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Catering & event manager salary
Average catering & event manager salary
$51,900
Average Catering & Event Manager Salary
The average salary for a Catering & Event Manager is $51,900 per year, translating to around $25 per hour. This statistic reflects the demand for skilled professionals in event planning and coordination.
Salary by State
Salaries vary across the United States, with factors such as location, experience, and the scale of events influencing pay. For instance, Catering & Event Managers in metropolitan areas often earn higher salaries due to increased demand and cost of living adjustments.
Highest Paying States
- California
- New York
- Texas
These states typically offer better compensation due to their vibrant event industries.
Salary Over Time
As experience grows, earnings can increase significantly, with seasoned professionals commanding salaries well above the average. Understanding these dynamics can help aspiring managers set realistic salary goals and career expectations.
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Where can a Catering & Event Manager earn more?
Average catering & event manager salary by state
The highest-paying states for catering & event managers are California, New Jersey, and New York. The lowest average catering & event manager salary states are Montana, Tennessee, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for catering & event managers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $64,691 | $31.10 |
| 2 | New York | $64,598 | $31.06 |
| 3 | Utah | $57,405 | $27.60 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $62,269 | $29.94 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $55,065 | $26.47 |
| 6 | California | $67,505 | $32.45 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $58,017 | $27.89 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $52,186 | $25.09 |
| 9 | Nevada | $60,479 | $29.08 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $56,749 | $27.28 |
| 11 | New Hampshire | $59,645 | $28.68 |
| 12 | Delaware | $55,781 | $26.82 |
| 13 | Virginia | $53,961 | $25.94 |
| 14 | Washington | $55,096 | $26.49 |
| 15 | Indiana | $53,010 | $25.49 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $53,222 | $25.59 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $49,902 | $23.99 |
| 18 | Maine | $56,074 | $26.96 |
| 19 | Alabama | $54,206 | $26.06 |
| 20 | Georgia | $49,372 | $23.74 |
| 21 | District of Columbia | $61,740 | $29.68 |
| 22 | Missouri | $49,360 | $23.73 |
| 23 | Illinois | $50,692 | $24.37 |
| 24 | Louisiana | $51,346 | $24.69 |
| 25 | Ohio | $47,917 | $23.04 |
| 26 | Iowa | $46,311 | $22.26 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $50,846 | $24.45 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $58,594 | $28.17 |
| 29 | Michigan | $47,656 | $22.91 |
| 30 | Idaho | $48,396 | $23.27 |
| 31 | Maryland | $48,892 | $23.51 |
| 32 | Vermont | $52,167 | $25.08 |
| 33 | Arkansas | $43,939 | $21.12 |
| 34 | Arizona | $46,230 | $22.23 |
| 35 | Texas | $42,462 | $20.41 |
| 36 | Alaska | $45,502 | $21.88 |
| 37 | Wyoming | $46,738 | $22.47 |
| 38 | Kentucky | $43,377 | $20.85 |
| 39 | Florida | $40,960 | $19.69 |
| 40 | Colorado | $45,389 | $21.82 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $46,177 | $22.20 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $45,708 | $21.98 |
| 43 | Montana | $41,847 | $20.12 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $43,645 | $20.98 |
| 45 | Minnesota | $40,109 | $19.28 |
| 46 | South Carolina | $43,844 | $21.08 |
| 47 | North Dakota | $42,451 | $20.41 |
| 48 | Oregon | $43,333 | $20.83 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $41,027 | $19.72 |
| 50 | Kansas | $40,682 | $19.56 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $40,498 | $19.47 |
Highest paying cities for catering & event managers
The highest-paying cities for catering & event managers are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Elizabeth, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $71,806 | $34.52 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $64,981 | $31.24 |
| 3 | Elizabeth, NJ | $64,794 | $31.15 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $57,057 | $27.43 |
| 5 | Medford, MA | $56,460 | $27.14 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,720 | $26.79 |
| 7 | Alexandria, VA | $54,975 | $26.43 |
| 8 | Milwaukee, WI | $53,433 | $25.69 |
| 9 | Chesterfield, MO | $49,423 | $23.76 |
| 10 | Baltimore, MD | $49,105 | $23.61 |
| 11 | Detroit, MI | $47,898 | $23.03 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $46,443 | $22.33 |
| 13 | Fort Worth, TX | $42,777 | $20.57 |
| 14 | Portland, OR | $42,562 | $20.46 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $41,511 | $19.96 |
| 16 | Minneapolis, MN | $40,104 | $19.28 |
Catering & event manager salary details
A catering & event manager's salary ranges from $33,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a catering & event manager's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $64,000 | $5,333 | $31 |
| Average | $51,900 | $4,325 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $41,000 | $3,417 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
Highest paying catering & event manager jobs
The highest paying types of catering & event managers are director of catering, manager, and banquet manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Catering | $65,732 | $5,478 | $31.60 | 54,263 |
| Event Coordinator | $41,918 | $3,493 | $20.15 | 26,277 |
| Food Manager | $37,654 | $3,138 | $18.10 | 276,643 |
| Manager | $58,651 | $4,888 | $28.20 | 1,236,194 |
| Hourly Manager | $36,449 | $3,037 | $17.52 | 257,505 |
| Catering Supervisor | $36,455 | $3,038 | $17.53 | 8,658 |
Top companies hiring catering & event managers now:
Which companies pay catering & event managers the most?
