Event Manager Salary and Job Outlook

Event managers are responsible for coordinating the details of a wide range of events, from weddings and family reunions to business conferences and fundraisers. Within the entertainment industry, event managers curate public events, such as film premieres, gallery exhibitions, and music festivals.

Event managers are responsible for coordinating the details of these programs to ensure that events meet clients’ needs and expectations. Finding appropriate third-party vendors and venues while adhering to budgets is a large aspect of the manager’s position. For public events, managers may need to collaborate with marketing teams to increase event awareness and ticket sales and with safety coordinators to facilitate larger crowds.

Because event managers oversee various aspects of event production, they need to be versatile. A background and education in entertainment industry management can provide individuals with the broad skill set required to excel in the role and potentially impact an event manager’s salary and job advancement prospects.

What Is an Event Manager?

Event managers take individuals’ and organizations’ ideas for events and bring them to fruition. Working with clients, event managers explore the purpose of the proposed event, as well as expectations regarding food, music, decor, and any aspects that contribute to the overall atmosphere. In the business realm, events are a large contributor to company culture and can impact the company’s revenues and operational success.

Event managers may work independently or lead a team of coordinators, depending on the scale of the event. More intimate events, such as book signings or independent film debuts, may only require one event manager, while large entertainment events, such as stadium concerts or award galas, often require multiple managers.

Key Skills Needed for Event Management

Successful event managers boast a resourceful skill set. Organizational, interpersonal, and negotiation skills are central to the position’s success.

• Organizational skills: A successful event depends on effectively coordinating many different moving parts and minute details. Event managers must remain attentive and organized to ensure that no aspects of the event are neglected.
• Interpersonal skills: From clients to vendors to guests, event managers interact with a large variety of individuals. Event managers need to have strong interpersonal skills to maintain positive relationships with event stakeholders.
• Negotiation skills: Event managers are responsible for remaining on budget. In doing so, they may find themselves negotiating prices with vendors and venues. Alternatively, they may negotiate a larger or smaller budget with their client, depending on the type of event and the client’s needs.

Event Manager vs. Event Marketing Manager

A similar role to event manager is event marketing manager. Since they both strive to make events a success, the roles of event manager and event marketing manager are often lumped together. However, each role has a unique set of responsibilities in contributing to an event’s success.

A main difference between an event manager and an event marketing manager is that an event manager focuses on logistics, while an event marketing manager focuses on building awareness and attendance.

While an event manager is attentive to the budget, vendors, and other fine details, an event marketing manager oversees promotional campaigns, branding, social media, and engagement from the program’s target audience. Both positions are crucial to an event’s success.

Event Manager Career Path

An individual can take several steps toward a career as an event manager.

Pursue an Education

Most event management positions require at least a bachelor’s degree in event management or a relevant field, such as business, communications, or entertainment. Since event management has high-level roles, individuals pursuing positions within the field may continue their education with a master’s degree program, such as a master’s degree in entertainment industry management.

Gain Experience in Event Planning

Common positions that lead to an event manager role include the following:

• Event coordinator
• Assistant event planner
• Volunteer coordinator
• Social media manager
• Conference planner

Get a Certification

Regardless of their educational or experiential path, individuals pursuing a career in event management can benefit from earning certifications relevant to their field. The following certifications are widely recognized within the event management industry:

• Certified meeting professional (CMP) from the Events Industry Council (EIC)
• Certified in exhibition management (CEM) from the International Association of Exhibitions & Events (IAEE)
• Certified government meeting professional (GMP) from the Society of Government Meeting Professionals (SGMP)

Event Manager Salary

According to Payscale, the median annual event manager salary is about $63,000 as of May 2025. Entry-level event managers with less than a year of experience make an annual salary of $47,000, while those with additional experience can make upwards of $71,000. The factors that help determine an event manager’s salary include education, experience, certification, and employment industry.

Event Manager Job Outlook

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects employment of meeting, convention, and event planners to grow 7% between 2023 and 2033, faster than the average for all occupations. About 16,500 job openings are projected in the industry each year, on average, over the 10-year period due to job growth and retirements in the industry.

This position’s sustainability over the years is attributed to an increasing need for assistance in curating both personal and professional events.

Expand Your Career Opportunities With an Entertainment Management Degree

On paper, event managers orchestrate organizational events and all of their logistics. At large, however, they’re responsible for much more. Event managers cultivate culture, foster development, and garner donations and awareness through the events that they bring to fruition.

Graduate degree programs at Tseng College at California State University, Northridge, open new doors, including a broad range of high-level management careers. CSUN’s online Master of Arts in Entertainment Industry Management program helps students gain the knowledge and skills needed to pursue roles as event managers, brand managers, talent agents, and other high-level positions in the entertainment industry. With a flexible online structure and clearly outlined curriculum, the program allows students to achieve their master’s degree within two years, advancing them on their career journey.

Tseng College also offers an online Master of Arts in Music Industry Administration for individuals who want to focus on leadership in the music market.

Explore the benefits of our master’s degree programs today.