Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners Salary: How Much Do They Make? (2026)

Median pay, hourly rates, salary ranges, and best-paying states for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners — from official U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Official BLS wage data · Unknown vintage
Median Salary
$61,160
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$29.40
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$101,700
entry level starts ~$36,830
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 143,000 employed

How much do Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners make?

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners earn a median annual salary of $61,160 in the United States, which works out to roughly $29.40 per hour for full-time work. Most earn between $36,830 at the entry level and $101,700 at the senior end, with the middle 50% taking home between $46,970 and $78,790 a year.

That is $230 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners salary range by percentile

Half of all Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners earn between $46,970 and $78,790 a year.

Pay levelAnnual salaryHourly rate
10th percentile (entry level)$36,830$17.71
25th percentile (early career)$46,970$22.58
50th percentile (median)$61,160$29.40
75th percentile (experienced)$78,790$37.88
90th percentile (top earners)$101,700$48.89

Highest-paying states for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners pay at $76,970 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($75,740) and New York ($74,730). At the other end, West Virginia posts the lowest median at $35,760 — a gap of $41,210 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.

#StateMedian salaryHourlyvs national
1District of Columbia$76,970$37.00+26%
2Massachusetts$75,740$36.41+24%
3New York$74,730$35.93+22%
4Hawaii$74,460$35.80+22%
5Vermont$74,310$35.73+22%

Workforce and education

About 143,000 people work as Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $66,520 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.

Frequently asked questions

How much do Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners make in the United States?
The median Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners salary in the United States is $61,160 per year, or about $29.40 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $36,830, while the top 10% of earners make $101,700 or more.
How does Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners median of $61,160 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners, with a median salary of $76,970 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
What education do Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners need?
For most positions, a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, according to O*NET occupation data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
How many Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners work in the United States?
About 143,000 people were employed as Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.