Meeting, convention, and event planners salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,830 | $17.71 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $61,160 | $29.41 |
| Mean (average) | $66,520 | $31.98 |
| 90th percentile | $101,700 | $48.90 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Meeting, convention, and event planners pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,180 | $36,150 | $82,940 | 980 | 0.51 |
| Alaska | $54,990 | $43,580 | $82,720 | 150 | 0.5 |
| Arizona | $61,330 | $38,820 | $92,730 | 3,440 | 1.16 |
| Arkansas | $53,040 | $31,190 | $102,170 | 550 | 0.46 |
| California | $71,120 | $44,850 | $121,310 | 20,650 | 1.23 |
| Colorado | $62,050 | $40,140 | $102,710 | 4,650 | 1.76 |
| Connecticut | $70,010 | $44,710 | $124,370 | 1,450 | 0.93 |
| Delaware | $49,020 | $34,330 | $79,870 | 400 | 0.91 |
| District of Columbia | $76,970 | $53,320 | $121,410 | 2,360 | 3.66 |
| Florida | $60,270 | $32,930 | $100,470 | 10,480 | 1.15 |
| Georgia | $49,250 | $30,100 | $84,530 | 5,050 | 1.12 |
| Hawaii | $74,460 | $39,760 | $98,560 | 550 | 0.96 |
| Illinois | $59,840 | $35,810 | $104,720 | 5,220 | 0.93 |
| Indiana | $50,090 | $34,860 | $82,920 | 2,140 | 0.73 |
| Iowa | $51,750 | $36,100 | $78,710 | 1,120 | 0.78 |
| Kansas | $54,840 | $25,870 | $86,090 | 920 | 0.69 |
| Kentucky | $49,280 | $31,310 | $80,110 | 1,110 | 0.6 |
| Louisiana | $61,150 | $35,460 | $99,910 | 610 | 0.35 |
| Maine | $57,900 | $45,760 | $80,410 | 490 | 0.84 |
| Maryland | $63,280 | $38,990 | $107,770 | 2,570 | 1.01 |
| Massachusetts | $75,740 | $48,960 | $133,980 | 4,640 | 1.39 |
| Michigan | $52,780 | $36,580 | $80,640 | 3,560 | 0.88 |
| Minnesota | $57,710 | $37,680 | $93,730 | 3,160 | 1.17 |
| Mississippi | $44,680 | $27,370 | $73,150 | 360 | 0.34 |
| Missouri | $56,900 | $31,190 | $83,500 | 2,500 | 0.93 |
| Montana | $49,000 | $35,210 | $75,150 | 350 | 0.75 |
| Nebraska | $52,630 | $43,520 | $76,660 | 610 | 0.65 |
| Nevada | $57,610 | $31,200 | $87,430 | 2,060 | 1.44 |
| New Hampshire | $63,250 | $47,650 | $97,780 | 510 | 0.81 |
| New Jersey | $72,780 | $46,790 | $121,090 | 2,160 | 0.55 |
| New Mexico | $50,820 | $35,550 | $74,970 | 350 | 0.44 |
| New York | $74,730 | $45,600 | $129,980 | 10,330 | 1.16 |
| North Carolina | $54,990 | $32,670 | $99,420 | 4,340 | 0.96 |
| North Dakota | $51,700 | $36,300 | $76,760 | 300 | 0.76 |
| Ohio | $49,900 | $29,910 | $81,640 | 4,750 | 0.93 |
| Oklahoma | $48,990 | $29,620 | $76,240 | 1,440 | 0.92 |
| Oregon | $61,120 | $42,770 | $84,680 | 2,020 | 1.12 |
| Pennsylvania | $58,170 | $37,730 | $90,380 | 3,940 | 0.71 |
| Puerto Rico | $28,400 | $21,840 | $57,000 | 830 | 0.96 |
| Rhode Island | $59,910 | $36,400 | $96,140 | 890 | 1.94 |
| South Carolina | $51,830 | $30,770 | $80,790 | 1,240 | 0.58 |
| South Dakota | $47,050 | $36,310 | $66,060 | 340 | 0.81 |
| Tennessee | $52,000 | $36,300 | $78,100 | 3,260 | 1.08 |
| Texas | $57,470 | $34,990 | $95,450 | 10,730 | 0.83 |
| Utah | $54,150 | $32,030 | $90,220 | 1,970 | 1.24 |
| Vermont | $74,310 | $50,270 | $89,690 | 430 | 1.55 |
| Virgin Islands | $61,580 | $37,700 | $62,220 | 60 | 1.94 |
| Virginia | $60,930 | $40,140 | $102,280 | 4,230 | 1.12 |
| Washington | $65,530 | $45,070 | $100,190 | 3,600 | 1.1 |
| West Virginia | $35,760 | $28,110 | $63,710 | 300 | 0.47 |
| Wisconsin | $53,940 | $35,660 | $88,530 | 2,690 | 1 |
| Wyoming | $55,550 | $42,410 | $84,860 | 120 | 0.48 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for meeting, convention, and event planners
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 16,800. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 10.1%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for meeting, convention, and event planners
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Facilities Planning and Management CIP 19.0604
- Meeting and Event Planning CIP 52.0907
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events, such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.
- Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
- Coordinate services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
- Arrange the availability of audio-visual equipment, transportation, displays, and other event needs.
- Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
- Inspect event facilities to ensure that they conform to customer requirements.
- Maintain records of event aspects, including financial details.
- Monitor event activities to ensure compliance with applicable regulations and laws, satisfaction of participants, and resolution of any problems that arise.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
- Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Marketo Marketing Automation (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Coordination, Service Orientation, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making.
Common job titles: Catering Director, Conference Planner, Conference Planning Manager, Conference Services Director, Conference Services Manager, Convention Services Director, Convention Services Manager (CSM), Event Coordinator, Events Manager, Special Events Coordinator.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do meeting, convention, and event planners make?
The national median annual wage for meeting, convention, and event planners was $61,160 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $36,830 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $101,700. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do meeting, convention, and event planners need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is meeting, convention, and event planners a growing career?
BLS projects employment of meeting, convention, and event planners to change +5.8% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 16,800 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay meeting, convention, and event planners the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($76,970), Massachusetts ($75,740), New York ($74,730). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.