2021 Employment Statistics

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Class of 2021 Full-Time Job Offers and Acceptance

When you earn a hotel administration degree from the Cornell Nolan School of Hotel Administration, you’ve got bright career prospects. Your bachelor’s degree plus the Cornell prestige make you a premium candidate for some of the most exciting and successful organizations in the world.

Each year, we survey our newest graduates and report on their career outcomes. Of the 230 Cornell Nolan School undergraduate class of 2021, 185 were seeking full-time employment. Ninety-seven percent received full-time employment offers and 96 percent accepted offers within four months of graduation.

185 graduates were seeking full-time employment

97% received offers within four months of graduation

96% accepted offers within four months of graduation

Our Hotel Administration Graduates’ Salary Numbers

The Nolan School class of 2021 graduates received an average base salary of $71,134, a 3 percent increase over the average base salary of the class of 2020. US work authorized graduates earned slightly less than the average at $70,958 while non-US work authorized graduates earned slightly more at $72,893.

$71,134

AVERAGE BASE SALARY

class of 2021 graduates

$70,958 US work authorized average
$72,893 non-US work authorized average

3%

INCREASE

compared to the class of 2020 average base salary

$9,839

AVERAGE COMBINED BONUS

Average Bonus

The salary bonuses received by 2021 graduates included signing and relocation bonuses. The average combined bonus was $9,839. US work authorized graduates earned slightly less than the average at $9,650 while non-US work authorized graduates earned almost 13 percent more than the average at $11,160.

What Is a Typical Hotel Administration Graduate Salary?

The average base salary changes depending on the industry chosen, the job function assigned, and where the job is located. We break out all the data below.

50%

of 2021 graduates have hospitality responsibilities in their role

Hospitality in Your Role

Hospitality is represented across a variety of industries from real estate to finance to consulting. The Nolan School prepares undergraduates for leadership roles that require the application of business principles in a hospitality context, allowing our graduates to enter into a variety of industries with hospitality connections.

Average Base Salary and Distribution by Industry

Over half of the class of 2021 was evenly split between the top two industries: real estate and financial services. Of the two, financial services paid the most at $82,720. Technology was the second highest paid industry at $77,042. To see the multiple available sub-industries, we break out each industry with hospitality details in the second table below.

Industry	Average Base Salary	Median Base Salary	Salary Range	Percent Employed
Real Estate	$68,034	$65,000	$30,000 - $100,000	26.3%
Financial Services	$82,720	$85,000	$60,000 - $100,000	25.7%
Consulting	$72,500	$74,000	$60,000 - $90,000	14%
Food and Beverage	$63,572	$65,000	$60,000 - $90,000	11%
Technology	$77,042	$71,000	$24,000 - $171,000	9%
Hospitality	$54,901	$53,000	$42,099 - $70,000	9%
Other*	$65,400	$67,000	$30,000 - $100,000	5%

*Other includes: Accounting, advertising/PR, consumer packaged goods, education, law/legal, media/entertainment, and retail

Average Base Salary by Industry with Hospitality Detail

Industry	Detailed Industry	Average Base Salary	Median Base Salary	Salary Range	Percent Employed
Real Estate	Commercial	$72,216	$67,000	$45,000 - $100,000	12%
	Hospitality	$63,350	$61,750	$55,000 - $75,000	8%
	Residential	$65,000	$60,000	$30,000 - $85,000	6%
Consulting	Strategic/ Management	$73,143	$74,000	$60,000 - $90,000	10%
	Technology	$73,000	$75,000	$64,000 - $80,000	2%
	Hospitality	N/A	N/A	N/A	2%
Food and Beverage	Restaurant	$62,009	$67,500	$28,800 - $75,000	7%
	Sporting/ Event Space	N/A	N/A	N/A	2%
	Other Food and Beverage	$69,125	$65,000	$58,500 - $88,000	2%
Technology	Business Services	$68,583	$67,500	$24,000 - $110,500	3%
	E-Commerce	N/A	N/A	N/A	1%
	Hospitality Services	$93,667	$57,500	$52,500 - $171,000	2%
	Online Services	N/A	N/A	N/A	1%
	Other Technology	N/A	N/A	N/A	1%
Hospitality	Property	$51,087	$51,000	$42,099 - $65,000	5%
	Corporate	$59,987	$61,500	$49,920 - $70,000	3%
	Other Hospitality	N/A	N/A	N/A	1%

N/A: less than 3 data points available (necessary to maintain student anonymity)

41% of Nolan's 2021 graduates have finance as their job function

Strong Salaries in Many Job Functions

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration degree prepares you to excel in a wide variety of job functions, which is why you’ll find our graduates working in practically any organizational department. With strong classroom and practical training in all business disciplines, from finance, management, and accounting to sales and marketing, operations, and entrepreneurship, the Hotelie experience is the perfect launchpad for success on day one of your first job.

