Director of events vs director of special events

The differences between directors of events and directors of special events can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a director of events, becoming a director of special events takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a director of events has an average salary of $65,971, which is higher than the $63,671 average annual salary of a director of special events.

The top three skills for a director of events include customer service, event management and customer satisfaction. The most important skills for a director of special events are event planning, alumni, and event management.

Director of events vs director of special events overview

	Director Of Events	Director Of Special Events
Yearly salary	$65,971	$63,671
Hourly rate	$31.72	$30.61
Growth rate	18%	8%
Number of jobs	8,520	23,252
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Average age	38	42
Years of experience	2	4

What does a director of events do?

An event director or director of the event is responsible for organizing a successful execution of an event. This job is demanding and involves a varied range of tasks and obligations, from planning and overseeing the cast and crew recruited, supervise training for effective execution of the event. They manage how to effectively deal with people from staff and crew to sponsors, and talents, especially in tight schedules and difficult circumstances. Moreover, the event director is the representative of the event when dealing with the benefactors of the event, media group for promotion coverage, and people outside the industry.

What does a director of special events do?

A director of special events spearheads and oversees the planning and execution of various events, ensuring everything runs smoothly and efficiently. They typically set goals and guidelines, manage schedules and timelines, outline plans and strategies, coordinate managers and different departments, and liaise with vendors and suppliers, building positive business relationships in the process. Moreover, as a director, it is essential to lead and encourage staff to reach goals while implementing and promoting the company's policies and regulations, including its vision and mission.

Director of events vs director of special events salary

Directors of events and directors of special events have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Director Of Events	Director Of Special Events
Average salary	$65,971	$63,671
Salary range	Between $38,000 And $112,000	Between $35,000 And $113,000
Highest paying City	Boston, MA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	California
Best paying company	CrowdStrike	NRDC
Best paying industry	Technology	Professional

Differences between director of events and director of special events education

There are a few differences between a director of events and a director of special events in terms of educational background:

	Director Of Events	Director Of Special Events
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 77%	Bachelor's Degree, 79%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	Stanford University

Director of events vs director of special events demographics

Here are the differences between directors of events' and directors of special events' demographics:

	Director Of Events	Director Of Special Events
Average age	38	42
Gender ratio	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%	Male, 25.1% Female, 74.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 75.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between director of events and director of special events duties and responsibilities

Director of events example responsibilities.

Manage a team of employees with responsibilities of 40,000 sq.
Create, update and manage donor databases, invitation and RSVP lists, and seating charts.
Conduct ROI analysis to ensure effective allocation of corporate funds and staffing resources to achieve business and sales objectives.
Manage weekly BEO meetings to discuss the upcoming events with other department heads to ensure the proper execution of all events.
Maximize revenue by upselling and managing clients' budgets effectively.
Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.

Director of special events example responsibilities.

Manage the communications/special events budget to ensure ROI in accordance with the communication plan.
Restructure the budget plan for the department, achieving significant cost reductions while increasing ROI.
Organize, execute and manage all VIP hospitality and auxiliary celebrity events.
Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.
Develop a BEO form to promote effective communication between front of house and back of house.
Collaborate with catering to create BEO s and assist clients with menu selection for meetings and events.

Director of events vs director of special events skills

Common director of events skills

Customer Service, 15%
Event Management, 8%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%
Event Planning, 7%
Audio Visual, 6%
Booking, 6%

Common director of special events skills

Event Planning, 13%
Alumni, 11%
Event Management, 7%
Event Logistics, 6%
Audio Visual, 4%
Press Releases, 3%

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Director Of Events
Director Of Events vs Director Of Special Events

Updated January 8, 2025

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