Meeting, Convention & Event Planner
Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings.
What the job is
- The work
- Meeting, convention, and event planners arrange all aspects of events and professional gatherings.
BLS
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Work environment
- Meeting, convention, and event planners work in their offices and onsite at hotels or conference centers. They often travel to attend events and visit meeting sites. During meetings or conventions, planners may work many more hours than usual.
BLS
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Good fit for
- Organized communicators who like detail, travel and the rush of a live event.
- Career cluster
- Hospitality, Events, & Tourism
Key numbers
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, pay for May 2025 (meeting, convention, and event planners).
- Median pay
- $61,160 a year ($29.41 an hour)
BLS
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Jobs in 2025
- 172,100
- Typical entry
- Bachelor's degree
- Training after hire
- None
Job outlook, 2025–35
- Projected growth
- +6%, which BLS calls "faster than average"
BLS
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- Jobs added
- +10,000 over 2025–35
- All U.S. jobs
- 3.5% over the same period, for comparison
How to become one
- The usual route
- Meeting, convention, and event planners typically need a bachelor’s degree. Some experience related to event planning may be helpful.
BLS
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners — Summary (Quick Facts)U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OOH)- Checked
- 21 Oct 2026
- In short
- Meeting, convention and event planners typically need a bachelor's degree. Some colleges offer meeting and event management programs; business, communications and social science are also common. Work at hotels, convention centers or convention bureaus, or running university or volunteer events, helps.
- License
- Not required
- Paying for it
- File the FAFSA (opens by October 1) for grants, work-study and federal loans; a Pell Grant pays up to $7,395 a year (2026–27). Average public four-year tuition and fees: $11,950 in-state vs $31,880 out-of-state (2025–26). Residency rules and regional discounts · Save with 2+2 transfer
- Your state
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Step-by-step roadmap
The routes step by step, the exam gates and the state license step are on one page.
Event planner: bachelor's degree (meeting and event management, business, communications) plus event experience
See the roadmap
Route 1: Bachelor's + event experience
More careers in Hospitality, Events, & Tourism
Open the cluster hubEvery career page in this cluster, with entry, license, pay and outlook side by side.
Every number links to the BLS page it came from, checked 21 Oct 2026. Education Margdarshan does not recommend paid courses.