2025 Best Online Hotel and Restaurant Management Certificates
By Amy Hayes
Edited by Briana Sukert
Updated on January 1, 2025
A restaurant management certificate can help prepare you for a managerial career in the hospitality industry. You could earn this certificate to gain experience and knowledge related to the daily operations of a restaurant, hotel, resort, or similar hospitality business.
Earning a certificate in restaurant management could demonstrate to employers that you’re trained in carrying out managerial responsibilities.
You could learn about tasks such as hiring and supervising staff, assisting with daily operations, identifying the needs of a business, and performing cost control procedures.
Methodology: The following school list is in alphabetical order. To be included, a college or university must be regionally accredited and offer programs online or in a hybrid format.
A Hotel and Restaurant Management Certificate can be earned at Central Arizona College. The program is available online and at all campus locations. Potential coursework includes Introduction to Hospitality, Management of Guest Services, Convention and Meeting Management, and Facilities Management.
Central Arizona College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Nashville State Community College offers a Technical Certificate in Hotel Management that can be earned online or at multiple campus locations. The program can typically be completed in 1 year. Courses are designed to be interactive and may be counted toward an AAS in Hospitality Management.
Nashville State Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Northern Arizona University offers an Undergraduate Certificate in Restaurant Management that can be earned online and at the Flagstaff campus. The certificate can be earned as part of a degree program or as a stand-alone certificate. The curriculum covers how to develop business plans, apply budgeting and cost-volume-profit analysis, and create menus.
NAU is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Scottsdale Community College offers a Certificate in Hospitality: Restaurant Management. The curriculum is designed to help students develop communication skills and business knowledge. Courses are available in online, hybrid, and on-campus formats. Evening and daytime class options are available. Most courses use low-cost textbooks.
Scottsdale Community College is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission.
Wake Technical Community College offers a Hospitality Restaurant Management Certificate. The curriculum is designed to teach practical skills and help students develop their knowledge of the commercial food service industry. The program requires the completion of 14 credits that may be completed on campus, online, or in a hybrid format.
Wake Technical Community College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
Restaurant management training programs are designed to introduce you to the roles and responsibilities of managers in a restaurant.
Holding a certificate proves that you’ve completed various restaurant management classes to prepare you for managerial positions in the hospitality industry. This certificate program may add value to your experience in the hospitality industry and as a manager of a restaurant, hotel, resort, catering business, and other related businesses.
You can develop a versatile skill set essential to management positions in hospitality, such as communication, interpersonal, organization, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
Key topics typically explored in online restaurant management courses include:
This certificate program combines food production and service fundamentals with business and marketing principles to give you the knowledge to take on a variety of roles and responsibilities.
A hotel management certificate may be merged with restaurant management certificate programs and offer coursework related to running a restaurant and hotel. These programs may also be referred to as hospitality management certificate programs.
While many professionals seek this certificate to become a restaurant or hotel manager, it can also be useful for other supervisory positions in resorts, clubs, catering, and special events.
Restaurant management certificates usually prepare students to sit for the ServSafe examination, which is a nationally recognized exam based on food safety and sanitation knowledge.
A certificate in restaurant and hotel management can be beneficial for several leadership positions in the hospitality industry. These positions may be found in restaurants, lodging, cruise lines, gaming businesses, special events centers, and the retail trade.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, these are the annual median salaries of various restaurant and hospitality careers.
| Careers | Annual Median Salaries |
| Food Service Managers — Traveler Accommodation | $76,670 |
| Food Service Managers — Special Food Services | $73,360 |
| Entertainment and Recreation Managers | $67,220 |
| Lodging Managers | $61,910 |
| Food Service Managers — Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $59,590 |
| Retail Trade Sales Representatives | $56,530 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $56,520 |
| Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners | $52,560 |
| Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $37,050 |
| Restaurant Cooks | $34,110 |
Some employers may prefer you to earn a bachelor’s degree, such as a hospitality management degree online, to qualify for these careers.
Whether you’re new to the hospitality industry or want to advance from your current position in the field, a certificate in hotel and restaurant management may add value to your current skill set and job experience.
Salaries and job availability can vary depending on the type of business, employer, location, job experience, and education. A food service manager is generally responsible for overseeing the daily operations of a kitchen and restaurant staff. Lodging managers oversee the operations of a hotel, motel, resort, or other similar facilities.
