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Meeting coordinator vs event manager

The differences between meeting coordinators and event managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a meeting coordinator and an event manager. Additionally, an event manager has an average salary of $51,117, which is higher than the $43,344 average annual salary of a meeting coordinator.

The top three skills for a meeting coordinator include event planning, meeting logistics and client facing. The most important skills for an event manager are customer service, event logistics, and event planning.

Meeting coordinator vs event manager overview

Meeting CoordinatorEvent Manager
Yearly salary$43,344$51,117
Hourly rate$20.84$24.58
Growth rate18%18%
Number of jobs19,6238,230
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age3838
Years of experience22

What does a meeting coordinator do?

A meeting coordinator is responsible for all aspects of meetings and events. Your duties will include finding and scheduling meetings and events venues, designing and planning the itineraries and menus for the meeting or event, and looking for vendors to provide services at meetings such as decorators. As a meeting coordinator, you will be responsible for inviting speakers, confirming their attendance, and preparing any equipment they need to present. You are also expected to inspect the venues and ensure that everything is organized and ready before the event.

What does an event manager do?

An event manager is an individual who is in charge of planning an organization's event and coordinating meetings with clients to determine details about the event. Event managers must look and compare different vendors such as food caterers, decorators, or musicians while working within the planned budget. They interview and hire personnel to assist them during the event and evaluate their performance after the event. Event managers must also distribute post-event surveys so that customers can provide feedback on the event.

Meeting coordinator vs event manager salary

Meeting coordinators and event managers have different pay scales, as shown below.

Meeting CoordinatorEvent Manager
Average salary$43,344$51,117
Salary rangeBetween $33,000 And $56,000Between $33,000 And $77,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NYNew York, NY
Highest paying stateNew YorkNew Jersey
Best paying companyShriners Hospitals for ChildrenVMware
Best paying industryPharmaceuticalTechnology

Differences between meeting coordinator and event manager education

There are a few differences between a meeting coordinator and an event manager in terms of educational background:

Meeting CoordinatorEvent Manager
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 74%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeSan Diego State UniversitySan Diego State University

Meeting coordinator vs event manager demographics

Here are the differences between meeting coordinators' and event managers' demographics:

Meeting CoordinatorEvent Manager
Average age3838
Gender ratioMale, 17.0% Female, 83.0%Male, 36.2% Female, 63.8%
Race ratioBlack 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, 10.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 6.0% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage16%16%

Differences between meeting coordinator and event manager duties and responsibilities

Meeting coordinator example responsibilities.

  • Manage CME lectures and approve the completion of each program.
  • Manage contract negotiations, RFP proposals, presentations, and escalations.
  • Confirm reservations, registrations and manage itineraries.
  • Prepare and send out speaker and VIP confirmation letters and confirmations for all regional cluster meetings.
  • Source and find hotel venues for meetings via phone sales and conventional planners according to their RFP (itinerary).
  • Ensure dynamic customer service forming relationships with clients from all lines of business assisting them with immediate last minute booking assistance.
  • Show more

Event manager example responsibilities.

  • Manage FOH staff during the lunch rush - correctly handle any customer complaints or issues.
  • Manage successful closing of NYC block to control traffic flow and allow celebrity red carpet entrances.
  • Coordinate and manage maintenance, bartending, catering, schedules, calendars, and supervise staff.
  • Create BEO's and lead weekly team meetings for support team laying out the direction and objective of upcoming events.
  • Manage delivery schedules, outside vendor orders, and budget requirements for the sales, operations, and culinary staff.
  • Manage all logistics and communications from beginning to end with clients, including sending invitations, monitoring RSVP, and hosting.
  • Show more

Meeting coordinator vs event manager skills

Common meeting coordinator skills
  • Event Planning, 19%
  • Meeting Logistics, 6%
  • Client Facing, 6%
  • Reservations, 6%
  • PowerPoint, 6%
  • Booking, 5%
Common event manager skills
  • Customer Service, 15%
  • Event Logistics, 10%
  • Event Planning, 9%
  • Audio Visual, 6%
  • Onsite, 5%
  • PowerPoint, 4%

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