A variety of fresh ingredients, including salmon, vegetables, and rice, are arranged on a dark surface with a wok and cooking oil in the background.

In the foreground, culinary students in black uniforms prepare food on stainless steel workstations, while the background reveals a commercial kitchen with ovens, racks of cookware, and more students.

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Do you like people? The hospitality and tourism/marketing industry is a fast-paced, active setting that includes restaurants, retail environments, hotels, and others. Floyd County and the New River Valley have hundreds of businesses that employ people in these industries. It’s one of the top career fields in our area and is expected to grow by 11% in 2026. The average entry-level salary in hospitality management is $40,109, and there are typically many
opportunities for advancement in the field. Classes that prepare you for a career in this field include marketing, family and consumer sciences, and business management, along with a Culinary program.