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The differences between lead event specialists and special events coordinators can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a lead event specialist and a special events coordinator. Additionally, a special events coordinator has an average salary of $40,063, which is higher than the $34,064 average annual salary of a lead event specialist.
The top three skills for a lead event specialist include customer service, food safety guidelines and facebook. The most important skills for a special events coordinator are customer service, event planning, and press releases.
| Lead Event Specialist | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $34,064 | $40,063 |
| Hourly rate | $16.38 | $19.26 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 18% |
| Number of jobs | 13,919 | 34,538 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A Lead event specialist is responsible for providing clients a proposal or a plan to make an event successful. Most of the time, they are the person who continually interacts with their clients to determine what they need, from the planning stage down to the implementation phase. Meaning this will also be how they can promote their brand or business and generate an income from it. Additionally, they are the ones who organize a promotional event and interacts with potential clients.
A special events coordinator is in charge of organizing and devising plans for an event, even monitoring all progress to ensure everything is running smoothly. They are typically responsible for consulting with clients and understanding the event's purpose, offering a selection of venues and caterers, providing cost estimates, and booking various services such as speakers, equipment, location, photographers, videographers, and other essential factors. Moreover, a special events coordinator manages all processes involved in setting up and down an event, all while maintaining client satisfaction.
Lead event specialists and special events coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lead Event Specialist | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $34,064 | $40,063 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $48,000 | Between $26,000 And $60,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | - | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | - | Smithsonian Institution |
| Best paying industry | - | Education |
There are a few differences between a lead event specialist and a special events coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Lead Event Specialist | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 58% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | San Diego State University | San Diego State University |
Here are the differences between lead event specialists' and special events coordinators' demographics:
| Lead Event Specialist | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 37.7% Female, 62.3% | Male, 26.4% Female, 73.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.5% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.4% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |