The following career ladders illustrate the opportunities for professional growth and career advancement within the industry. These ladders illustrate a typical path of promotion from entry-level hourly employee to positions of significant responsibility.
There is great flexibility within the industry. The following chart, from the Work Portal of San Diego, shows alternative routes to promotion within hospitality.
The following table lists some typical occupations within the hospitality industry and the educational background that you would need to qualify for each occupation. There are many other career options within the industry, from information technology to interior decorating. However the following examples should give you an idea of what jobs you would typically qualify for with a given level of education. 4
| Entry Level (High School Diploma) | Technician/ Associate (Associate Degree or Certificate) |
Professional (Bachelor Degree) |
|
| Food Service | Short order cook |
Caterer |
Executive chef |
| Baker's helper | Baker | Sous chef | |
| Server | Food service manager | Catering chef |
|
| Dining room attendant | Specialty cook | Food service director | |
| Host/hostess | Chef | Food & beverage analyst | |
| Lodging | Guest service clerk |
Guest house manager |
Hotel manager |
| Room attendant | Housekeeping manager | Convention coordinator | |
| Lodging facilities attendant | Hospitality supervisor | Recreation director | |
| Social Director | Executive housekeeper |
The United States Department of labor has compiled informatin about salary ranges for professional positions in the industry. Persons entering those positions for the first time can expect to receive salaries at the lower end of the scale, while those who successfully take on progressively larger areas of responsibility can expect increasingly higher salaries as they gain experience. The following chart should give you an idea of what you might expect as you progress through your career. The salaries indicated are for California. 5
| Occupation | Low End of Salary Range | Median Salary (most prevalent) | High End |
Executive/Sous Chef Restaurant Manager Lodging Manager Meeting Planner General Manager |
$25,900 $34,600 $30,400 $31,900 $53,100 |
$42,700 $47,300 $48,900 $47,700 $104,900 |
$71,000 $76,900 $84,600 $77,600 $166,400 |
1 American Hotel and Lodging Association Educational Institute
2 National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation
3 The San Diego Workforce Partnership™
4 Adapted from information compiled by the California Department of Education Home Economics Careers and Technology Education Project
5 U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, O*Net Online .
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