10 high-paying hospitality jobs

Want to make the world a better place? You don’t necessarily have to be a humanitarian aid worker to have a positive impact. Sometimes you just have to make people’s lives ever so slightly more manageable. Hospitality management jobs let you do just that—and they pay well too.

Think about it: A nice meal, a relaxing stay away, a fun night out—oftentimes we don’t realize all the people who are working hard to make our leisure time enjoyable. But for hospitality workers, being warm and welcoming isn’t a temporary pleasantry, it’s a career.

And with over 16 million workers in the hospitality sector, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the industry provides plenty of opportunity for employment.

Your salary will depend on a few things: experience, specialty, and location of employment. For example, a hotel manager salary in San Francisco is 12% higher than the national median; a casino dealer salary in Denver is 11% higher than the national median; and a chef salary in Tupelo, Mississippi, is 3% higher than the national median.

Using data from BLS and Salary.com, Monster created a list of some of the highest-paying hospitality jobs. Keep in mind that these jobs' hours tend to be all over the map, with many shifts taking place while everyone else is asleep. It's wise to check out other overnight jobs for additional hospitality opportunities.

Director of housekeeping

What you’d do: Housekeeping directors supervise their teams of room attendants, cleaners, and other hotel housekeeping staff. Their job is to ensure housekeeping standards are met, as well as manage department budget (supplies, staffing, and more).
What you’d need: Housekeeping experience is key to landing a job as a housekeeping director, as is prior experience managing a budget and people. View a sample resume for a housekeeper.
What you’d make: $74,712 per year

Find director of housekeeping jobs on Monster.

Executive casino host

What you’d do: The executive casino host’s job is largely about developing relationships: meeting and greeting guests on the casino floor, attracting high-value players to become repeat customers, and ultimately ensuring the casino hits its profit and growth goals.
What you’d need: On top of a bachelor’s degree, executive casino hosts typically have at least five years of customer service experience, and specifically a few years of casino guest service experience.
What you’d make: $55,044 per year

Find executive casino host jobs on Monster.

Executive chef

What you’d do: Executive chefs may work in restaurants, hotel kitchens, casinos, cruise ships, or another facility that serves food. Their job tasks include overseeing all kitchen staff, ensuring quality of food is consistently top-notch, ordering supplies, and developing menus to keep diners coming back.
What you’d need: No formal education is required (a culinary degree can help you get your foot in the industry’s door), but prior kitchen experience is a must in order to graduate to this prestigious position.
What you’d make: $67,632 per year

Find executive chef jobs on Monster.

Executive pastry chef

What you’d do: Executive pastry chefs work in hotels, resorts, restaurants, and cafes, managing all aspects of the pastry department and often reporting to the executive chef. Chief responsibilities include creating new pastries, hiring and training pastry chefs, and managing payroll costs and productivity.
What you’d need: In order to become an executive pastry chef, you’ll need to have prior experience, and perhaps some type of culinary degree, as well.
What you’d make: $65,623 per year

Find executive pastry chef jobs on Monster.

Flight attendant

What you’d do: Flight attendants first and foremost enforce safety protocols, but hospitality is very much a part of the job. From serving drinks and snacks to answering passenger’s questions, flight attendants work to make each flight as comfortable and safe as possible for travelers.
What you’d need: At minimum, flight attendants must have a high school diploma and certification by the Federal Aviation Administration. View a sample resume for a flight attendant.
What you’d make: $50,500 per year

Find flight attendant jobs on Monster.

Food and beverage director

What you’d do: Like executive chefs, food and beverage directors may work in a variety of environments; sporting venues, casinos, airports, and others. Along with managing product cost and inventory, food and beverage directors work closely with other departments (such as human resources) to hire and train staff.
What you’d need: A degree in hospitality management or business is a typical starting point.
What you’d make: $72,248 per year

Find food and beverage director jobs on Monster.

Hotel manager

What you’d do: Hotel managers work to keep guests happy, operations efficient, and business profitable. From checking guests in and out and supervising available rooms to managing dining areas and hiring and training staff, these managers oversee multiple departments within hotel hospitality.
What you’d need: A bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management is typical for this job.
What you’d make: $106,680 per year

Find hotel manager jobs on Monster.

Meeting/event manager

What you’d do: When an organization has to plan a big event (think convention, conference, or board meeting), the leaders will call on a meeting/event manager to handle every last detail, from booking a venue to planning a menu to controlling the budget.
What you’d need: A high school diploma is likely required, though some companies will prefer a candidate with a bachelor’s degree. Experience working in a corporate environment is typical. View a sample resume for an event coordinator.
What you’d make: $78,589 per year

Find meeting/event manager jobs on Monster.

Restaurant general manager

What you’d do: As a supervisory role, the job of a restaurant general manager is varied. Responsibilities include everything from managing food-handling procedures and operational processes in the restaurant to hiring and training employees and making sure the restaurant hits its profit margin targets.
What you’d need: No formal education is required, but prior restaurant experience is a must. View a sample resume for a restaurant manager.
What you’d make: $53,127 per year

Find restaurant general manager jobs on Monster.

Sommelier

What you’d do: Upscale hotels and restaurants hire sommeliers to be their in-house wine experts, serving guests and providing advice on which wine to order to compliment a diner’s meal choice. Businesses may sometimes also hire sommeliers, as well, to consult which wine to purchase for events.
What you’d need: Sommeliers must go through specific and intensive training in order to earn the title of sommelier. There are also levels of certification, with Master Sommelier being the highest.
What you’d make: $56,551 per year

Find sommelier jobs on Monster.

Experience a more hospitable job search

There’s good money to be made in making people feel right at home. Could you use the same kind of service in your job search? Join Monster for free today. As a member, you can upload up to five resumes—each tailored to the types of hospitality jobs that interest you. Recruiters search Monster every day looking to fill top jobs with qualified candidates, just like you. You’ll be welcoming a new job before you know it.