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Special events coordinator salary

Average special events coordinator salary

$40,063

$19.26 hourly rate

Entry-level special events coordinator salary
$26,000 yearly salary
Updated December 15, 2025

Special Events Coordinator Salary Insights

The average annual salary for a Special Events Coordinator is $40,063, translating to about $19 per hour. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the type of industry. For instance, coordinators working in metropolitan areas often earn more due to the higher demand for skilled professionals.

In terms of experience, entry-level positions typically start lower, but with additional years in the field, salaries increase. For example, coordinators with five or more years of experience can expect to earn significantly more. Understanding these salary dynamics enables aspiring coordinators to set realistic expectations as they navigate their career paths.

Additionally, the highest-paying states for this role include California, New York, and Texas, where the cost of living and event demands are higher. For those looking to maximize their earnings, seeking opportunities in these regions can be beneficial. Overall, staying informed about salary trends and market demands is crucial for anyone in the role of a Special Events Coordinator.

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Where can a Special Events Coordinator earn more?

Compare salary by location
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Columbus, OH$54,591
Davenport, IA$32,035
Compare salary by company
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Smithsonian Institution$67,662
Anheuser-Busch$44,757

Special events coordinator salaries by experience level

Experience levelAvg. salaryHourly rate
Entry-level special events coordinator$33,900$16.30
Mid-level special events coordinator$41,300$19.87
Senior-level special events coordinator$48,700$23.44

Special events coordinator salary estimates from across the web

Based on the latest salary information compiled by Zippia, Glassdoor, SalaryExpert and Comparably, the average salary for a special events coordinator typically falls between $40,063 and $69,051.
zippia
$40,063yearly
glassdoor[1]
$58,838yearly
comparably[2]
$53,913yearly
SalaryExpert[3]
$69,051yearly

Average special events coordinator salary by state

The average special events coordinator salary in New Jersey, New York, and Maine are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average special events coordinator salary states are South Carolina, Wyoming, and Nebraska.

  • State view
  • County view
Average salary:

Highest paying states for special events coordinators

RankStateAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New Jersey$58,638$28.19
2New York$54,250$26.08
3Kansas$40,740$19.59
4Pennsylvania$43,738$21.03
5Alabama$39,987$19.22
6Oklahoma$38,490$18.50
7Vermont$40,819$19.62
8District of Columbia$49,823$23.95
9Maine$47,295$22.74
10Connecticut$42,953$20.65
11California$47,135$22.66
12Wisconsin$38,260$18.39
13Washington$42,405$20.39
14Maryland$44,032$21.17
15Texas$42,048$20.22
16Nevada$38,786$18.65
17West Virginia$39,618$19.05
18Virginia$42,382$20.38
19Mississippi$37,200$17.88
20Michigan$35,848$17.23
21Oregon$38,365$18.44
22Missouri$36,229$17.42
23North Dakota$33,984$16.34
24Utah$36,549$17.57
25Ohio$34,547$16.61
26Arizona$36,168$17.39
27Colorado$38,479$18.50
28Delaware$35,681$17.15
29Massachusetts$39,058$18.78
30Florida$38,337$18.43
31Indiana$35,540$17.09
32Georgia$37,465$18.01
33Minnesota$36,629$17.61
34South Dakota$32,144$15.45
35New Hampshire$34,619$16.64
36Tennessee$33,810$16.25
37Rhode Island$34,601$16.64
38Hawaii$36,230$17.42
39North Carolina$34,943$16.80
40Idaho$31,175$14.99
41Illinois$34,396$16.54
42Louisiana$35,083$16.87
43Montana$32,179$15.47
44New Mexico$29,317$14.09
45Nebraska$30,195$14.52
46Kentucky$29,793$14.32
47Wyoming$30,224$14.53
48Arkansas$27,604$13.27
49Alaska$31,200$15.00
50Iowa$31,879$15.33
51South Carolina$30,822$14.82

Highest paying cities for special events coordinators

The highest-paying cities for special events coordinators are New York, NY, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.

RankCityAvg. salaryHourly rate
1New York, NY$54,591$26.25
2San Francisco, CA$49,862$23.97
3Washington, DC$49,839$23.96
4Baltimore, MD$44,409$21.35
5Philadelphia, PA$44,268$21.28
6Tacoma, WA$42,892$20.62
7San Antonio, TX$42,706$20.53
8Chesapeake, VA$41,932$20.16
9Las Vegas, NV$38,601$18.56
10Oklahoma City, OK$38,552$18.53
11Orlando, FL$38,464$18.49
12Aurora, CO$38,421$18.47
13Portland, OR$38,143$18.34
14Provo, UT$36,508$17.55
15Akron, OH$36,140$17.38
16Detroit, MI$36,080$17.35
17Chicago, IL$34,489$16.58
18Davenport, IA$32,035$15.40

Special events coordinator salary details

A special events coordinator's salary ranges from $26,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $60,000 at the 90th percentile.

