Hospitality Administration/Management at Kent State University at Kent

Kent State's hospitality management program starts graduates at $31,926 but delivers strong momentum over time, with earnings jumping to $41,683 by year four—a 31% increase that outpaces the typical early-career trajectory in this field. While the first-year salary sits below the national median of $34,675, it's right at Ohio's state median, meaning this program performs solidly among in-state options. In fact, it ranks in the 60th percentile statewide, placing it in the upper half of Ohio hospitality programs and matching the earnings at Kent State's own Ashtabula campus.

The $25,112 debt load creates a manageable 0.79 debt-to-earnings ratio in year one, and as earnings grow substantially by year four, that debt burden becomes even easier to handle. This isn't a program that will impress with starting salary—you're entering one of the lower-paying professional fields—but the earnings trajectory suggests graduates are moving into management roles or finding better opportunities as they gain experience.

For Ohio families, this program offers decent value: reasonable debt, earnings growth that accelerates past most hospitality graduates, and performance that beats half the state's competing programs. Just understand your child is entering a field where $32,000 starting salaries are standard, and early-career budgeting will be tight.