Hospitality Administration/Management at Kansas State University

Kansas State's hospitality management program launches graduates into the workforce with notably strong starting salaries—$42,073 puts it in the 95th percentile nationally, well ahead of the typical $34,675. But there's an unusual pattern here: by year four, median earnings drop to $35,503, a 16% decline. This likely reflects high turnover in entry-level hotel and restaurant management positions, where graduates may move between employers, relocate, or shift into different hospitality sectors as they navigate their careers. The $25,000 debt load represents about 7 months of first-year salary, which is manageable given that strong initial placement.

Within Kansas, this program sits at the 60th percentile—competitive, though not dominant. With only two schools in the state offering hospitality degrees, you're essentially choosing between K-State and Fort Hays State, where graduates earn about $8,000 less initially. The admission profile suggests K-State serves a broad student base, and the moderate sample size indicates steady program enrollment.

The key question is whether your child can leverage that strong first-year placement into a stable career path. If they're comfortable with the reality that hospitality careers often involve lateral moves before upward trajectory, the combination of lower-than-average debt and solid initial earnings makes this reasonable. Just understand they'll need to be strategic about their second and third jobs out of school.