Special events planner vs director of events

The differences between special events planners and directors of events 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 director of events. Additionally, a director of events has an average salary of $65,971, which is higher than the $50,325 average annual salary of a special events planner.

The top three skills for a special events planner include national security, event planning and event coordination. The most important skills for a director of events are customer service, event management, and customer satisfaction.

Special events planner vs director of events overview

	Special Events Planner	Director Of Events
Yearly salary	$50,325	$65,971
Hourly rate	$24.19	$31.72
Growth rate	18%	18%
Number of jobs	28,688	8,520
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Average age	38	38
Years of experience	2	2

Special events planner vs director of events salary

Special events planners and directors of events have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Special Events Planner	Director Of Events
Average salary	$50,325	$65,971
Salary range	Between $29,000 And $84,000	Between $38,000 And $112,000
Highest paying City	-	Boston, MA
Highest paying state	-	Massachusetts
Best paying company	-	CrowdStrike
Best paying industry	-	Technology

Differences between special events planner and director of events education

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

	Special Events Planner	Director Of Events
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 73%	Bachelor's Degree, 77%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	San Diego State University	San Diego State University

Special events planner vs director of events demographics

Here are the differences between special events planners' and directors of events' demographics:

	Special Events Planner	Director Of Events
Average age	38	38
Gender ratio	Male, 23.6% Female, 76.4%	Male, 34.1% Female, 65.9%
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, 11.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 16.2% Asian, 5.9% White, 61.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
LGBT Percentage	16%	16%

Differences between special events planner and director of events 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.

Director of events example responsibilities.

Manage a team of employees with responsibilities of 40,000 sq.
Create, update and manage donor databases, invitation and RSVP lists, and seating charts.
Conduct ROI analysis to ensure effective allocation of corporate funds and staffing resources to achieve business and sales objectives.
Manage weekly BEO meetings to discuss the upcoming events with other department heads to ensure the proper execution of all events.
Maximize revenue by upselling and managing clients' budgets effectively.
Manage all aspects of these events and act as onsite manager to ensure meeting are delivered effectively and professionally.

Special events planner vs director of events 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 director of events skills

Customer Service, 15%
Event Management, 8%
Customer Satisfaction, 7%
Event Planning, 7%
Audio Visual, 6%
Booking, 6%

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Special Events Planner
Special Events Planner vs Director Of Events

Updated January 8, 2025

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