How Much Do Meeting Planners Make?
Meeting planning as a profession is anything but a straight path. In fact, most planners report that they ‘fall into the business,’ rather than intentionally deciding they want to work in it.
It’s the same with salaries — there are few rules and many variables. Skift Meetings took a closer look at how much meeting planners make, by education, experience level, region, and type of organization.
Salary Stats
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ most recent median salary for meeting, convention and event planners (2023) is $52,560, with the top 10% earning $88,000 per year.
Other salary estimates vary widely, with Glassdoor showing a range between $67,000 and $118,000 per year, a median of $88,623, and an average of $75,365. Indeed lists the average salary at $64,272, with $46,272 on the low end and a high of $87,933.
Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA)’s 2024 Salary Survey pegged the average salary of North American meeting planners much higher, at $103,150 — a 6% increase from the previous year’s average of $97,130. The average salary for association meeting planner respondents was $101.864; corporate planners reported an average of $89.457. The survey also pointed out a gender pay gap, with female meeting planners earning an average of $84,000 compared to $100,000 for their male counterparts.
As with most positions, a scan of job postings on LinkedIn, Indeed, and Cvent Careers found that companies in major cities such as New York, and technology hubs such as San Francisco, advertised the highest salaries.
Does College Count?
Does a college degree lead to higher pay? Most sources, including MPI, say it depends.
Often, continuing education and certifications — the CMP (Certified Meeting Professional); CSEP (Certified Special Events Professional); DES (Digital Event Strategist); and CMM (Certificate in Meeting Management) among them — can add another 10% to 20% to a planner’s salary. However, a college degree is required to land a role at many Fortune 500 companies and major associations.
Salaries also vary widely depending on the type of organization. Corporations with in-house meeting planning departments tend to pay the most, from $60,000-$100,000, while associations pay from $50,000-80,000. Salaries at independent meeting planning companies, which plan events for corporate and association clients, start at around $55,000.
