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The differences between conference coordinators and meeting planners can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a conference coordinator and a meeting planner. Additionally, a meeting planner has an average salary of $56,257, which is higher than the $41,978 average annual salary of a conference coordinator.
The top three skills for a conference coordinator include conference calls, reservations and event planning. The most important skills for a meeting planner are client facing, event planning, and powerpoint.
| Conference Coordinator | Meeting Planner | |
| Yearly salary | $41,978 | $56,257 |
| Hourly rate | $20.18 | $27.05 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 18% |
| Number of jobs | 19,660 | 17,112 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A conference coordinator organizes professional gatherings and meetings according to a client's needs and preferences. There are also instances where they may plan reunions, parties, and other events. Their responsibilities begin at meeting the clients to identify their needs and preferences, including the event's purpose or themes. From there, a conference coordinator develops plans, secures venues and speakers, books caterers and other equipment, prepares and processes requests, and maintains records of all transactions, presenting invoices to the clients. Moreover, a conference coordinator must be proactive and resolve any conflicts or issues should any arise.
A meeting planner makes professional decisions in all areas of meeting preparation and presentation. They plan meetings, establish meeting objectives, schedule meetings, budget expenses, inspect meeting sites, negotiate with suppliers, and create a speaker lineup. They also need to deal with travel arrangements and with technical equipment used in the course of the meeting.
Conference coordinators and meeting planners have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Conference Coordinator | Meeting Planner | |
| Average salary | $41,978 | $56,257 |
| Salary range | Between $32,000 And $54,000 | Between $40,000 And $77,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Newark, NJ |
| Highest paying state | New York | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Battelle | AbbVie |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a conference coordinator and a meeting planner in terms of educational background:
| Conference Coordinator | Meeting Planner | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 72% | Bachelor's Degree, 78% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between conference coordinators' and meeting planners' demographics:
| Conference Coordinator | Meeting Planner | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5% | Male, 12.4% Female, 87.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |