Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Also called: Catering and Convention Services Manager, Catering Coordinator, Catering Director, Certified Meeting Professional, Conference Manager, Conference Organizer, Conference Planner, Conference Planning Manager
Coordinate activities of staff, convention personnel, or clients to make arrangements for group meetings, events, or conventions.
What meeting, convention, and event planners do
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.
- Negotiate contracts with such service providers and suppliers as hotels, convention centers, and speakers.
- Evaluate and select providers of services according to customer requirements.
- Plan and develop programs, agendas, budgets, and services according to customer requirements.
- Hire, train, and supervise volunteers and support staff required for events.
Typical path into the job (BLS)
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners salary
The median annual wage for meeting, convention, and event planners is $61,160 (BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025–35, national). The lowest 10 percent earn less than $36,830 and the highest 10 percent earn more than $101,700. The mean annual wage is $66,520.
The mean hourly wage of $31.00 is 4.3× the federal minimum wage of $7.25. State minimums are higher in most large states. Minimum wage by state →
How does your pay compare with people your age?
Your numbers are not sent or stored. The comparison uses this occupation's BLS wage percentiles, adjusted for age with BLS median weekly earnings by age group (Q3 2026).
Pay by percentile
Annual wage percentiles from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Percentiles are a good proxy for pay by experience.
Projected pay for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners (3, 5 and 10 years)est.
Today $61,160 → in 3 years $67,100 → in 5 years $71,300 → in 10 years $83,200 (10-year range $71,600–$96,600). The model assumes pay growth of +3.1% per year.
What drives the annual growth rate
Projected pay = current pay × (1 + annual growth)^years. The annual growth rate starts from a base wage-growth rate and adds or subtracts labor demand (BLS projected employment growth), wage momentum and AI replacement risk for each occupation. Projections are not guarantees. How it is calculated →
Outlook score for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Each component is a percentile rank among all occupations in the same country (0–100). Weights: labor demand 25, wage momentum / openings 15, pay level 15, AI resistance 25, aging workforce 10 (Japan only), entry barrier 10.
Will AI replace Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners? AI replacement risk
How AI is changing this job
A written analysis for this occupation is being prepared.
AI replacement risk compares the parts of a job that are easy to hand to AI or software (processing information, documentation, repetitive computer work) with the parts that are hard to automate (physical work, working closely with people, judgment in unpredictable settings), using O*NET work activities, work context, skills and knowledge. The result is a relative position among all occupations in the country, scaled to 0–100%. Methodology →
Labor demand for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Employment projections are from the BLS Employment Projections program (2025–35). Annual openings include both new jobs and replacement of workers who leave the occupation.
The same job in Japan
| Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners United States | プロスポーツ運営団体職員（企画・運営） Japan | ブライダルコーディネーター Japan | イベントの企画・運営 Japan | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median / average pay | $61,160 | ¥7.37M ≈ $46,856 | ¥4.03M ≈ $25,607 | ¥7.37M ≈ $46,856 |
| Pay in 10 years (est.) | $83,200 | ¥9.29M | ¥5.22M | ¥8.66M |
| Outlook score | 66 | 57 | 47 | 47 |
| AI replacement risk | 45% Moderate | 10% Very low | 55% Moderate | 64% High |
| Workers | 143K | — | — | — |
Matched by occupation (SOC code). Yen converted at 157.25 JPY/USD for reference; Japanese figures are averages, U.S. figures are medians, and the surveys define occupations differently.
Skills, education and requirements for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Key skills
O*NET skill level ratings (0–7).
Key knowledge areas
What the work involves
Important abilities
Education of workers
Training before entry
Related work experience
Job Zone 4 — considerable preparation needed (O*NET)
Difficulty of entry: ★★★☆☆ Moderate (from education, training, experience and Job Zone)
How to become meeting, convention, and event planners
A step-by-step guide for this occupation is being prepared. The education, training and experience data above show the typical path.
Career path and how to earn more as meeting, convention, and event planners
Career-path guidance is being prepared. Pay by percentile is shown in the Pay section.