Competitive analysis of the 10 largest producers of hospitality master's degrees in the U.S. (CIP 52.09 series), plus the University of South Carolina M.I.H.T.M. — based on 3 years of IPEDS completions data.
| Rank | Institution | Type | In-State /cr | Out-of-State /cr | Online /cr | Est. Low | Est. High | Credits |
|---|
| Dimension | FIU Executive MS | Cornell EMMH | UH Executive MHM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Degree Granted | MS | MMH (same as traditional) | MHM (distinct from MS) |
| School | Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Mgmt | Nolan School of Hotel Administration | Hilton College of Global Hospitality Leadership |
| Credits | 30 | 30 | 30 |
| Duration | 10 months | 18-24 months (min 12) | 1 year (up to 2) |
| Format | 100% online, asynchronous | Online (async + live virtual) + optional 1-wk Ithaca residency | 100% online, cohort-based, 5-wk modules |
| Cohort Structure | Rolling enrollment | Cohort-based (annual fall intake) | Cohort-based (fall & spring) |
| Work Exp. Required | 5 years (must hold mgmt role) | 5+ years hospitality | 3-5 years supervisory/managerial |
| GRE/GMAT | Not required | Not required | Not required |
| GPA Minimum | 3.0 | Not stated | 3.0 (last 60 hrs) |
| Tuition (In-State) | $22,500 flat | N/A (private) | ~$32,000 |
| Tuition (Out-of-State) | $22,500 flat | ~$84,930 | ~$50,000 |
| Per-Credit Cost | ~$750 | $2,831 | ~$1,067 (in-state) |
| Thesis Option | No | No (applied capstone) | No (industry research project) |
| Specializations | None | 2 tracks: Real Estate/Asset Mgmt; Digital Marketing/Revenue/Analytics | None (fixed curriculum) |
| Internship Required | No | No | No |
| Application Fee | $30 | $105 | $50 domestic / $80 intl |
| F-1 Visa Eligible | No | No | No |
| Launched | ~2023 (distinct track) | Nov 2021 (first cohort May 2022) | ~2017-2018 |
| Program Director | Suzanne Markham Bagnera, Ph.D. | Christopher K. Anderson, Ph.D. | Thomas Jamie, MA |
| Doctoral Pathway | No | No | Yes (MHM→DGHL dual, Fall 2026) |
| Dimension | FIU Exec vs. Regular | Cornell EMMH vs. MMH | UH MHM vs. MS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Credits | 30 vs. 33 (-3) | 30 vs. 48 (-18) | 30 vs. 36 (-6) |
| Tuition | $22.5K vs. $27K (cheaper) | ~$85K vs. ~$107K (cheaper) | ~$32K vs. ~$22-25K (more expensive) |
| Duration | 10 mo vs. 12 mo | 18-24 mo vs. 16 mo | 1 yr vs. 2 yr |
| Internship | Dropped (was 300 hrs + 500 hrs work) | Dropped (was 8-wk summer) | Dropped (was MTWEP 600 clock hrs) |
| Research Methods | Dropped (HMG 6586) | Compressed (3cr → 1.5cr courses) | Replaced with GHL 6381 Strategic Decision Making |
| Thesis | Both: No | Both have capstone (different type) | Exec: No; Regular: Yes option |
| Specializations | Exec: None; Regular: 4 tracks | Exec: 2 tracks; Regular: open electives | Exec: None; Regular: informal focus areas |
| Elective Pool | Similar courses | Exec: ~17 approved; Regular: any Cornell grad course | Exec: 3 prescribed; Regular: flexible menu |
| Work Exp. Gate | 5 yrs vs. none | 5+ yrs vs. none | 3-5 yrs vs. none |
| GRE/GMAT | Neither requires | Exec: No; Traditional: Yes | Neither requires |
| Experiential Learning | Exec drops internship | Exec drops Master Class, Hotel Ezra Cornell, industry treks | Exec drops MTWEP (employer-based) |
Positioned as "the MBA for the hospitality industry" — an applied business degree for mid-career managers, not a research degree. 100% asynchronous online, rolling enrollment, completable in 10 months. Flat $22,500 tuition for all students regardless of residency. Available $2,500 merit scholarship (3.25 GPA).
Target: Working hospitality professionals currently in management positions with 5+ years experience.
F-1 Visa: Not eligible (fully online).