The marketing and business skills you may learn in a certificate program can also be beneficial to other careers relating to hospitality and retail, such as travel agent, event planner, and retail trade purchasing agent.
Restaurant management courses teach you how to carry out the daily operations of a restaurant in a managerial role. These are some courses that may be offered in this type of certificate program:
The amount of coursework offered in a restaurant certificate program can vary depending on the college or university.
The admissions process for undergraduate certificate programs is generally less demanding compared to the requirements for an undergraduate or graduate degree program.
These are some general admissions requirements for certificate in restaurant management programs:
Most undergraduate certificate programs, like online catering certificate and hospitality management certificate online programs, require proof of high school completion or equivalent, which may include the submission of any unofficial or official transcripts you have. Along with these materials, an online application is required to be considered. The application may include questions about your academic and career interests and enrollment plans.
Accreditation is the process of recognition that colleges and universities can choose to go through to prove they meet national educational standards.
The US Department of Education is responsible for approving regional accrediting organizations. Although accreditation isn’t a requirement, it can help you determine the quality of a prospective school and its facilities and resources. To receive regional accreditation, colleges and universities and educational programs must go through a rigorous evaluation conducted by a regional accrediting agency.
Attending an accredited school can be important for financial aid eligibility, employment opportunities, and ensuring credibility in your education.
Restaurant managers may seek licensure or certification to add to their qualifications. These are some examples of common restaurant management and hospitality certifications:
Certification is generally not required to be a restaurant manager, but it can be beneficial if you want to be a more marketable job candidate. It also demonstrates that you have the proper skills and knowledge to manage a restaurant or perform certain tasks.
A defined amount of work experience and a passing score on an examination is usually required to receive certification or licensure.
There are many financial aid options available that may help you pay for tuition and other college expenses. State and federal aid is government income-based assistance that students can receive if financial need is demonstrated.
If you want to apply for federal financial aid, you can submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) via the US Department of Education. You can also apply for scholarships, which may be awarded by schools, non-profits, and other organizations that want to provide financial assistance to students pursuing higher education.
If you’re eligible for federal aid, you may be offered the opportunity to enroll in a work-study program to help pay for college. Work-study programs assign students to a part-time position, sometimes within their desired field, to earn money to help pay for college.
A restaurant management certificate may help you qualify for a managerial position in the restaurant industry. This type of certificate can be beneficial to many leadership roles, such as food service manager, head chef, and catering manager.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, some employers prefer to hire food service managers that possess some postsecondary education. Some responsibilities you may have as a food service or restaurant manager include recruiting, hiring, and training restaurant staff. You might also take inventory of food products and supplies, oversee kitchen operations, establish employee standards, and manage the budget.
It may take up to two semesters to earn a hotel and restaurant management certificate online, depending on the program and school. Some certificate programs require more credit hours than others to complete. Many online hotel & restaurant management certificate require 18 credit hours, or 6 courses, to, or 6 courses, to complete.
Some online programs offer an accelerated certificate option, which can be completed in as little as 4 months. It can take up to 6 months to complete a non-accelerated certificate program. If you’re enrolled part-time, it could take longer than 6 months to complete.
Professional certifications and academic certificates are two different types of credentials.
A certificate is proof you have completed an educational program, while certification is proof that you meet industry standards and possess the qualifications to perform certain tasks. Certifications are generally pursued after completing an educational program or acquiring work experience.
Yes, a restaurant management certificate is worth it for many students. An undergraduate certificate can be beneficial if you’re looking for a career change or career advancement. It can also be helpful if you’re looking to assume a managerial role upon entering the restaurant industry.
Several management positions in the hospitality industry are projected to grow faster than average compared to all occupations. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 10% job growth is projected for food service managers, and 18% job growth is projected for lodging manager positions over the next ten years.
If you’re interested in becoming a manager in the hospitality industry, a restaurant and hotel management certificate may help you grow your expertise and qualifications.
You can learn about the daily operations of a food service and hospitality business and apply the skills you acquire to be an effective leader. Although on-the-job training is valuable, a certificate program can help give you an understanding of certain responsibilities you may have as a manager in a restaurant, hotel, or similar business.
If you’re ready to earn your restaurant management certificate online, you can begin by researching programs from accredited schools that align with your career goals.