Guide to Online Associate's Degrees in Hospitality Management

Imagine getting to work in an exotic place like Hawaii or the Caribbean, right on the beach. Or, if you’re a skier, imagine having the luxury of working in Vail, Colorado at one of the ski resorts there, or in Big Sky, Montana, where they can ski 8 months out of the year. If you love being out on the ocean, can you imagine getting to work on a cruise ship where everyday is spent out on the water? If you’re into horseback riding, wouldn’t it be amazing to work on a huge dude ranch and get to go trail riding on your time off?

Most people go on vacation for a week or two and then go back to their “ordinary life”. Well, with a hospitality management associate degree you have the chance to make everyone else’s one-week vacation your everyday life. You can work anywhere there is a hotel, resort, spa, or restaurant, so this means that the world’s your oyster.

With a hospitality management associate degree you’ll be qualified to work as an assistant manager or higher in many travel and leisure fields. The hospitality industry is fast-paced, challenging, fun, and very people-intensive. You also have the chance to move up the ranks very quickly in most places.

With a hospitality management associate degree you’ll get to learn things like front-office management, reservation systems, food and beverage management, customer service techniques, tour and destination planning, safety and sanitation, health and nutrition, travel and tourism marketing, and much more.

Professionals with an associate degree in hospitality management make sure that their guests have the most enjoyable experience possible when they’re away from home. This means that you need to be skilled at working with many different types of people. You also will often have to make important decisions on the fly, and be highly organized to make sure your hotel, resort, or restaurant runs as smoothly as possible. There’s no doubt that this field is fast-paced and will always keep you on your toes!

With an associate degree in hospitality management you can expect to make between $27,000 to $40,000, depending on which field you get into. If you pursue your Bachelor’s Degree in hospitality management, you can expect your salary to go up much higher than this.

This is also a field that is expected to keep growing. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that jobs in the hospitality industry will grow at 17% until at least 2014, so finding a job shouldn’t be difficult. And, like we said before, you can live and work where your own interests lie. For example, if you love surfing then you can work in a resort in Hawaii and surf in your time off. If you love getting massages and facials, then you could work managing an elite spa in New York. This is definitely a field where you can blend work and play, and it’s this aspect that draws many people to this industry.

If you love working with people and are highly organized, then a hospitality management associate degree might be the perfect first step towards a fun and challenging career.

Guide to Online Associates Degree Programs

Associate degree holders generally have better job prospects than those with only a high school diploma. Earning an associate degree usually takes two years, and doing so in at an online school can be much more convenient than at a traditional campus. Below are the top accredited online schools offering associate degrees in the US.

	With one of the largest offerings of accredited online associate degrees, Post University is consistently highly rated by its students because of its flexibility and affordability. All associate degrees offered are fully accredited. Post was founded in 1890 and has been providing highly-rated degree programs to students ever since with an emphasis on practicality and application. Read full school profile » Request Information
	The University of Phoenix was one of the first accredited colleges to offer online degrees. Today, it has grown to become one of the nation's largest universities through its online division and campuses coast to coast. They remain one of the top choices for students looking for an associates degree online because of the broad array of choice and affordability they offer students. Read full school profile » Request Information
	With perhaps the largest number of online associates degrees offered, Kaplan University's degrees are fully accredited, affordable, and offer a flexibility that many other online schools cannot match. This unrivaled selection spans several industries, hundreds of specializations, and all degree levels of education, empowering students to choose their own path to a career. Read full school profile » Request Information
	One of the nation's leading Christian universities, Liberty offers a broad range of accredited associate degrees online. Their incorporation of moral and ethical considerations into study make them a popular choice for students seeking a well-rounded education built on academic integrity. Established in 1985, Liberty University has one of the longest-standing online education programs in the country. Read full school profile » Request Information
	The online associates degrees at Everest University can be completed in under 2 years, making this a great way for students to quickly works towards their life goals. An associates degree can give you a jump-start on your career and open opportunities around every corner. Many of the programs help students pursue positions in ever-growing fields. Read full school profile » Request Information
	Virginia College offers a wide range of accredited associates programs. VC takes several steps in helping students pays for college by offering financial aid to those who qualify, including textbooks in the tuition cost, and providing online programs that can be completed under two (2) years, giving students a quick way to jump start their careers. Read full school profile » Request Information
	DeVry University is a highly-regarded leader in education with campuses across the nation and several online degrees available. DeVry focuses on providing degrees centered in the technology industry or fields that require a broad understanding and need for technical skills. DeVry has several highly popular degrees like Accounting, Web Graphic Design, Health IT, and Network Systems Administration. Read full school profile » Request Information
	Strayer University has over the last decade become one of the most respected schools offering accredited online associate degrees. Their strong reputation among employers, broad course offerings, and over one hundred years in education make them consistently a top choice for students. Strayer has over 85 campuses and 60,000 students currently attending online or at one of its campuses. Read full school profile » Request Information