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 221 Cornell Nolan School undergraduate class of 2025, 170 were seeking full-time employment. Ninety-one percent received full-time employment offers and 91 percent accepted offers within four months of graduation.
were seeking full-time employment
within four months of graduation
within four months of graduation
The Nolan School class of 2025 graduates received an average base salary of $86,034. US work authorized graduates earned slightly less than average at $84,893 while non-US work authorized graduates earned more than average at $98,250.
Class of 2025
US Work Authorized
Non-US Work Authorized
Many graduates receive different bonuses when accepting a job offer. We have combined signing and relocation bonuses into a combined bonus for data reporting purposes. The average combined bonus for 2025 graduates was $10,218. Non-US work authorized graduates earned almost double the average at $19,000 while US work authorized graduates earned slightly less at $9,154.
“My time at (the Nolan School of Hotel Administration) taught me drive, technical skills, and above all, how to see the best in people. During my four years, I explored hotel management, real estate and consulting, and the spirit of hospitality set me up for success in every journey. Even after graduation, (the school’s) large network of friends and colleagues has continued to help me find my path and evolve my career.”
—Eri Kato ’20, Senior Associate in the Real Estate group at Blackstone
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 for the class of 2025 below.
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.
Over half of the class of 2025 was split between the top two industries of financial services and hospitality. Of the two, financial services paid the highest average base salary at $98,875. Real estate was the second highest paid industry at $90,211.
| Industry | Average Base Salary | Median Base Salary | Percent Employed* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Financial Services | $98,875 | $100,000 | 34% |
| Hospitality | $69,293 | $71,000 | 20% |
| Real Estate | $90,211 | $90,000 | 19% |
| Consulting | $89,090 | $88,800 | 8% |
| Food and Beverage | $69,571 | $75,000 | 8% |
| Technology | $76,400 | $73,000 | 5% |
| Consumer Packaged Goods | N/A | N/A | 1% |
| Energy/Utilities | N/A | N/A | 1% |
| Media/Entertainment | N/A | N/A | 1% |
| Other** | N/A | N/A | 5% |
*Does not total to 100% due to rounding
**Other includes: Advertising/public relations, non-profit, retail, and transportation/logistics
The 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 every 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 Nolan School experience is the perfect launchpad for success on day one of your first job.
The class of 2025 graduates are employed in a variety of positions, with over half the class accepting jobs in finance. General management positions made up the second-highest percentage of graduates at 23 percent, while the third-highest job function was marketing/sales. To see the multiple finance job functions, we break out the job function in the second table below.
| Function | Average Base Salary | Median Base Salary | Percent Employed* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Finance | $95,598 | $100,000 | 53% |
| General Management | $71,890 | $73,500 | 23% |
| Marketing/Sales | $68,050 | $67,500 | 11% |
| Consulting | $90,010 | $88,800 | 7% |
| Data/Analytics | $69,667 | $71,500 | 4% |
| Other** | N/A | N/A | 3% |
**Other includes: Human resources and information technology
| Finance Function | Average Base Salary | Median Base Salary | Percent Employed* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment Banking | $108,667 | $110,000 | 46% |
| Financial Analysis | $95,000 | $100,000 | 14% |
| Other (finance) | $92,341 | $85,000 | 9% |
| Finance - Accounting/Auditing | $87,875 | $90,000 | 8% |
| Private Wealth Management | $100,501 | $100,000 | 7% |
| Asset Management | $94,833 | $82,000 | 6% |
| Private Equity | $102,500 | $105,000 | 6% |
| Corporate/Managerial Finance | $91,400 | $95,000 | 4% |
| Finance - Venture Capital | N/A | N/A | 1% |
*Does not total to 100% due to rounding
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.
| Region | Average Base Salary | Median Base Salary | Percent Employed* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast | $91,146 | $90,000 | 58% |
| West | $81,800 | $85,000 | 13% |
| South | $77,000 | $75,000 | 8% |
| Mid-Atlantic | $78,650 | $75,000 | 8% |
| Southwest | $77,813 | $81,500 | 7% |
| Midwest | $73,800 | $80,000 | 4% |
| U.S. Poss. & Territories | N/A | N/A | 1% |
*Does not total 100 due to rounding
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 companies listed below represent the top companies that employed our most recent Nolan School graduates.
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.