The satisfaction of throwing a successful event may be priceless, but the services of an event planner are most certainly not. In fact, incomes can range pretty significantly depending on a number of factors, from the experience level of the person to the types of events they plan to whether they work in-house or independently. Based on 2010 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, this infographic shows how the city you live in can have a huge effect on your salary.
Keep in mind when looking at this image that “median income” is the middle number of all measured incomes, not the average. Half of event planners in that city make more than the median, and the other half make less. The median is often used because it’s less likely to be skewed by outliers than the average (aka. mean). For example, if most event planners in a city make around $50,000, but there are a few people who command upwards of $100,000, then the average will be a less dependable measure of what an event planner could expect to make in that area.
It also helps to remember that the cost of living varies from city to city. It may seem at first that Poughkeepsie, New York may be the best place for an event planner, but remember that $70,570 may not go as far here as it would in Houston or Philadelphia.
How do you feel about this information? Do you think the median salaries seem fair, or is there a city that you think pays better than others? Where would you most like to be an event planner?
Source: Ungerboeck Software International
