# Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners

> Coordinate activities of staff, convention personnel, or clients to make arrangements for group meetings, events, or conventions.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/meeting-convention-and-event-planners
- SOC code: 13-1121.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $61,160 (10th percentile $36,830, 90th percentile $101,700)
- Projected growth: Faster than average, +5.8%
- Openings a year: 16,800
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code ECS)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 0 |
| Investigative (I) | 9 |
| Artistic (A) | 25 |
| Social (S) | 59 |
| Enterprising (E) | 100 |
| Conventional (C) | 66 |

## What you'd do

- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 91/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 89/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 88/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 87/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 86/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 84/100)
- Scheduling Work and Activities (importance 84/100)
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People (importance 80/100)
- Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others (importance 80/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 78/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Speaking, Coordination, Critical Thinking, Service Orientation, Social Perceptiveness, Time Management, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making

## Knowledge

Customer and Personal Service, English Language, Communications and Media, Administrative, Administration and Management, Computers and Electronics, Public Safety and Security, Law and Government, Sales and Marketing, Transportation

## Also called

Catering and Convention Services Manager, Catering Coordinator, Catering Director, Certified Meeting Professional, Conference Manager, Conference Organizer, Conference Planner, Conference Planning Manager, Conference Producer, Conference Reservationist

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Hospitality Administration/Management](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5209) (CIP 5209, 641 colleges)
- Housing and Human Environments (CIP 1906, 38 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Cornell University-New York](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cornell-university-new-york-710) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $92,126 | $112,289 | $10,883 |
| [New York University NYU](https://www.collegesref.com/college/new-york-university-nyu-1866) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $73,456 | $84,375 | not reported |
| [CUNY New York City College of Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/college/cuny-new-york-city-college-of-technology-745) | Housing and Human Environments | not reported | $82,824 | not reported |
| [Boston University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-university-286) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $59,073 | $82,302 | $19,500 |
| [University of Denver](https://www.collegesref.com/college/university-of-denver-2906) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $54,472 | $75,118 | $19,204 |
| [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/virginia-polytechnic-institute-and-state-university-3134) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $59,633 | $72,817 | $22,000 |
| [DePaul University-Illinois](https://www.collegesref.com/college/depaul-university-illinois-795) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $51,160 | $71,556 | not reported |
| [Fairleigh Dickinson University-Metropolitan Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/fairleigh-dickinson-university-metropolitan-campus-936) | Hospitality Administration/Management | $47,506 | $71,188 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Fundraisers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fundraisers): $72,550 median pay
- [Public Relations Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/public-relations-specialists): $74,750 median pay
- [Executive Secretaries and Executive Administrative Assistants](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/executive-secretaries-and-executive-administrative-assistants): $76,590 median pay
- [First-Line Supervisors of Entertainment and Recreation Workers, Except Gambling Services](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/first-line-supervisors-of-entertainment-and-recreation-workers-except-gambling-services): $48,560 median pay
- [Project Management Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/project-management-specialists): $102,320 median pay
- [Social and Community Service Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/social-and-community-service-managers): $80,390 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.