Top Skills for This Career
BLS identifies these as the three highest-rated skills for this detailed occupation. TrustInEd adds the plain-language explanations so visitors understand what each skill means.
Adjusting effectively when priorities, conditions, tools, or expectations change.
Guiding people or projects, setting direction, taking responsibility, and helping others succeed.
Working effectively with people by building relationships, understanding others, and responding appropriately.
How Do You Prepare for This Career?
BLS describes the typical preparation for this occupation. Requirements can vary by employer, state, licensing rules and individual circumstances.
How to Become One
How to Become a Lodging Manager Full-service facilities may prefer to hire candidates who have a degree in hospitality or hotel management. To enter the occupation, lodging managers typically take one of three paths: a high school diploma combined with several years of experience working in a lodging facility, a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management, or an associate’s degree or certificate in hotel management.
Education
Lodging managers typically need at least a high school diploma to enter the occupation. High school students interested in becoming a lodging manger may benefit from taking classes in hospitality management, which may be offered at some high schools. Full-service facilities may prefer to hire candidates who have a bachelor’s degree in hospitality or hotel management. Hotel management programs typically include instruction in hotel administration, housekeeping, food service management, and hotel maintenance, as well as in business subjects such as accounting, marketing, and sales. Systems
Training
is also an integral part of many degree programs, because lodging facilities use hospitality-specific software in reservations, billing, and housekeeping management. Employers may seek candidates whose degree is from an accredited hospitality management program. At limited-service facilities, candidates with an associate’s degree or a certificate in hotel, restaurant, or hospitality management may qualify for lodging manager positions. Technical institutes and vocational or trade schools also may offer courses that are recognized by the hospitality industry. Work Experience in a Related Occupation To enter the occupation, lodging managers with a high school diploma or its equivalent typically need experience working in guest services, at the front desk, or in related positions. Candidates with a degree often have experience too, which they gain through internships or by working as a management trainee.
Licenses, Certifications & Registrations
Professional certification may be beneficial. Certification may require passing exams and completing industry work experience. Information on certifications is available from CareerOneStop. Advancement Lodging facility employees who show leadership potential and have several years of experience may qualify for assistant manager positions. Large facilities, including well-established chains, may offer better advancement opportunities than small, independently owned ones. For example, opportunities may include advancing from assistant manager to manager or from managing one facility to managing several in a region.
Your Next Step
Review training, certifications, apprenticeships, or employer-based preparation that may support entry into this career.
Pay
the median annual wage for all workers was $50,980.
Job Outlook
Job Outlook Employment of lodging managers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2025 to 2035, about as fast as the average for all occupations. About 5,500 openings for lodging managers are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire. Employment Overall travel spending patterns could support demand for lodging managers in hotels and other lodging establishments. For example, some employment growth may be driven by an increased need for extended-stay accommodations and by consumer preferences for combined business and leisure travel. However, the prevalence of short-term rentals has offered competition for traditional hotels, which may limit demand for these workers. Lodging Managers Percent change in employment, projected 2025–35 Other management occupations 6% Lodging managers 4% Total, all occupations 3% Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.
What They Do
What Lodging Managers Do
Lodging managers ensure that guests have a pleasant experience at a hotel, motel, or other type of facility with accommodations. Lodging managers also plan, direct, or coordinate activities to ensure that the facility is efficient and profitable.
Duties
Lodging managers typically do the following:
- Inspect guest rooms, public areas, and grounds for cleanliness and appearance
- Ensure that company standards for guest services, décor, and housekeeping are met
- Answer questions from guests about the lodging facility's policies and services
- Interview, hire, train, and sometimes fire staff members
- Monitor staff performance to ensure that guests are happy and that the facility is well run
- Coordinate the facility's front-desk activities and resolve problems
- Set budgets, approve expenditures, and allocate funds to various departments
- Keep track of how much money the facility is making
A comfortable room and a helpful staff can make being away from home an enjoyable experience for guests. Lodging managers, who occasionally greet and register guests, try to make sure that guests have a good experience.
Lodging establishments vary in size, from bed and breakfasts with just a few rooms to resorts with thousands of rooms. Facilities are sometimes identified according to the level of amenities they offer, such as limited service or full service. The larger the number of amenities a facility provides—for example, a swimming pool, a casino, and a restaurant—the greater the range of duties for lodging managers who oversee them.
The following are examples of types of lodging managers:
Convention service managers coordinate the activities of various departments, to accommodate meetings, conventions, and special events. They meet with representatives of groups to plan the number of conference rooms to be reserved, design the configuration of the meeting space, and determine what other services the groups will need, such as catering or audiovisual requirements. During a meeting or event, they resolve unexpected problems and ensure that facility operations meet a group’s expectations.
Front-desk managers coordinate reservations and room assignments and train and direct the facility’s front-desk staff. They ensure that guests are treated courteously, that complaints and problems are resolved, and that requests for special services are carried out. Most front-desk managers are also responsible for adjusting bills.
General managers oversee all lodging operations at a facility. At large establishments with several departments and multiple layers of management, the general manager and several assistant managers coordinate the activities of separate departments. These departments may include human resources, marketing and sales, recreational facilities, and others. For more information, see the profiles on human resources managers; public relations and fundraising managers; financial managers; advertising, promotions, and marketing managers; and food service managers.
Revenue managers direct a property’s finances. Their responsibilities include monitoring room sales and reservations, overseeing accounting and cash-flow matters, projecting occupancy levels, and deciding which rooms to discount and when to offer special rates.
Work Environment
Work Environment
Lodging managers held about 54,800 jobs in 2025. The largest employers of lodging managers were as follows:
| Traveler accommodation | 66% |
| Self-employed workers | 21 |
| RV (recreational vehicle) parks and recreational camps | 4 |
The pressures of coordinating a wide range of activities, turning a profit for investors, and dealing with dissatisfied guests may be stressful.
Work Schedules
Most lodging managers work full time. Work schedules may vary and often include evenings, weekends, and holidays. Because these facilities are open around the clock, some managers are on call 24 hours a day.
Important Qualities
The following are examples of qualities that are important for these workers to perform their duties. For more information, visit the Employment Projections (EP) skills data page. Business skills. Lodging managers need to operate a facility that is profitable. To do so, they must be able to address budget matters and coordinate and supervise workers. Customer-service skills. Lodging managers must have excellent customer-service skills. Satisfying guests is critical to a facility’s success and helps to ensure their loyalty. Interpersonal skills. Lodging managers interact regularly with many different people. They must be effective communicators and be able to have positive interactions with guests and staff, even in stressful situations. Leadership skills. Lodging managers must establish a productive work environment, which may involve motivating personnel, resolving conflicts, and handling guests’ complaints. Listening skills. Lodging managers must have excellent listening skills for attending to the needs of guests and maintaining a good working relationship with staff. Organizational skills. Lodging managers need to keep track of many different schedules, budgets, and people at once. Problem-solving skills. Lodging managers must be able to resolve personnel issues and guest complaints.
More Information
More Information, Including Links to O*NET
Learn more about lodging managers by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
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Start with ED →Career data and occupational profile text are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook and Employment Projections program. Education requirements are typical entry-level requirements and may vary by employer, state, occupation or individual circumstance. View the official BLS profile.