12 Best Paying Jobs in the Hospitality Industry

This article is dedicated to the best paying hospitality jobs in the world. It also debunks the notion that hospitality jobs are paid less.

Due to the vastness of the industry, there are jobs with lesser salaries as well which is true for most of the industries.

People complain a lot about lower wages in the hospitality industry.

This is true to an extent. It all depends on supply and demand dynamics. However, not all jobs in the hospitality industry are poorly paid.

So, Let’s look at the positive side and explore a few of the highest-paid hospitality jobs in the world.

Here is one of the motivational hospitality quotes to set the scene for the list of 12 best hospitality jobs in the world.

The hospitality industry includes a wide range of jobs across the industry. These can be in restaurants, Cruise ships, Resorts, Hotels, Bars, Hospitals, Shopping arcades, Aviation industry and Theme parks.

If you are looking for the best-paid jobs in hospitality, look out for the names on this list.

This will help hospitality industry professionals plan their career move in the right direction. Let’s begin!

1. Executive Chefs / Executive Pastry Chefs

Chef Jobs are definitely one of the most Creative Hotel jobs which justifies their best-paid hospitality jobs tag.

‘Chef’ is a French word which means the Boss or the leader.

That in itself makes it one of the best jobs in the hospitality industry.

This category is also among the highest paying jobs in the world. Chefs in the hospitality industry are earning up to $124,800 annually.

Chefs are not only responsible for preparing food. They are also responsible for creating unique menus and for coming up with innovative food ideas.

It is not an easy job at all but is highly paid. Moreover, Chefs get paid even higher on Cruises. Salaries are high in particular for Executive Chefs and Pastry Chefs.

So, you now know that becoming a good chef will get you high rewards.

This list is all about the best-paying jobs in the hospitality industry.

So, we have not shared the specific salary range as salaries are extremely variable. They depend on the location of the job, experience, property type and more.

In case you would like to enquire about salaries, in general, please refer to our Hotel Management Salary Guide.

2. Hotel General Managers

These are the people who manage every operation within a hotel.

‘Hotel manager’ is a very respectable post.

A ‘General Manager’ job in the hotel industry, according to Payscale, can fetch up to $112,400 in the USA.

It is a job that requires quick thinking and the ability to organise people.

If you have a proper degree and experience, then you can surely land this position after slogging for a few years in the industry.

If you are thinking about how to become a hotel manager, then all you need to do is to stick to your basics, get a decent degree and start gaining experience at top hotels.

Stay stable as a lot of job-hopping would only make the journey to the top longer.

3. Operations Manager / Director of Operation

This is one of the best paying jobs in hotels and resorts.

A Director of Operation heads all the department and reports to the General Manager or even to Cluster Director or Vice President of the hotel group.

Operations Manager at times earns quite similar to a Hotel General Manager.

Below snapshot from Payscale shows why Operations Manager is considered to be one of the best hospitality jobs.

For a good hotel chain, Operations Manager can earn in excess of $100,000 annually. The national average is $65,000.

Have a look!

If you are not in the USA, Payscale along with our earlier resources given in this post would help you for further explorations on this subject.

4. Chief Engineers

This job post certainly sounds out of place for the hospitality industry.

However, the designs and infrastructure that is unique to luxury hotels and resorts is the result of good and highly paid engineers.

The money earned is similar to the other high paying jobs mentioned in this post.

With around $102,000 on the table for experienced chief engineers, it certainly qualifies as one of the best jobs in the hospitality sector.

Hotels these days are state of the art and the number of Engineers on board is on a rise every year.

Remuneration is even higher for Chief Engineers in the Aviation industry and on Cruises.

We have kept the USA as our benchmark for analysing highest-paying hotel positions as it is one of the best countries for hotel jobs in terms of salary, satisfaction and growth.

However, various countries in Europe along with Maldives, Singapore, Japan and some of the Gulf nations are equally lucrative.

5. Director of Sales

This again is one of the jobs that involve high remuneration in the hospitality industry.

Sales and Marketing ensure that the profitability of the hospitality organisation is well maintained.

Sales Directors in the hotel is at times the highest-paid employee as there is a lot of sales bonus attached.

At times the remuneration is linked to the business of the hotel establishment.

Overall, this is one of the most competitive and challenging hotel jobs. However, the attached benefits make it one of the most lucrative jobs in the hotel industry.

6. Head of Housekeeping / Director of Housekeeping

Director of housekeeping is another hotel job that pays really well.

A clean, hygienic and comfortable room is very important in the hotel as compared to any other amenity present on the premises.

This is true for other facilities in Aviation, Cruise, Malls, recreation parks and Hospitals. Thus, Housekeeping is a key activity in the hospitality industry.