Average special events coordinator salary graph
Average special events coordinator salary graph, trends, and summary

What is a special events coordinator's salary?

PercentileAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rate
90th Percentile$60,000$5,000$29
75th Percentile$49,000$4,083$24
Average$40,063$3,339$19
25th Percentile$32,000$2,667$15
10th Percentile$26,000$2,167$13

Highest paying special events coordinator jobs

The highest paying types of special events coordinators are business development coordinator, manager of special events, and meeting planner.

Job titleAnnual salaryMonthly salaryHourly rateJob openings
Event Internship$29,693$2,474$14.2852,914
Meeting Planner$56,257$4,688$27.0517,112
Event Planner$51,542$4,295$24.7819,793
Marketing And Event Planning Internship$28,412$2,368$13.66131,730
Event Manager$51,117$4,260$24.588,230
Manager Of Special Events$56,716$4,726$27.2715,818

Which companies pay special events coordinators the most?

Special events coordinator salaries at Smithsonian Institution and American Ballet Theatre are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average special events coordinator salary at companies like UCSF Health and The Culinary Institute of America are highly competitive.

RankCompanyAverage salaryHourly rate
1Smithsonian Institution$67,662$32.53
2American Ballet Theatre$64,150$30.84
3UCSF Health$61,982$29.80
4The Culinary Institute of America$61,718$29.67
5AEG$60,522$29.10
6SUNY Empire State College$58,591$28.17
7Sotheby's$58,265$28.01
8Loyola Marymount University$57,864$27.82
9Georgetown University$57,035$27.42
10Buffalo Bill Center of the West$56,495$27.16
11Ilitch Holdings$53,988$25.96
12Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine$53,707$25.82
13Cintas$52,845$25.41
14National Football League$51,494$24.76
15BayCare Health System$49,087$23.60
16TASER Self-Defense$48,284$23.21
17Marine Corps Heritage Foundation$48,119$23.13
18Western Washington University$46,607$22.41
19Douglas County$45,448$21.85
20Anheuser-Busch$44,757$21.52

Wage gap by gender, race and education

$40,000$39,800$39,600$39,400$39,200$39,000
MaleFemale

Special Events Coordinator salary by industry

The average special events coordinator salary varies across industries:

  • The average special events coordinator salary in the education industry is $44,346, the highest of any industry.
  • The average special events coordinator salary in the finance industry is $43,706.
  • Special events coordinators in the retail industry earn an average salary of $34,688, the lowest of any industry.

Highest paying industries for special events coordinators

RankIndustryAverage salaryHourly rate
1Education$44,346$21.32
2Health Care$43,706$21.01
3Non Profits$40,933$19.68
4Media$40,832$19.63
5Hospitality$37,199$17.88
6Government$37,093$17.83
7Retail$34,688$16.68

High paying special events coordinator jobs

Special events coordinator salary trends

The average special events coordinator salary has risen by $4,305 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average special events coordinator earned $35,758 annually, but today, they earn $40,063 a year. That works out to a 9% change in pay for special events coordinators over the last decade.

Compare special events coordinator salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.

Average special events coordinator salary over time

Compare special events coordinator salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.

Special events coordinator salary by year

YearAvg. salaryHourly rate% Change
2026$40,100$19.26+1.9%
2025$39,300$18.90+2.4%
2024$38,400$18.44+2.2%
2023$37,500$18.04+1.9%
2022$36,800$17.69+1.1%

Recently added special events coordinator salaries

CompanyJobLocationDate addedSalary
State of South DakotaState Fair Vendor and Special Events CoordinatorHuron, SD06/30/2025$47,959
Dreams RetailSpecial Events CoordinatorFine, NY06/29/2025$65,000
Gurnee Park DistrictSpecial Events CoordinatorGurnee, IL06/28/2025$31,931
Dream Charter SchoolSpecial Events CoordinatorNew York, NY06/28/2025$65,000
Johns Hopkins UniversitySpecial Events CoordinatorBaltimore, MD06/27/2025$37,983
Johns Hopkins UniversitySpecial Events Coordinator-#StaffWashington, DC06/27/2025$37,983
Landry'sSpecial Events & Promotions CoordinatorLake Charles, LA06/26/2025$33,392
Town of Surf CitySpecial Event CoordinatorSurf City, NC06/25/2025$45,909
Hilton Grand VacationsSpecial Events CoordinatorLahaina, HI06/24/2025$72,252
City of DelandMarketing and Special Events CoordinatorDeLand, FL06/21/2025$46,853

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