Meetings & events manager vs conference coordinator

The differences between meetings & events managers and conference 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 meetings & events manager and a conference coordinator. Additionally, a meetings & events manager has an average salary of $46,029, which is higher than the $41,978 average annual salary of a conference coordinator.

The top three skills for a meetings & events manager include event management, event planning and site inspections. The most important skills for a conference coordinator are conference calls, reservations, and event planning.

Meetings & events manager vs conference coordinator overview

	Meetings & Events Manager	Conference Coordinator
Yearly salary	$46,029	$41,978
Hourly rate	$22.13	$20.18
Growth rate	18%	18%
Number of jobs	4,660	19,660
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 82%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

What does a meetings & events manager do?

Meeting and Events Managers are responsible for overseeing virtual or live events and meetings for a company or private individuals. Their duties include implementing event strategies, assist in event venue research, create vendor networks, and conduct contract negotiations for event support services. They are also involved in handling pre-event activities, facilitating post-event reviews, monitoring event budgets, preparing management reports, setting project milestones, and tracking event team performance. Meetings and events managers also work closely with clients to identify individual needs and assist in staff development programs.

What does a conference coordinator do?

A conference coordinator organizes professional gatherings and meetings according to a client's needs and preferences. There are also instances where they may plan reunions, parties, and other events. Their responsibilities begin at meeting the clients to identify their needs and preferences, including the event's purpose or themes. From there, a conference coordinator develops plans, secures venues and speakers, books caterers and other equipment, prepares and processes requests, and maintains records of all transactions, presenting invoices to the clients. Moreover, a conference coordinator must be proactive and resolve any conflicts or issues should any arise.

Meetings & events manager vs conference coordinator salary

Meetings & events managers and conference coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Meetings & Events Manager	Conference Coordinator
Average salary	$46,029	$41,978
Salary range	Between $34,000 And $62,000	Between $32,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	Half Moon Bay, CA	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Connecticut	New York
Best paying company	AstraZeneca	Battelle
Best paying industry	Hospitality	Telecommunication

Differences between meetings & events manager and conference coordinator education

There are a few differences between a meetings & events manager and a conference coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Meetings & Events Manager	Conference Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 82%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	San Diego State University

Meetings & events manager vs conference coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between meetings & events managers' and conference coordinators' demographics:

	Meetings & Events Manager	Conference Coordinator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 14.6% Female, 85.4%	Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.1% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 6.1% White, 61.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between meetings & events manager and conference coordinator duties and responsibilities

Meetings & events manager example responsibilities.

Manage and mentor team of alliances coordinators and business development representatives.
Submit RFP's to convention and visitors bureaus and hotel partners to secure travel industry funding for all events.
Solicit vendor RFP's and effectively negotiate optimal client savings.
Develop several best practices to include interactive event microsites, event twitter campaigns and in-booth think leadership presentations.
Prepare meeting details for SMERF, corporate, and government markets such as set-up, menus and audio-visual needs.
Coordinate all aspects of educational meetings for medical specialty associations, including requirements for approval of CME accreditation.

Conference coordinator example responsibilities.

Manage internal & external reservations for audio and videoconferencing requirements over telephone and via e-mail.
Attend daily and weekly BEO meetings.
Process documentation of hotel BEO s and final invoices while disputing where necessary.
Help Medicaid eligible members to secure both physical and behavioral services in the community by reviewing and preparing prior authorization requests.
Track lead referrals and ROI.
Track budget costs and ROI relate to each event.

Meetings & events manager vs conference coordinator skills

Common meetings & events manager skills

Event Management, 15%
Event Planning, 15%
Site Inspections, 7%
Client Satisfaction, 6%
Cost Savings, 5%
Event Logistics, 5%

Common conference coordinator skills

Conference Calls, 15%
Reservations, 13%
Event Planning, 6%
Audio Visual Equipment, 5%
Conference Planning, 4%
Event Management, 4%

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Meetings & Events Manager
Meetings & Events Manager vs Conference Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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