Event manager jobs

What it pays

BLS reports meeting, convention and event planners as a single occupation with a median of $59,440 a year; it publishes no separate figure for the event manager title. Manager postings generally sit around that median, above coordinator roles and below director roles, but the spread by industry and city is wide. The listings below show salaries published by employers.

• $59,440 per year

  median annual pay for meeting, convention and event planners (2024)

  Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook(opens in a new tab). Checked July 2026.

What employers typically ask for

• Two to five years running events, or a coordinator track record with proof you have owned deliverables
• A bachelor’s degree is commonly listed; a professional certificate plus experience is frequently accepted instead
• Demonstrable budget ownership. You have built one, defended it and reported against it
• Supplier and venue contract negotiation
• Experience briefing and running an on-site team
• A recognized event management certification, which appears as preferred on the majority of postings

Where the job leads

1. 1

   Event coordinator

   Executing to a plan. Two to three years here is the usual runway into a manager title.

2. 2

   Event manager

   Full ownership of individual events, including the budget and the client or internal stakeholder.

3. 3

   Senior event manager

   The larger and more complex events, plus responsibility for coordinators and junior managers.

4. 4

   Head of events or event director

   A portfolio, a team and a commercial target rather than a set of individual events.