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The differences between meetings managers 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 meetings manager and a special events coordinator. Additionally, a meetings manager has an average salary of $63,589, which is higher than the $40,063 average annual salary of a special events coordinator.
The top three skills for a meetings manager include client facing, cost savings and vendor contracts. The most important skills for a special events coordinator are customer service, event planning, and press releases.
| Meetings Manager | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Yearly salary | $63,589 | $40,063 |
| Hourly rate | $30.57 | $19.26 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 18% |
| Number of jobs | 1,821 | 34,538 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | Bachelor's Degree, 76% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Meetings managers are professionals who organize the details that involve planning large and small events, including meetings. These managers are required to conduct site selections so that they can make recommendations to the committees involved while handling vendor negotiations and preparing proposals. They must manage responsibilities related to invitation and attendee management processes such as meeting registration, air travel, ground transportation, and accommodation. Meetings managers must also schedule for all managers to meet with audio-visual staff so that they can test run all their presentations.
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.
Meetings managers and special events coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Meetings Manager | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Average salary | $63,589 | $40,063 |
| Salary range | Between $46,000 And $87,000 | 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 meetings manager and a special events coordinator in terms of educational background:
| Meetings Manager | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 76% | 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 meetings managers' and special events coordinators' demographics:
| Meetings Manager | Special Events Coordinator | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 18.9% Female, 81.1% | Male, 26.4% Female, 73.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.6% 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% |