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The average salary for an event planner in the United States is approximately $51,542 annually, which translates to about $25 per hour. This figure can vary significantly based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry within which an event planner operates.
Entry-level event planners typically earn less, while those with several years of experience, especially in specialized areas, can command higher salaries. For instance, mid-level planners may earn between $40,000 and $60,000, and senior planners or those with specialized skills can exceed $70,000 annually.
Event planners in states like California, New York, and Texas tend to earn higher salaries compared to their counterparts in other regions. Understanding these geographical disparities can help job seekers target their applications more effectively and maximize their salary potential.
As the demand for unique and engaging events increases, the need for skilled event planners continues to grow. This trend opens up various job opportunities across industries, from corporate events to weddings and large public gatherings. Those interested should consider gaining experience through internships or entry-level positions to enhance their prospects.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level event planner | $43,600 | $20.97 |
| Mid-level event planner | $53,200 | $25.56 |
| Senior-level event planner | $62,700 | $30.15 |
The highest-paying states for event planners are Connecticut, Maryland, and New York. The lowest average event planner salary states are Nebraska, Wyoming, and Utah.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $68,700 | $33.03 |
| 2 | New York | $67,844 | $32.62 |
| 3 | New Jersey | $67,723 | $32.56 |
| 4 | Maryland | $68,003 | $32.69 |
| 5 | Virginia | $63,443 | $30.50 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $65,129 | $31.31 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $54,350 | $26.13 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $57,595 | $27.69 |
| 9 | Washington | $56,299 | $27.07 |
| 10 | Ohio | $56,633 | $27.23 |
| 11 | California | $51,559 | $24.79 |
| 12 | Minnesota | $52,639 | $25.31 |
| 13 | Arizona | $46,987 | $22.59 |
| 14 | Michigan | $50,397 | $24.23 |
| 15 | New Hampshire | $44,946 | $21.61 |
| 16 | Oregon | $47,771 | $22.97 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $52,966 | $25.46 |
| 18 | Delaware | $47,657 | $22.91 |
| 19 | Maine | $52,530 | $25.25 |
| 20 | Vermont | $45,685 | $21.96 |
| 21 | Alabama | $46,019 | $22.12 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $44,869 | $21.57 |
| 23 | Nevada | $43,714 | $21.02 |
| 24 | Illinois | $45,448 | $21.85 |
| 25 | Kansas | $48,008 | $23.08 |
| 26 | Indiana | $45,687 | $21.96 |
| 27 | Mississippi | $42,262 | $20.32 |
| 28 | Wisconsin | $42,045 | $20.21 |
| 29 | Hawaii | $41,551 | $19.98 |
| 30 | Colorado | $41,355 | $19.88 |
| 31 | Georgia | $42,085 | $20.23 |
| 32 | South Carolina | $40,515 | $19.48 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $41,519 | $19.96 |
| 34 | Texas | $41,915 | $20.15 |
| 35 | Idaho | $42,836 | $20.59 |
| 36 | Florida | $41,170 | $19.79 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $39,556 | $19.02 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $40,361 | $19.40 |
| 39 | Alaska | $40,877 | $19.65 |
| 40 | Iowa | $38,245 | $18.39 |
| 41 | Rhode Island | $40,518 | $19.48 |
| 42 | Utah | $34,883 | $16.77 |
| 43 | South Dakota | $38,401 | $18.46 |
| 44 | Montana | $37,855 | $18.20 |
| 45 | Nebraska | $35,662 | $17.15 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $39,198 | $18.85 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $36,617 | $17.60 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $35,460 | $17.05 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $32,291 | $15.52 |
| 50 | New Mexico | $33,726 | $16.21 |
| 51 | Missouri | $31,730 | $15.25 |
The highest-paying cities for event planners are Stamford, CT, New York, NY, and Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stamford, CT | $71,569 | $34.41 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $68,832 | $33.09 |
| 3 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $66,965 | $32.19 |
| 4 | Arlington, VA | $66,047 | $31.75 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $65,194 | $31.34 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $59,395 | $28.56 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $57,201 | $27.50 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $56,840 | $27.33 |