While the basic attendant job is not extremely rewarding but as you start climbing up the ladder there is a disproportionate rise in income.

In most of the luxury hospitality properties, the housekeeping department is normally the biggest department.

An experienced Director of Housekeeping can make in excess of AED 200,000 per annum in Dubai and the pay averages $65,000 per annum approximately in the USA.

7. Chief Sommelier

(Image Source- Wikipedia)

Do you love Wines? Wine tourism is very popular across the globe and especially in Europe and North America.

Lots of hotels make sure they satisfy the taste buds of wine lovers.

But there are thousands of types of wines. What to taste and how to know the background?

Thus comes a Sommelier into play.

They don’t only serve wines but are storytellers who engage you in the process of winemaking.

Well, Sommeliers are not only well paid but have one of the most interesting jobs in the hospitality industry.

Some also call it the best hotel jobs in the world and the specialised knowledge of wines comes with a lot of monetary rewards as well.

In a hotel or restaurant, the job of Sommeliers is to share the wonderful knowledge they have with diners.

Due to the intricacies involved in this role, the Chief Sommelier is one of the best-paid hospitality jobs in the world.

8. Casino Property General Manager

Casinos are in a niche that is extremely beneficial but risky. Casino hotels are some of the largest and luxurious hotels in the world. Same can be said about Casinos on cruises.

Managing Casinos is like managing the rich and famous. It is extremely rewarding but needs a specific skill set.

In a casino, there is no clear path to be a casino property general manager.

If you want to be a casino property general manager then you need to get 4-year education degree in hospitality and business, then also you need to get experience in the components of a casino resort operation, hotel, convention, food, beverage, and entertainment.

For a move towards a great Casino property general manager, the key is to be passionate about managing and running Casinos and the eagerness to learn every aspect of this job.

9. Restaurant Manager at Top Standalone Restaurants

Heard of Michelin Star Restaurants or about the 4 Diamond property restaurants?

The rich and famous and who’s who of society grace these places.

The best Restaurant Managers of various standalone and award-winning restaurant earn up to $95,800 annually.

Add tips and bonuses and that might make the amount even higher.

The restaurant is supposed to run by many operations like the waiting staff, the front desk, the cleaning people and the heart that is the kitchen.

All these operations will run smoothly if under the supervision of a good manager.

Restaurant managers of fine dining and super luxury restaurants are future General Managers in making.

The post and salary are thus extremely rewarding, challenging and satisfying.

10. Cabin Crew

This is a popular and high paying option for freshers from the hospitality industry.

Flight attendants, Air Hostess, Hosts etc. all come under this category.

This is a highly competitive and rewarding job category. These roles belong to the best of the lot in the hospitality industry.

Best customer experience is the motto while you need to be able to create a rewarding travel experience overall and also sell products.

Salary is attractive while the perks are unlimited.

The perquisites on top of it with a chance to travel around the world makes this hospitality job even more lucrative and popular.

11. Event Planners and Coordinators

If you are looking for a job that pays well in hospitality early in the career ladder then the events industry is your place to be.

This job can pay you around $46,000 annually in the USA. Plus there are added perks.

This is a very spontaneous job that also requires travel, innovation and creativity.

This job is also well paid in other parts of the world due to the creativity and interpersonal skills required.

If you have the right degree, an appropriate amount of experience and the love for organising events, then this is certainly going to be an extremely satisfying job option for you.

Event planner’s and Coordinator’s role includes but not limited to conducting posh business events, high-profile marriages, live shows, celebrity lunches and dinners, political events and much more.

It is an extremely challenging and glamorous hospitality industry role involving decent remuneration.

12. Recreation Workers (For Freshers and Students)

Now something for those who are still studying hospitality or have just finished and are looking to have some fun while on work.

This might seem similar to event management but is actually very different.

These are the people that make the guests have fun while staying at a particular hospitality place. They are responsible for leisure, sports and other engaging activities.

It pays around $22,000 annually on an average according to various salary checking websites.

The salary goes higher on Cruises and also includes positions like a social hostess, dancers and singers, flaring bartenders and so on.

Early on in your career or as a student of hospitality, this is not only a job that pays well but is also one of the best jobs to get your hands into the hospitality industry.

Conclusion

Hope you liked our list of highest paying hospitality jobs in the world.

Hotel industry jobs by many are being considered akin to diving into deep waters.

Hospitality is an industry that runs on many variables. The industry also shows trends that change according to the culture of different countries.

When people think about hospitality, they mostly think about one part of the hospitality relationship that is the guest.

Service is the key in the Hospitality industry and its hospitality professionals that make the hospitality industry an exemplary industry.

There are many motivation sources if we consider human resources, but what could be more motivating than monetary benefits.