U.S. median for this major: $56,198.
College Scorecard field of study; 55 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 52% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,703.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $19,992. College Scorecard.
Western Carolina University Hospitality Management: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Hospitality Management nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Western Carolina University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $8,816 | $38,261 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $10,012 | $43,452 | 2.7 years |
| $48–75k | $12,605 | $54,706 | 3.4 years |
| $75–110k | $17,060 | $74,040 | 4.5 years |
| $110k+ | $17,992 | $78,085 | 4.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Hospitality Management graduates 4 years after graduating ($49,798) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $16,282 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Hospitality Management at North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina college we cover that reports Hospitality Management graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants. Colleges marked "mostly 2-year" or "bachelor's & associate" award more associate degrees than bachelor's; their bachelor's programs often serve working adults finishing a degree (for example, nurses completing a BSN), so their graduates' earnings can run higher than those of students starting college at 18.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Campbell University | $63,402 | $19,750 | $24,516 | 61% |
| 2 | Johnson & Wales University-Charlottebachelor's & associate | $55,790 | $26,175 | $27,426 | 49% |
| 3 | East Carolina University | $55,541 | $26,000 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 4 | Western Carolina University | $49,798 | $26,000 | $13,315 | 60% |
| 5 | Appalachian State University | $48,546 | $24,323 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Greensboro | $44,625 | $21,875 | $10,965 | 56% |
| 7 | North Carolina Central University | $42,085 | $29,000 | $15,359 | 42% |
3 more North Carolina colleges offer Hospitality Management but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Hospitality Management graduates
Lodging manager
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +3.8% by 2035. Typical entry: high school diploma or equivalent.
Facilities Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.8% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Western Carolina University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Western Carolina University
- Acceptance rate: 82% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 60% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $49,458
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Western Carolina University
- Business Administration$57,713
- Entrepreneurship—
Western Carolina University Hospitality Management questions
How much do Western Carolina University Hospitality Management graduates earn?
Hospitality Management graduates of Western Carolina University earn a median $49,798 four years after graduating and $29,395 one year after. The U.S. median for Hospitality Management graduates across 130 colleges is $56,198.
How much debt do Western Carolina University Hospitality Management graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Hospitality Management graduates of Western Carolina University is $26,000, about 52% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,703.
Is Western Carolina University a good school for Hospitality Management in North Carolina?
On pay, Hospitality Management graduates of Western Carolina University earn $49,798 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 7 North Carolina colleges ($49,798) and $6,400 below the U.S. median ($56,198). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Western Carolina University rank for Hospitality Management in North Carolina?
Of 7 North Carolina colleges reporting Hospitality Management graduate earnings, Western Carolina University ranks 4th; among the 6 that mostly award bachelor's degrees it ranks 3rd. The highest is Campbell University at $63,402.
What jobs do Hospitality Management graduates get?
A common career is lodging manager, with a median wage of $63,860 in North Carolina and $69,250 nationally. Others include facilities managers and meeting, convention, and event planners.
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Western Carolina University Hospitality Management: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-carolina-university/majors/hospitality-management (College Scorecard and BLS data).