A career-friendly plan is just a straightforward path. In fact, most planners report that they are “business” rather than intentionally deciding that they want to work in it.
The salary is the same – there are almost no rules and many variables. Skift Conferences carefully examine the meetings that planners do through education, experience levels, regions and organization types.
Salary statistics
The latest salary for the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ latest meetings, conferences and event planners (2023) is $52,560, and the top 10% earns $88,000 per year.
Other wage estimates vary widely, with glass doors ranging from $67,000 to $118,000 per year, with a median of $88,623 and an average of $75,365. Indeed, the average salary is $64,272, the lower end salary is $46,272 and the high is $87,933.
The 2024 salary survey by the Professional Conference Management Association (PCMA) fixed the average salary for conference planners in North America to be higher at $103,150, a 6% increase from the average of $97,130 last year. The average salary for association meeting planners is $101.864; the average salary for business planners is $89.457. The survey also points to the gender pay gap, with the average income of female meeting planners at $84,000, while male peers at $100,000.
Like most positions, LinkedIn did have scanned positions, and Cvent Careers found that companies in major New York cities and technology hubs like San Francisco paid the highest salaries.
College numbers?
Will a college degree lead to higher wages? Most sources, including MPI, say it depends.
Typically, Continuing Education and Certification – CMP (Certified Conference Professional); CSEP (Certified Special Event Professional); DES (Digital Event Strategist); which includes a Certificate of Conference Management) – can increase by another 10% to 20% in the planner’s salary. However, a college degree is required to play a role in many Fortune 500 companies and major associations.
Salary also depends on the type of organization. Companies with internal conference planning departments tend to pay the highest fees, ranging from $60,000 to $100,000, while the association pays $50,000-$80,000. The independent conference planning company that plans events for companies and association clients starts at about $55,000.