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits | Session |
|---|---|---|---|
| HMG 6257 | Hospitality & Tourism Industry Research Analysis | 3 | Session A |
| HMG 6280 | Global Issues in Hospitality & Tourism | 3 | Session A |
| HMG 6246 | Organizational Behavior in Hospitality & Tourism | 3 | Session B |
| HMG 6477 | Financial Management for the Hospitality Industry | 3 | Session B |
| HMG 6466 | Revenue Management (rotating) | 3 | Session A |
| HMG 6476 | Feasibility Studies for the Hospitality Industry (rotating) | 3 | Session B |
| HMG 6596 | Marketing & Sales in Hospitality & Tourism | 3 | Session B |
| HMG 6697 | Hospitality Law Seminar | 3 | Session B |
| HMG 6296 | Strategic Management for Hospitality & Tourism | 3 | Session A |
| HMG 6446 | Technology Innovations OR Hospitality Elective (5000/6000) | 3 | A or B |
Launched November 2021 in collaboration with eCornell (first cohort May 2022). Awards the same "Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH)" degree as the traditional residential program — identical credential on the diploma. AACSB-accredited. Described as "a one-of-a-kind program that brings leading-edge executive business education to the working hospitality professional."
Target: Hospitality managers, directors, GMs, owners/operators, and service-industry partners with 5+ years experience.
Format: Asynchronous self-paced + weekly live virtual sessions. One optional week-long residency in Ithaca (late August) counts as 3 elective credits. ~20 hrs/week commitment.
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| HADM 7030 | Operations Management | 3.0 |
| HADM 7230 | Corporate Finance | 3.0 |
| HADM 7240 | Managerial Accounting | 3.0 |
| HADM 7430 | Marketing Management for Services | 3.0 |
| HADM 7120 | Leading & Transforming Hospitality Organizations | 1.5 |
| HADM 7821 | Human Resources Management | 1.5 |
| HADM 7410 | Hospitality Strategic Management | 1.5 |
| Year 2 Capstone (applied project in student's organization) | 1.5 |
Awards a distinct MHM degree (not an MS). Uses 7000-level executive course variants of the same content taught at 6000 level in the regular MS. Cohort-based with 5-week condensed modules and breaks between courses. Diploma shows no indication studies were completed online. New MHM→DGHL doctoral dual pathway launching Fall 2026 (~$77.5K in-state / ~$119.5K out-of-state combined).
Target: Early- to mid-career managers, supervisors, operations leaders; also career changers and entrepreneurs. Any undergraduate major accepted.
Format: 100% online, cohort-based, 5-week modules. Fall and Spring starts. Accelerated 1-year or flexible 2-year completion.
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GHL 7353 | Services Management in Hospitality | 3 |
| GHL 7369 | Hospitality Financial Assets & Planning Management | 3 |
| GHL 6381 | Strategic Decision Making in the Hospitality Industry | 3 |
| GHL 7337 | Human Resources in Hospitality | 3 |
| GHL 7361 | Hospitality Marketing Analysis | 3 |
| GHL 6360 | Graduate Directed Practicum | 3 |
| GHL 6191 | Project Development | 1 |
| GHL 6291 | Project Implementation | 2 |
| Course Code | Course Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| GHL 6329 | Negotiations for the Service Industry | 3 |
| GHL 6334 | Pricing & Revenue Management | 3 |
| GHL 6317 | Innovative Hospitality Technologies | 3 |
All three drop research methods courses, internship/practicum hours, and thesis options. The logic: 3-5+ years of management experience substitutes for structured fieldwork and academic research methodology.
Applied strategy, finance, marketing, and technology — the functional business toolkit for people already in the industry. All three are coursework-only with applied capstones/projects, not academic research.
FIU undercuts at $22.5K. Cornell commands Ivy League pricing at ~$85K. UH sits in the middle at $32-50K. All three are cheaper than their traditional programs except UH, which charges a premium for format convenience.
All three require 3-5+ years of management experience and waive the GRE/GMAT — a sharp contrast to traditional programs where Cornell still requires the GRE/GMAT and none require work experience.
Cornell awards the identical MMH degree (same diploma as residential). UH awards a distinct MHM (different from the MS). FIU awards the same MS. This matters for how the credential is perceived in the market.
USC's M.I.H.T.M. is not positioned as an executive program, yet shares similarities: online delivery, no GRE required, flexible format. If USC were to develop an executive track, these three programs define the competitive landscape and price points ($22.5K-$85K).