Hiring Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

What do meeting, convention, and event planners do?

• 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.

Core tasks, O*NET OnLine, 13-1121.00.

What does it take to become one?

Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

O*NET Job Zone 4, SVP (7.0 to < 8.0). O*NET OnLine.

Employers commonly list experience with Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, Adobe Creative Cloud software for this role.

What do meeting, convention, and event planners get paid?

BLS OEWS, May 2025 publishes a wage for meeting, convention, and event planners in 91 of the metro areas we publish data for. The median ranges from $44,090 to $90,560 a year depending on the metro, with a midpoint of $57,190. This is what employers pay, place of work, not a single national figure and not what any one person takes home.

BLS OEWS, BLS OEWS, May 2025, SOC 13-1121.

What does hiring one cost?

The same as any role: tier, not location or salary, sets the fee. Across all six tiers the published range is $6,240 to $54,340 per search. For scale, the highest median any metro we publish data for pays meeting, convention, and event planners is $90,560 a year, place of work (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A contingency firm hiring at that level would bill roughly $18,112 to $27,168 on the first year salary alone, 20 to 30%.

Frequently asked

How fast can an event planner search fill?

Typically 23 to 35 days, and typically 2 to 3x faster than a contingency search, per our recruiting partner's published figures. Both are typical rather than guaranteed.

What if the hire does not work out?

A 45-day replacement guarantee, at 50% off a repeat search for the same role.