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The differences between conference services managers and managers of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a conference services manager and a manager of special events. Additionally, a manager of special events has an average salary of $56,716, which is higher than the $50,711 average annual salary of a conference services manager.
The top three skills for a conference services manager include reservations, conference services and booking. The most important skills for a manager of special events are customer service, event planning, and event management.
| Conference Services Manager | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Yearly salary | $50,711 | $56,716 |
| Hourly rate | $24.38 | $27.27 |
| Growth rate | 10% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 121,578 | 15,818 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A Conference Services Manager organizes and oversees conferences from planning to execution, ensuring efficiency and smooth operations. They meet with clients and representatives to learn about their event needs and budgets. From there, a Conference Services Manager develops plans and guidelines with staff, books caterers and venues according to the clients' preferences, arrange programs, and coordinates other services. They lead and encourage staff to reach goals, maintaining an active communication line to promptly and efficiently resolve any issues.
A manager of special events is responsible for organizing events and programs for a company and various organizations. Managers of special events monitor the event procedures from conceptualization to the actual execution. They analyze the event purpose, manage participants' list, coordinate with suppliers for resources, allocate budget accurately, and ensure that the program outlines and agendas are polished on time. A manager of special events must have excellent communication and organizational skills to deliver a successful event and resolve complications as they arise.
Conference services managers and managers of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Conference Services Manager | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average salary | $50,711 | $56,716 |
| Salary range | Between $38,000 And $67,000 | Between $31,000 And $101,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Apple | ESPN |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between a conference services manager and a manager of special events in terms of educational background:
| Conference Services Manager | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 75% | Bachelor's Degree, 79% |
| Most common major | Hospitality Management | Business |
| Most common college | Cornell University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between conference services managers' and managers of special events' demographics:
| Conference Services Manager | Manager Of Special Events | |
| Average age | 39 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 27.8% Female, 72.2% | Male, 29.7% Female, 70.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.6% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 17.8% Asian, 8.9% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 10% | 16% |