Catering & event manager salaries at Legend Holdings and Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average catering & event manager salary at companies like Legends Hospitality and J.F. Shea Co are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Legend Holdings | $60,885 | $29.27 |
| 2 | Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts | $60,147 | $28.92 |
| 3 | Legends Hospitality | $57,297 | $27.55 |
| 4 | J.F. Shea Co | $57,034 | $27.42 |
| 5 | Goodwin Recruiting | $56,655 | $27.24 |
| 6 | ManpowerGroup | $54,918 | $26.40 |
| 7 | Pyramid Hotel Group | $54,901 | $26.39 |
| 8 | Panera Bread | $54,698 | $26.30 |
| 9 | Marriott International | $54,069 | $25.99 |
| 10 | Nana Management Services, LLC | $53,678 | $25.81 |
| 11 | Hilton | $53,675 | $25.81 |
| 12 | PCH Hotels & Resorts | $53,308 | $25.63 |
| 13 | NANA | $53,294 | $25.62 |
| 14 | Omakase | $53,249 | $25.60 |
| 15 | REEF Technology | $53,249 | $25.60 |
| 16 | Smokin Joes | $53,006 | $25.48 |
| 17 | Remote | $52,985 | $25.47 |
| 18 | Seasoned | $52,866 | $25.42 |
| 19 | The News-Review | $52,418 | $25.20 |
| 20 | Concord Hospitality | $52,370 | $25.18 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Catering & event manager salary trends
The average catering & event manager salary has risen by $7,777 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average catering & event manager earned $44,123 annually, but today, they earn $51,900 a year. That works out to a 11% change in pay for catering & event managers over the last decade.
Compare catering & event manager salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average catering & event manager salary over time
Compare catering & event manager salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Catering & event manager salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,900 | $24.95 | +2.2% |
| 2024 | $50,700 | $24.39 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $49,700 | $23.92 | +4.1% |
| 2022 | $47,700 | $22.94 | +2.3% |
| 2021 | $46,600 | $22.41 | +4.2% |
Recently added catering & event manager salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Get It-Hospitality | Catering Event Sales Manager-Remote | WFH | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $85,000 |
| Hyatt Hotels Corp | Houseperson-Events (Banquet Set-Up) Seasonal | Cambridge, MD | 06/27/2025 | $33,914 |
| Legends Careers | Catering/Special Events Manager (Yankee Stadium) | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $70,000 |
| Legends | Catering/Special Events Manager (Yankee Stadium) | New York, NY | 06/26/2025 | $70,000 |
| Woodhill Country Club | Catering & Events Manager | Wayzata, MN | 06/21/2025 | $60,000 |
| Cactus Corn | Snackoneer!! (Concession Stand/Food Truck/Production Team) Large Venues and Events | Phoenix, AZ | 06/19/2025 | $20,870 |
| Hilton | Catering and Events Manager-Embassy Suites By Hilton Portland Downtown | Portland, OR | 06/17/2025 | $59,000 |
| J.F. Shea | Manager, Catering & Events | Indio, CA | 06/17/2025 | $70,000 |
| Mintahoe | Catering & Event Sales Manager | Minneapolis, MN | 06/13/2025 | $80,000 |
| Aramark Corp | Task Force Event Manager-Anaheim Convention Center-Catering | Anaheim, CA | 06/09/2025 | $52,175 |
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