I Want to be an Event Planner – How Much Does the Job Pay?

There are a number of reasons to follow your dream and become an event planner. Event planners are always meeting new people. The job is never boring – quite the opposite. To be a good event planner you have to be able to multi-task and remain calm even if everybody around you is losing it. Variety, excitement and rave reviews from clients are just some of the reasons why so many people are launching their careers in event planning.

BUT…what about the money? How much can a person just starting out as an event planner hope to make? It depends. (How’s THAT for a nice, ambiguous answer?).

According to salary.com the 2011 median salary for a meeting and event planner in the United States is just over $55,000 per year. The salaries range from a low of $40,200 and a high of just under $73,000.

Event Planner Salary – Factors to Consider

You may be interested in becoming an independent event planner or your preference might be to work for a larger, meetings and event planning company. An independent event planner won’t get paid until he/she has covered all the costs of the event. Entrepreneurs understand that they’re the low person on the totem pole when it comes to getting that paycheque. Obviously the annual salary of an independent event planner will vary based upon the skill level and business acumen of that person.

If your preference is to work within a larger meeting and event planning organization there will be other factors impacting your salary. These include the city in which your company is doing business, the type of clients you’re working with, the size of the event planning company and the number and caliber of events your company executes each year.

Event Planner Clients – That Little Bit “Extra”

Happy clients can mean a gratuity at the end of the event. This is not to be expected however it is not unheard of for the event planner to receive an additional “thank you” in the form of a gratuity. This practice is encouraged by some meeting and event planning companies and discouraged by others.

Event Planner Jobs – Do your Research

Compensation varies from city to city, region to region and between different industry segments – corporate, association and social. There are several on-line resources that you can turn to including salary.com, ehow.com, industry recruiting sites, etc.