Hospitality Administration/Management at University of South Florida

Hospitality graduates from USF start with earnings nearly identical to the national and state medians, but what makes this program worth examining is the trajectory: four years out, earnings climb to $43,059, a 24% jump that outpaces typical growth in this field. Among Florida's 19 hospitality programs, USF ranks in the 60th percentile—solidly middle-of-the-pack but trailing the state's top performers like Florida Gulf Coast ($39,108) and FSU ($37,330) by several thousand dollars even at the four-year mark.

The debt picture is reasonable at $23,656, translating to a manageable 0.68 ratio against first-year earnings. This isn't the bargain you'd find at some state schools, but it's close to national norms and won't saddle your child with outsized payments. The bigger question is whether these earnings levels align with your family's expectations. Hospitality can be a practical pathway for students passionate about the industry, but starting at $34,703 in a tourism-heavy market like Tampa means budgeting carefully in those early years.

If your child is set on hospitality and USF for other reasons—campus fit, location, specific faculty—this program won't derail their finances. But if maximizing earnings is the priority and they're flexible on schools, Florida Gulf Coast's stronger graduate outcomes are worth investigating.