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private · United States

Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration

Pioneering hospitality education for over a century, setting the global standard.

Ithaca, United States Est. 1922 · 104 yrs #2 worldwide Official site

Programs

7

across degree levels

Students

961

64% international

Acceptance

35%

selective

Tuition (mid)

$39k

full programme

AI-augmentation

81%

upside for grads

OverviewBy the numbersProgramsAI impactTuitionCompareRequest info

The school

What you need to know

Institution type

private

Accreditation

—

Faculty ratio

1 : 17

Languages

English

Hospitality rank

#2

AI-readiness

Strong

The Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration, founded in 1922 in Ithaca, United States, is recognized as the leading school for hospitality business. As the only Ivy League institution of its kind, the Nolan School pioneered hospitality education and has consistently set the standard for over a century. Its prestigious degree programs are designed to build expertise in hospitality administration, services management, and real estate finance. Students at the Nolan School become part of the "Hotelie" community, a network of people-focused leaders.

The Nolan School offers a range of hospitality business degrees and programs tailored for various career stages, from undergraduates to professionals and executives. The undergraduate program integrates top-tier business and hospitality education with engaging experiential learning, including opportunities to manage a real restaurant, The Establishment, and build industry connections at the student-run Hotel Ezra Cornell conference. Graduate programs, such as the Master of Management in Hospitality and the Executive Master of Management in Hospitality, combine business education with hospitality specialization to accelerate careers. Additionally, the school offers research-focused M.S. and Ph.D. programs, where students collaborate with faculty on practical challenges in hospitality management.

An Ivy League education from the Nolan School is designed to serve students' careers, offering rich traditions and new horizons. The curriculum is rooted in hospitality, real estate finance, and services leadership, preparing students to deliver the ethos of service across various industries. Students benefit from experiential learning opportunities like the Hotel Leadership Development Program and Hotel Ezra Cornell, as well as applied coursework, case competitions, and global study trips for graduate students. The school's campus features purposefully designed facilities, including a newly-renovated food lab and the Statler Hotel, a full-service on-campus luxury hotel that provides practical experience. Graduates of the Nolan School are part of a lifelong alumni community that supports current students through mentorship and hiring, contributing to a strong network that advances hospitality through research and a shared commitment to excellence.

Across all programs, graduates face a hospitality industry mid-way through an AI transition: roughly 36% of entry-level task time is automatable today, while 81% of a graduate's output can be amplified by current AI tools. We break this down per program below.

By the numbers

The data on this school

Application volume — trailing 7 years

Applications received per intake.

Global hospitality rank — trajectory

Lower is better. Movements year-over-year.

Graduate employment, 6mo

92%

Placed via school network

91%

Student–faculty ratio

1 : 17

International student share

64%

7 programs

Programs offered

ProgramLevelDurationTuitionAI exposure
Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration
hospitality management
bachelor48 mo$68,380
62%
Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH)
hospitality management
master12 mo$84,300
62%
Cornell-Peking Dual MMH/MBA
hospitality leadership
master20 mo$120,000
62%
Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate
real estate development
master12 mo$82,500
62%
Master of Science in Hotel Administration
hospitality management
master24 mo$30,000
62%
PhD in Hotel Administration
hospitality management
phd60 mo—
62%
Executive Master of Management in Hospitality
hospitality leadership
executive16 mo$89,500
62%

Programs by degree level

Distribution across credentials.

2026 outlook

AI impact — by program

Every hospitality discipline is being reshaped at a different speed. Below is the AI exposure profile for each program at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration, with the specific tasks being automated, the work being amplified, and the tools graduates should be fluent in before they leave.

Automation risk vs augmentation upside

Per program — automation is what AI removes, augmentation is what AI multiplies.

School-wide opportunity score

87/100

Projected salary premium: +19% by yr 5

Augmentation minus automation, normalised 0–100.

bachelor · hospitality management

Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration

Exposure

62%

Automation

38%

Augmentation

78%

Bachelor of Science in Hotel Administration at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 38% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 78% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +14% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

master · hospitality management

Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH)

Exposure

62%

Automation

34%

Augmentation

84%

Master of Management in Hospitality (MMH) at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 34% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 84% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +22% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

master · hospitality leadership

Cornell-Peking Dual MMH/MBA

Exposure

62%

Automation

34%

Augmentation

84%

Cornell-Peking Dual MMH/MBA at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 34% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 84% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +22% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

master · real estate development

Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate

Exposure

62%

Automation

34%

Augmentation

84%

Master of Professional Studies in Real Estate at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 34% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 84% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +22% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

master · hospitality management

Master of Science in Hotel Administration

Exposure

62%

Automation

34%

Augmentation

84%

Master of Science in Hotel Administration at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 34% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 84% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +22% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

phd · hospitality management

PhD in Hotel Administration

Exposure

62%

Automation

38%

Augmentation

78%

PhD in Hotel Administration at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 38% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 78% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +14% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

executive · hospitality leadership

Executive Master of Management in Hospitality

Exposure

62%

Automation

38%

Augmentation

78%

Executive Master of Management in Hospitality at Cornell University - Nolan School of Hotel Administration sits in the moderate-exposure band of the AI-impact curve. Roughly 38% of the entry-level task surface is now automatable, while 78% of a graduate's output can be amplified by AI tools. The net effect: graduates who treat AI as a co-pilot are projected to earn +14% more by year five than peers who don't. High augmentation, low replacement — managers who use AI will out-earn those who don't.

AI is taking over

  • —Shift scheduling & forecasting
  • —Guest feedback triage and sentiment scoring
  • —Routine SOP & training-doc drafting
  • —Inventory and par-level recalculations

AI amplifies

  • +Personalised guest journey design
  • +Dynamic upsell and bundling strategy
  • +Owner / asset reporting with AI narrative
  • +AI-led concierge oversight and escalation
ChatGPT EnterpriseCendyn / RevinateDuettoNotion AIGlean

Investment

Tuition vs. peer schools

United States hospitality schools — mid tuition

Mid-point of published tuition ranges, in USD.

Min tuition

$22,000

Max tuition

$55,000

Country mid

$40,517

Head-to-head

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