Special events planner education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a special events planner. Special events planners usually study business, communication, or psychology. 73% of special events planners hold a bachelor's degree, and 13% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 574 real special events planner resumes to see exactly what special events planner education sections show.

The most common colleges for special events planners are the University of Wisconsin Colleges and the University of Wisconsin Colleges.

There are also many online special events planner courses to help get the education required to be a special events planner.

There are certain special events planner certifications that you should consider. These special events planner certifications include Certified Planning Engineer (CPE) and Certified Special Events Professional (CSEP).

What education do you need to become a special events planner?

What degree do you need to be a special events planner?

The most common degree for special events planners is bachelor's degree, with 73% of special events planners earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 13% and associate degree degree at 7%.

Bachelor's, 73%

Associate, 13%

Master's, 7%

High School Diploma, 4%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a special events planner?

You should major in business to become a special events planner. 20% of special events planners major in business. Other common majors for a special events planner include communication and psychology.

Business, 20%

Communication, 16%

Psychology, 6%

Marketing, 6%

Other Majors, 52%

Most common colleges for special events planners

Special events planners often get their degrees at University of Wisconsin Colleges, University of South Carolina - Columbia, and Temple University. Here are the most common colleges for special events planners in the US based on their resumes.

Special events planner common college	Percentages
University of Wisconsin Colleges	7.46%
University of South Carolina - Columbia	7.46%
Temple University	5.97%
University of Central Florida	5.97%
Ohio University	5.97%

Show more common special events planner colleges

Best majors for special events planners

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Business	19.7%
2	Communication	16.1%
3	Psychology	6.1%
4	Marketing	6.1%
5	Management	5.4%

Show more common special events planner majors

Best colleges for special events planners

The best colleges for special events planners are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Cornell University.

A special events planner with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for special events planners. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become special events planners.

1. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

2. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

3. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

5. Ball State University

Muncie, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,896

Enrollment

15,529

6. University of Nebraska - Lincoln

Lincoln, NE • Private

In-state tuition

$9,242

Enrollment

20,592

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

20 best online courses for special events planners

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Top 10 most affordable universities for special events planners

The most affordable schools for special events planners are SUNY Farmingdale, baruch college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for special events planners are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for special events planners.

1. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

2. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

5. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

6. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

9. Florida Atlantic University

Boca Raton, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$4,831

Cost of attendance

19,559

10. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for special events planners

The hardest universities for special events planners to get into are Stanford University, Northwestern University, and Cornell University.

Some great schools for special events planners are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for special events planners based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

4. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

5. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

6. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

8. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

9. Villanova University

Villanova, PA • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,407

10. Southern Methodist University

Dallas, TX • Private

Admissions rate

51%

SAT average

1,395

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for special events planners

The easiest schools for special events planners to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, notre dame de namur university, and holy names university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a special events planner without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for special events planners.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Notre Dame de Namur University

Belmont, CA • Private

Admissions rate

82%

SAT average

983

3. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

4. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

5. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

6. Gwynedd Mercy University

Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private

Admissions rate

92%

SAT average

1,031

7. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

8. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

9. Curry College

Milton, MA • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,026

10. Presentation College

Aberdeen, SD • Private

Admissions rate

97%

SAT average

1,050

Average special events planner salary by education level

According to our data, special events planners with a Master's degree earn the highest average salary, at $50,787 annually. Special events planners with a Bachelor's degree earn an average annual salary of $50,718.

Special events planner education level	Special events planner salary
Master's Degree	$50,787
High School Diploma or Less	$42,538
Bachelor's Degree	$50,718
Some College/ Associate Degree	$45,985

Special events planner education FAQs

What is the best college for Special Events Planners?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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