Special events planner vs conference coordinator

The differences between special events planners 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 special events planner and a conference coordinator. Additionally, a special events planner has an average salary of $50,325, which is higher than the $41,978 average annual salary of a conference coordinator.

The top three skills for a special events planner include national security, event planning and event coordination. The most important skills for a conference coordinator are conference calls, reservations, and event planning.

Special events planner vs conference coordinator overview

	Special Events Planner	Conference Coordinator
Yearly salary	$50,325	$41,978
Hourly rate	$24.19	$20.18
Growth rate	18%	18%
Number of jobs	28,688	19,660
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Special events planner vs conference coordinator salary

Special events planners and conference coordinators have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Special Events Planner	Conference Coordinator
Average salary	$50,325	$41,978
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $84,000	Between $32,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	-	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	-	New York
Best paying company	-	Battelle
Best paying industry	-	Telecommunication

Differences between special events planner and conference coordinator education

There are a few differences between a special events planner and a conference coordinator in terms of educational background:

	Special Events Planner	Conference Coordinator
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 72%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	San Diego State University

Special events planner vs conference coordinator demographics

Here are the differences between special events planners' and conference coordinators' demographics:

	Special Events Planner	Conference Coordinator
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%	Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.1% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.0% 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 special events planner and conference coordinator duties and responsibilities

Special events planner example responsibilities.

Select and manage live entertainment for VIP parties, special events and weekend entertainment.
Maintain business website and manage Facebook account.
Create and present PowerPoint presentations at trades shows and workshops.
Orchestrate seamless industry VIP and charity events worldwide involving up to 800 guests and budgets of up to $12K.
Develop agenda and itinerary, organize and procure all speaker biographies and materials and logistics for successful program execution.
Assist in the development of sponsorship opportunities, themes, and giveaways.

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.

Special events planner vs conference coordinator skills

Common special events planner skills

National Security, 21%
Event Planning, 7%
Event Coordination, 7%
Event Management, 6%
Event Logistics, 5%
Event Budgets, 4%

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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Special Events Planner vs Conference Coordinator

Updated January 8, 2025

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