Average Base Salary by Job Function

The class of 2021 graduates found positions in a variety of industries, with almost half the class accepting jobs in finance. The real estate industry employed the second-highest percentage of graduates at 17 percent, while 13 percent accepted jobs in general management. To see the multiple finance job functions, we break out the job function in the second table below.

Job Function	Average Base Salary	Median Base Salary	Salary Range	Percent Employed
Finance	$77,076	$80,000	$55,000 - $100,000	45%
Consulting	$71,032	$75,000	$24,000 - $97,760	17%
General Management	$67,741	$60,000	$28,800 - $171,000	13%
Marketing/Sales	$65,947	$60,000	$49,920 - $100,000	8%
Operations/Logistics	$60,712	$61,620	$42,099 - $88,000	7%
Data/Analytics	$67,000	$65,000	$52,000 - $88,000	4%
Other*	$52,500	$60,000	$30,000 - $60,000	6%

*Other includes: Accounting, economic analysis/research, engineering/technical, human resources, and legal

Average Base Salary and Distribution by Job Function - Finance Only

Detailed Finance Job Function	Average Base Salary	Median Base Salary	Salary Range	Percent Employed
Real Estate Development	$76,000	$85,000	$55,000 - $100,000	11%
Asset Management	$69,607	$67,000	$60,000 - $85,000	10%
Investment Banking	$87,083	$85,000	$75,000 - $100,000	8%
Private Equity	$80,408	$80,000	$65,000 - $96,675	4%
Financial Analysis	$73,800	$65,000	$60,000 - $90,000	3%
Finance - Other*	N/A	N/A	N/A	9%

*Other includes: Corporate/managerial finance, lending/relationship management, private wealth management, risk management, and sales and trading

95% of SHA graduates remain in the US after graduation, with over half of the class remaining in the Northeast.

Average Base Salary by US Region

For our graduates, the Nolan School of Hotel Administration name on your bachelor’s degree open doors to rewarding careers across the US and beyond. The table below details the average base salary by US region.

Average Base Salary by US Region

US Region	Average Base Salary	Median Base Salary	Salary Range	Percent Employed
Northeast	$77,214	$80,000	$43,451 - $171,000	52%
Mid-Atlantic	$63,917	$60,000	$47,500 - $88,000	14%
West	$71,407	$71,000	$42,099 - $110,500	13%
South	$64,923	$65,000	$52,000 - $80,000	10%
Midwest	$67,571	$67,000	$45,000 - $90,000	5%
Southwest	$68,000	$65,000	$64,000 - $75,000	2%

Worldwide employment

Country	Percentage Employed
United States	95%
China	1%
Denmark	1%
Hong Kong S.A.R.	1%
Japan	1%
Singapore	1%
South Korea	1%

*Totals over 100% due to rounding

What Our Employers Are Saying

“SHA [Nolan School] always sends us students who are engaged, excited, and equipped for a successful career in hospitality. These students communicate their passions and aspirations well in interviews, and prove themselves quickly when they join the organization. They are brilliant and contribute to innovation, efficiency, and taking our service to the next level. GO SHA [Nolan School]! Keep up the great work!”

– Tuesday Baptiste, Director of People & Culture

“Ohana Real Estate Investors (Ohana) likes hiring students from SHA [Nolan School] because the students come ready with industry context and prepared for real-world learning. Ohana finds SHA [Nolan School] students eager to learn and keen on making positive, lasting impact.”

– Jonathan Loke, Associate

Top Employers

The prestigious organizations that hire our graduates are those shaping the industry and its future. Representing financial services and investment, real estate, hospitality and travel, consumer retail, technology, consulting, and many other sectors, these employers are among the most innovative and influential. The logos listed below represent the top companies that employed our most recent Nolan School graduates.

See Where Cornell’s Hotel Administration Program Can Take You

Ready to learn more about what the Nolan School’s hotel administration degree can do for your career? Learn more about our program, see more employment data, and get started on your application now.

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