Careers · Explore one path
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Coordinate activities of staff, convention personnel, or clients to make arrangements for group meetings, events, or conventions.
Other titles employers use
Catering Director · Conference Planner · Conference Planning Manager · Conference Services Director · Conference Services Manager · Convention Services Director · Convention Services Manager (CSM) · Event Coordinator
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- Consult with customers to determine objectives and requirements for events, such as meetings, conferences, and conventions.
- Review event bills for accuracy and approve payment.
- Coordinate services for events, such as accommodation and transportation for participants, facilities, catering, signage, displays, special needs requirements, printing and event security.
- Arrange the availability of audio-visual equipment, transportation, displays, and other event needs.
- Confer with staff at a chosen event site to coordinate details.
- Inspect event facilities to ensure that they conform to customer requirements.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to persuading, organizing and helping work.
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
- Organizing
- Creating order, checking details, and keeping work accurate
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
Subjects to know
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Communications and Media
- Administrative
- Administration and Management
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Speech Recognition
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.9 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 3.1 | Up and down through the day |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 2.7 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A certificate or some college 44%
- A four-year degree 41%
- High school or less 8%
- A two-year degree 7%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Project management software
- Word processing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Web page creation and editing software
- Desktop publishing software
- Geographic information system
- Electronic mail software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 19,900
- Job openings each year
- 2,170
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 12.4%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 19,900 | 2,170 | 12.4% |
| Texas | 17,850 | 1,970 | 16.7% |
| New York | 12,110 | 160 | 15.0% |
| Florida | 9,400 | 1,040 | 17.2% |
| Colorado | 8,930 | 970 | 13.2% |
| Illinois | 6,080 | 650 | 8.0% |
| Washington | 5,250 | 700 | 24.1% |
| Georgia | 4,870 | 530 | 14.6% |
| Virginia | 4,700 | 510 | 10.3% |
| Wisconsin | 4,350 | 480 | 13.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 4,150 | 440 | 7.2% |
| Ohio | 4,060 | 430 | 4.1% |
| Maryland | 3,850 | 420 | 12.6% |
| Michigan | 3,410 | 360 | 4.3% |
| Tennessee | 3,320 | 380 | 25.3% |
| Alabama | 3,140 | 340 | 8.7% |
| Arizona | 2,550 | 280 | 12.8% |
| District of Columbia | 2,490 | 270 | 11.7% |
| Utah | 2,460 | 280 | 26.2% |
| Missouri | 2,420 | 260 | 10.5% |
| Minnesota | 2,380 | 260 | 9.2% |
| Indiana | 2,290 | 250 | 9.6% |
| New Jersey | 2,240 | 240 | 7.2% |
| South Carolina | 2,140 | 240 | 16.9% |
| Oklahoma | 2,100 | 220 | 7.7% |
| Oregon | 1,870 | 210 | 16.1% |
| Nevada | 1,840 | 210 | 19.5% |
| Connecticut | 1,810 | 200 | 16.0% |
| Massachusetts | 1,420 | 150 | 10.9% |
| Kansas | 1,370 | 150 | 8.7% |
| Kentucky | 1,110 | 120 | 6.7% |
| Arkansas | 910 | 100 | 19.7% |
| Puerto Rico | 910 | 100 | 12.3% |
| Nebraska | 850 | 90 | 11.8% |
| Iowa | 700 | 80 | 12.9% |
| Louisiana | 650 | 70 | 8.3% |
| Mississippi | 580 | 60 | 13.7% |
| Idaho | 570 | 60 | 18.8% |
| Rhode Island | 520 | 60 | 10.6% |
| Maine | 510 | 50 | — |
| New Hampshire | 490 | 50 | 8.9% |
| Delaware | 480 | 50 | 6.7% |
| Vermont | 390 | 40 | 21.9% |
| Montana | 340 | 40 | 13.3% |
| West Virginia | 340 | 40 | 9.7% |
| New Mexico | 320 | 40 | 33.3% |
| South Dakota | 310 | 30 | 10.7% |
| North Dakota | 230 | 20 | 15.0% |
| Wyoming | 170 | 20 | 21.4% |
| Alaska | 70 | 10 | — |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
University of Central Florida
- Degrees each year
- 568
- Admit rate
- 40%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
Florida International University
- Degrees each year
- 499
- Admit rate
- 59%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of Nevada-Las Vegas
- Degrees each year
- 425
- Admit rate
- 96%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
Cornell University
- Degrees each year
- 290
- Admit rate
- 8%
- Annual cost after aid
- $7,000
Florida State University
- Degrees each year
- 225
- Admit rate
- 25%
- Annual cost after aid
- $10,000
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
- Degrees each year
- 208
- Admit rate
- 74%
- Annual cost after aid
- $11,000
University of Houston
- Degrees each year
- 182
- Admit rate
- 70%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
University of South Carolina-Columbia
- Degrees each year
- 150
- Admit rate
- 61%
- Annual cost after aid
- $20,000
Compare every college offering housing and human environments