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What is a conference manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a conference manager. For example, did you know that they make an average of $28.64 an hour? That's $59,570 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 18% and produce 22,900 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreConference ManagerUS Average
Salary
4.7

Avg. Salary $59,570

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
7.6

Growth rate 18%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.24%

Asian 6.07%

Black or African American 11.90%

Hispanic or Latino 15.67%

Unknown 4.74%

White 61.39%

Gender

female 71.07%

male 28.93%

Age - 36
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 36
Stress level
7.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.3

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.0

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Conference manager career paths

Key steps to become a conference manager

  1. Explore conference manager education requirements

    Most common conference manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    76.8 %

    Associate

    11.0 %

    Master's

    9.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific conference manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Conference Logistics13.19%
    Audio-Visual Equipment7.05%
    Conference Management6.40%
    Event Management5.15%
    Event Planning4.53%
  3. Complete relevant conference manager training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-2 years on post-employment, on-the-job training. New conference managers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a conference manager based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real conference manager resumes.
  4. Research conference manager duties and responsibilities

    • Manage a team five additional volunteers who are responsible for all aspects of VIP care during event.
    • Achieve quarterly financial goal by upselling products and services and by identifying additional opportunities base on the event profile.
    • Provide telephone coordination of all seminar attendees including reservations and accommodations.
    • Supervise RFP process with venues, vendors and speakers.
  5. Prepare your conference manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your conference manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a conference manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable conference manager resume templates

    Build a professional conference manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your conference manager resume.
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
    Conference Manager Resume
  6. Apply for conference manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a conference manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first conference manager job

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Average conference manager salary

The average conference manager salary in the United States is $59,570 per year or $29 per hour. Conference manager salaries range between $43,000 and $81,000 per year.

Average conference manager salary
$59,570 Yearly
$28.64 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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