USA Career Guide- Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

Education Requirement of Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

A Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management, Public Relations or Marketing can help you prepare for a career as an event planner. During your college years- gain experience through an internship or by planning meetings for a university club. In addition, some colleges offer continuing education courses in meeting and event planning.

Pay of Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

The median annual wage of meeting, convention, and event planners was $45,260 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,090, and the top 10 percent earned more than $76,840.


  Median Annual Wages  of Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners Industry Wise( May 2010)
Business, professional, labor and political organizations    $49,730
Grantmaking and giving services       $49,330
Other support services, including trade show organizers       $45,560
Colleges, universities and professional schools       $44,360
Hotels and motels       $43,030

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition

Job Prospects of Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

The meeting, convention, and event planners have excellent job prospects. The demand for these professionals is expected to grow 44 percent from 2010 to 2020, much faster than the average for all occupations according to Bureau of Labor Statistics. As businesses and organizations become increasingly international, meetings and conventions are expected to become even more important.
There will be rapid employment growth as businesses and organizations become international; additionally many job openings are expected to arise from the need to replace workers who leave the occupation. Certified Meeting Planner (CMP) credential and people with a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management are expected to have the best job opportunities. Those who have experience with virtual meeting software and social media outlets also should have an advantage in the job search.

Job opportunities for corporate planners go up and down with the economy. When the economy is poor, companies often cut budgets for meetings. Planners who get laid off during a recession often go to work as private contractors until they can get a full-time job again.
Planners who work for the healthcare industry are least likely to experience cutbacks during a recession because attendance at medical meetings is often required for healthcare professionals to maintain their license.

Industrial Overview of Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

In 2010, meeting, convention, and event planners held about 71,600 jobs. Most worked for private companies, and about 9 percent were self-employed. Industries employing the largest numbers of meeting, convention, and event planners were as follows:
Business, professional, labor and political organizations    13%
Hotels and motels    10%
Other support services, including trade show organizers    9%
Colleges, universities and professional schools    6%
Grantmaking and giving services    3%

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition

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