Hiring Lodging Managers

What do lodging managers do?

• Answer inquiries pertaining to hotel policies and services, and resolve occupants' complaints.
• Participate in financial activities, such as the setting of room rates, the establishment of budgets, and the allocation of funds to departments.
• Confer and cooperate with other managers to ensure coordination of hotel activities.
• Greet and register guests.
• Monitor the revenue activity of the hotel or facility.
• Manage and maintain temporary or permanent lodging facilities.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 11-9081.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

O*NET Job Zone 4, SVP (7.0 to < 8.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Facebook, Microsoft Access, Microsoft PowerPoint for this role.

What do lodging managers get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for lodging managers in 84 of the metro areas in this build. The median ranges from $45,980 to $129,230 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $69,930. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 11-9081.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest published median for lodging managers in this build is $129,230. A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $25,846 to $38,769 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can a lodging managers search fill?

23 to 35 days, 2 to 3x faster than a typical contingency search, per the recruiting provider's published figures.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.