| 9 | San Francisco, CA | $55,743 | $26.80 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $55,227 | $26.55 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $52,679 | $25.33 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $50,925 | $24.48 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $47,055 | $22.62 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $46,222 | $22.22 |
| 15 | Chicago, IL | $45,765 | $22.00 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $45,270 | $21.76 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $43,412 | $20.87 |
| 18 | El Paso, TX | $42,899 | $20.62 |
| 19 | Milwaukee, WI | $42,306 | $20.34 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $42,158 | $20.27 |
An event planner's salary ranges from $35,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $74,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,542 | $4,295 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 10th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
The highest paying types of event planners are planning committee member, director of events, and planner.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conference Coordinator | $41,978 | $3,498 | $20.18 | 19,660 |
| Site Coordinator | $38,256 | $3,188 | $18.39 | 29,397 |
| Director Of Events | $65,971 | $5,498 | $31.72 | 8,520 |
| Planning Committee Member | $81,213 | $6,768 | $39.04 | 15,066 |
| Special Events Coordinator | $40,063 | $3,339 | $19.26 | 34,538 |
| Marketing And Event Planning Internship | $28,412 | $2,368 | $13.66 | 131,730 |
Top companies hiring event planners now:
Event planner salaries at Intelliswift and Salk Institute for Biological Studies are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average event planner salary at companies like UBS and JPMorgan Chase & Co. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Intelliswift | $89,458 | $43.01 |
| 2 | Salk Institute for Biological Studies | $82,497 | $39.66 |
| 3 | UBS | $81,140 | $39.01 |
| 4 | JPMorgan Chase & Co. | $78,046 | $37.52 |
| 5 | Stanford Health Care | $71,010 | $34.14 |
| 6 | Sabre | $70,699 | $33.99 |
| 7 | Morgan Stanley | $69,526 | $33.43 |
| 8 | Marcus & Millichap | $68,840 | $33.10 |
| 9 | Deloitte | $67,313 | $32.36 |
| 10 | Prudential Bank | $66,869 | $32.15 |
| 11 | Stanford University | $66,860 | $32.14 |
| 12 | IEEE Foundation | $64,647 | $31.08 |
| 13 | Baptist Health Home Care | $63,510 | $30.53 |
| 14 | BCforward | $63,285 | $30.43 |
| 15 | Discover Vision | $63,252 | $30.41 |
| 16 | Experis US Inc | $62,123 | $29.87 |
| 17 | Regional Medical Center- Orangeburg | $61,741 | $29.68 |
| 18 | Cenergy International Services | $60,214 | $28.95 |
| 19 | Thomas Jefferson Foundation | $59,306 | $28.51 |
| 20 | Burton Snowboards | $59,108 | $28.42 |
The average event planner salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $53,126 | $25.54 |
| 2 | Health Care | $51,316 | $24.67 |
| 3 | Professional | $51,121 | $24.58 |
| 4 | Manufacturing | $49,527 | $23.81 |
| 5 | Media | $48,930 | $23.52 |
| 6 | Education | $47,958 | $23.06 |
| 7 | Non Profits | $47,663 | $22.91 |
| 8 | Retail | $45,614 | $21.93 |
| 9 | Hospitality | $43,504 | $20.92 |
The average event planner salary has risen by $5,538 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average event planner earned $46,004 annually, but today, they earn $51,542 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for event planners over the last decade.
Compare event planner salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare event planner salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $51,500 | $24.78 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $50,600 | $24.32 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $49,400 | $23.73 | +2.2% |
| 2022 | $48,300 | $23.21 | +1.9% |
| 2021 | $47,300 | $22.76 | +1.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marsh McLennan Agency-Michigan | Oliver Wyman-Events Planner | New York, NY | 06/30/2025 | $74,000 |
| Theconnect | Event Planner | New York, NY | 06/29/2025 | $46,000 |
| Wintrust Financial Corp | Event Planner | Rosemont, IL | 06/28/2025 | $59,000 |
| Islandwood | Event Planner | Bainbridge Island, WA | 06/28/2025 | $48,523 |
| Core Mark | Event Planner | Englewood, CO | 06/27/2025 | $65,000 |
| Performance Food Group | Event Planner | Englewood, CO | 06/27/2025 | $65,000 |
| National Governors Association | Event Planner | Washington, DC | 06/27/2025 | $80,000 |
| Robert Half | Event Planner Intermediate | Tempe, AZ | 06/26/2025 | $56,349 |
| Swmg | Event Planner | Fort Worth, TX | 06/26/2025 | $41,740 |
| Surface Experts Franchising | Events Planner | Spokane, WA | 06/26/2025 | $58,436 |
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