuition: $4,140
Seminole State College of Florida, a top-ranked institution in the South, offers an online associate’s in hospitality management degree. The program is designed for transfer to an upper-division public university or college in the state of Florida. Students are required to complete the general AA degree, including a number of prerequisites in the hospitality management program. Some of the required courses offered in the program include computer applications, general anthropology, general psychology, introduction to sociology, introduction to oral communications, and office accounting. Students also complete a series of hospitality management courses designed to prepare them for careers in management. Seminole State is accredited and ranked with major publications like U.S. News and World Report. In fact, the most recent edition of Best Colleges recognizes Seminole State as a top (unranked) regional college in the South.
#5 – Cincinnati State Technical and Community College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality Management
Cincinnati, Ohio
Undergraduate Tuition: $3,825
The online associate’s in hospitality management program at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College is designed to prepare students with the management skills and training needed to enter the fast-paced field of hospitality. Students take a series of hospitality management courses alongside their general education requirements. Some of the courses offered include business law, event and convention management, food and beverage division management, marketing and customer relations, professional practices, and rooms division management. While all classes are delivered online, the required food service sanitation course must be completed via a proctored exam to qualify for a national certification through the American Culinary Federation. The school and its programs are accredited.
#4 – Macomb Community College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality Management
Warren, Michigan
Undergraduate Tuition: $3,282
Macomb Community College offers a full-time online ABA in hospitality management degree program that consists of 62 credit hours. Classes are delivered online, and the curriculum mirrors that of the on-campus hospitality management program. A variety of courses cover topics in event management, food service, and hospitality. These courses include business law, event planning, financial record keeping, introduction to the hospitality industry, lodging management, principles of marketing, and workplace success strategies. Part-time or full-time internship experience is also required for degree candidates and is usually completed toward the end of the program. The college is accredited and recognized by major publications like U.S. News and World Report as a best community college.
#3 – Casper College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality and Tourism Management
Casper, Wyoming
Undergraduate Tuition: $2,832
Casper College offers one of the most affordable online associate degree programs in hospitality management. This program is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP), and the school has received accreditation from the Higher Learning Commission. Courses can be completed online and are taught by the same instructors who teach on campus. These courses include convention sales and management, food and beverage management, hotel operations management, introduction to hospitality and tourism management, introduction to information management, principles of management, and recreation and tourism planning and development. A minimum of 60 hours are required for graduation, and the normal completion time for the degree is two academic years.
#2 – Albany Technical College
Online Associate’s in Hotel/Restaurant/Tourism Management
Albany, Georgia
Undergraduate Tuition: $2,654
Albany Technical College offers an accredited associate’s in hotel/restaurant/tourism management degree program designed for career-seeking students. Classes explore various topics in hospitality and tourism, and are delivered entirely online. Some of the courses include event planning, food and beverage management, hospitality law, hospitality marketing, hotel operations management, introduction to hotel and restaurant management, and supervision and leadership in the hospitality industry. Admission to the program requires a high school diploma or GED. Albany Technical is an accredited institution. In fact, the Southern Association of College and Schools Commission on Colleges accredits the institution.
#1 – Central Texas College
Online Associate’s in Hospitality Management
Killeen, Texas
Undergraduate Tuition: $2,280
Central Texas College offers the most affordable online associate degrees in hospitality management on our list. What makes this accredited online hospitality management program unique is the number of specializations offered alongside the degree. Students may tailor their program toward career goals and personal interests like baking and pastry, culinary arts, food and beverage management, hotel management, or restaurant and culinary management. There are also several advanced and one-year certificates that may be completed entirely online. All classes may be completed online and explore curriculum within the hospitality, restaurant, and tourism industry. The school is recognized by U.S. News and World Report as a top community college in the United States.
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