Hospitality Management: American Public University System vs California State University-Long Beach

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
12.5x
$33,600 tuition
13.2x
$28,032 tuition
Out-of-State
12.5x
$33,600 tuition
4.9x
$75,552 tuition
$37,174/yr starting · Private for-profit
$34,560/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

American Public University System California State University-Long Beach
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.5x 13.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.5x 4.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $28,032
Year 1 Earnings $37,174 $34,560
10-Year Earnings $420K $371K
Median Debt $31,334 $12,500
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 10.1 months 4.3 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 71/100 70/100

Both programs have high AI automation risk (47% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Hospitality Management graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Hospitality Management graduates.

American Public University System California State University-Long Beach
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $33,600 $28,032
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $33,600 $75,552
10-Year Projected Earnings $420K $371K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 12.5x 13.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 12.5x 4.9x
5-Year Salary Growth +48% +35%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Hospitality Management (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

American Public University System California State University-Long Beach
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $602K $420K $279K $496K $371K $259K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 17.9x 12.5x 8.3x 17.7x 13.2x 9.2x
DegreeWorth Score 73 71 64 71 70 64

For the full AI analysis of Hospitality Management career paths, see the American Public University System or California State University-Long Beach program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Hospitality Management graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$5,568
California State University-Long Beach saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$2,614/yr
American Public University System grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
12.5x / 13.2x
Out-of-state: 12.5x / 4.9x

Career Paths

Hospitality Management graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Managers, all other $136,550 106,700 +4.5% 47%
Facilities managers $104,690 13,200 +3.8% 48%
Business teachers, postsecondary $97,270 8,100 +5.7% 49%
Gambling managers $85,580 600 +1.2% 57%
Business operations specialists, all other $81,270 108,200 +3.0% 52%
Entertainment and recreation managers, except gambling $77,180 5,500 +7.7% 35%
Lodging managers $68,130 5,400 +3.4% 46%
Food service managers $65,310 42,000 +6.4% 42%

Explore Each Program

More Hospitality Management Comparisons

Hospitality Management Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Hospitality Management: American Public University System or California State University-Long Beach?
American Public University System scores 71/100 while California State University-Long Beach scores 70/100. California State University-Long Beach has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Hospitality Management?
American Public University System has an in-state earnings multiple of 12.5x vs California State University-Long Beach's 13.2x. That means California State University-Long Beach grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do American Public University System and California State University-Long Beach compare on Hospitality Management earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $37,174 at American Public University System vs $34,560 at California State University-Long Beach. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $419,891 vs $370,633 — a difference of $49,258.
How much does Hospitality Management cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $33,600 at American Public University System and $28,032 at California State University-Long Beach. Median debt at graduation is $31,334 vs $12,500. Both programs lead to the same Hospitality Management career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.