As a premier talent acquisition firm specializing in connecting professionals and executives with employers across the United States, Goodwin Recruiting has extensive data on salary ranges across multiple industries.  

Our proprietary salary data covers a wide range of jobs for staffing within the hospitality industry, one of many core markets we serve, from lodging and accommodations to food and beverage, travel and tourism, entertainment, and others.  

We extrapolated salary range data for high-paying jobs in the hospitality industry and analyzed it alongside insights from other prominent salary references, such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). In the process, we were able to identify the 25 highest-paying jobs in the hospitality industry.  

We’d like to share what we found to help employers remain or become more competitive in the hiring market – and give job candidates a current view for honing their career paths, financial planning, and pursuit of college degrees, certifications, or other requirements for landing high-paying jobs in the hospitality industry.  

About the salary ranges    

Many factors contribute to determining salary ranges across hospitality management, executive, and corporate roles in the expansive hospitality industry. Thus, as you review the data for full-time hospitality jobs below, you’ll see a wide salary range for each position. Here are some of the reasons for those ranges:  

• Diverse Concepts: The data encompasses salary ranges for top hospitality jobs within a variety of hospitality concepts and sectors, from independently owned establishments to national hospitality brands and chains, including restaurants, hotels, resorts, and luxury residences, among many others. Since each company offers a different combination and class of offerings and services, these factors involve varying hospitality job responsibilities and therefore impact salary ranges. Overall market conditions, regardless of industry sector, can also affect salary ranges for high-paying hospitality jobs. 
• Regional Variations: Salary range differences for top hospitality jobs are often based on the geographic location of a job, a factor that is common across industries.  
• Educational Requirements: Many high-paying hospitality jobs require an associate or bachelor’s degree, with others demanding advanced degrees, such as master’s degrees, along with certifications and accumulated years of experience.  
• Comprehensive Compensation: The annual salary ranges below exclude forms of hospitality job compensation beyond base annual pay, such as benefits, bonuses, or profit sharing. These factors usually have bearing on determining annual salary. 

Considering the above factors can give hiring companies and hospitality job candidates a better understanding of the complexities that underlie salary determinations among high-paying hospitality jobs. It’s important to note that these salary ranges do not represent average salary ranges, but rather a scope across the highest-paying jobs.  

Results of our analysis: The top 25 highest-paying jobs in the hospitality industry

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) 

$135,000 – $300,000  

2. Managing Director

$140,000 – $280,000  

3. Chief Operating Officer (COO), or Vice President of Operations

$130,000 – $300,000  

4. Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

$140,000 – $275,000  

5. Chief People Officer (CPO), or Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO), Vice President of Human Resources, or Director of People

$175,000 – $205,000  

6. Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), or Vice President of Marketing

$140,000 – $210,000  

7. President

$170,000 – $350,000  

8. Executive Vice President, or Senior Vice President

$157,000 – $325,000  

9. Vice President of Culinary, or Director of Food & Beverage

$120,000 – $240,000  

10. Vice President of Lodging

$105,000 – $175,000  

11. Restaurant, Resort, or Hotel General Manager  

$125,000 – $230,000  

12. Director of Business Development

$130,000 – $250,000  

13. Corporate Executive Chef

$120,000 – $275,000  

14. Corporate Controller

$120,000 – $225,000  

15. Director of Construction

$87,000 – $215,000  

16. Director of Finance & Accounting

$130,000 – $210,000  

17. Director of Information Technology (IT)

$124,000 – $185,000   

18. Director of Sales

$140,000 – $160,000  

19. Corporate Director of Housekeeping

$95,000 – $160,000  

20. Director of Engineering

$110,000 – $130,000  

21. Catering Director

$90,000 – $120,000  

22. Regional Director 

$90,000 – $175,000  

23. Franchise Business Advisor

$86,000 – $165,000 

24. Private Chef

$100,000 – $175,000  

25. Account Executive

$65,000 – $170,000   

Should you include salary ranges in job listings? 

Many organizations have policies that prohibit disclosing salaries, including in posts for new job openings. On the other hand, new laws have taken effect that require the disclosure of salaries, salary ranges, or hourly wages in job listings, and the applicable jurisdictions for these laws continue to grow as a progression of broader legislation around pay equity and pay transparency laws in general.  

In either case, there are some important considerations around sharing salary ranges in job listings for staffing your top hospitality jobs:   

• Including salary ranges in your job postings will garner more attention and response from qualified professionals looking for better hospitality jobs – including passive candidates.  
• You will attract the top-quality candidates you’re seeking.  
• Candidates who require higher salaries than what you’re offering will simply move on from the job listing, saving time and vetting resources for your executives and hiring managers. 
• You will demonstrate that your company is transparent, open, and upfront about compensation. 
• Salary isn’t the only motivator for today’s talented job seekers. So, if you choose to include salary ranges in job posts, it’s also important to cite bonuses, incentives, perks, and the benefits you offer, such as health insurance, paid time off (PTO), your company values, and your great company culture (this is a big factor for today’s top candidates).  
• While a lot of companies don’t have more than one professional in a top job, there are exceptions. If you have existing professionals in the same or similar roles who are not being compensated with the same pay as the job you are advertising, there is potential for creating unhappy employees.  

Learn more and access top talent from an industry insider  

If you’re navigating the wide range of salaries for high-paying hospitality jobs within today’s hotel, resort, restaurant, casino, cruise ship, food service, or any other industry sector, Goodwin Recruiting is your trusted source for factual information. We can help you dive deeper into the specifics of full job compensation structures that are tailored to your region or city.  

Whether you’re an employer looking for the right talent for your team or an individual seeking a new career in the vibrant world of hospitality, we’re here to help.  

For employers seeking further salary insights and access to top talent, reach out to us today and unlock valuable insights and talent pipelines that can move your hospitality business forward.   

For hospitality professionals on a career path who are looking for a great job opportunity, explore the hospitality industry job openings currently available with leading employers through Goodwin Recruiting.