Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
The differences between event planning managers and events assistants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both an event planning manager and an events assistant. Additionally, an event planning manager has an average salary of $52,565, which is higher than the $28,633 average annual salary of an events assistant.
The top three skills for an event planning manager include event management, smooth execution and event sales. The most important skills for an events assistant are customer service, event materials, and event planning.
| Event Planning Manager | Events Assistant | |
| Yearly salary | $52,565 | $28,633 |
| Hourly rate | $25.27 | $13.77 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 18% |
| Number of jobs | 21,149 | 5,728 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Event planning managers have responsibilities such as planning, organizing, promoting, and social events. They also perform tasks like booking venues, coordinating with clients and suppliers, managing invoices and budgets, and handling logistics. Managers negotiate sales agreements for room rentals, function space, food and beverage services, and coordinate room reservations and amenities. They also handle billing and accounting and present post-event reports. Planners must maintain contracts, permits, event management plans, and databases and spreadsheets with timelines and action plans.
An events assistant is responsible for coordinating an event based on a client's guidelines under the supervision of a head event planner. Events assistants manage event logistics, including negotiating with suppliers and third-party vendors and events place rental. They also ensure that the plans stay within the budget goals, minimizing costs but not compromising the quality of the materials. An events assistant usually updates the client on behalf of the event planner, especially on the updates and adjustments as needed. To be an events assistant requires excellent communication and organizational skills.
Event planning managers and events assistants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Event Planning Manager | Events Assistant | |
| Average salary | $52,565 | $28,633 |
| Salary range | Between $36,000 And $74,000 | Between $21,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | New York, NY | Cambridge, MA |
| Highest paying state | Connecticut | Maine |
| Best paying company | McKinsey & Company Inc | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Non Profits |
There are a few differences between an event planning manager and an events assistant in terms of educational background:
| Event Planning Manager | Events Assistant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 78% | Bachelor's Degree, 73% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between event planning managers' and events assistants' demographics:
| Event Planning Manager | Events Assistant | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 22.5% Female, 77.5% | Male, 31.2% Female, 68.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.8% White, 61.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 10.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.3% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |