According to data from the BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), the average event planner salary for the fiscal year 2014 was $46,490 per year, a sum that can be equaled with $22.35 per hour or $859 per week.
Even though that may seem like decent pay, the stark difference between the top earning 10% and the bottom 10% is to be noted. Thus, an average event planner salary can get as low as $25,940 per year or $12.47 per hour, for the least-paid ten points percentile. On the other end of the spectrum, we witness the top paid event planners salary jumping to almost twice the median wage, standing at $82,060 per year and $39.45 per hour.
Wage proportionality data for this job is inconclusive, thus, it cannot be accurately stated that there is wage inequality. Still, women earned an average of $840 per week, with 90,000 women taking up this position for 2014. As for men, 27,000 occupied this job in 2014, yet their number is too low for the BLS to show a statistic of their wages. However, it’s safe to assume that the average event planner salary for men was higher since the general mean weekly wage is higher compared to that for women.
The following table presents the average event planner salary in the highest paying areas:
| Industry |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing |
$40.17 |
$83,560 |
| Securities and Commodity Contracts Intermediation and Brokerage |
$35.74 |
$74,340 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction |
$35.15 |
$73,110 |
| Wired Telecommunications Carriers |
$33.99 |
$70,700 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing |
$33.32 |
$69,300 |
Event Planner Salary by Location
Seeing as there are normal differences between states when it comes to employing people in these job positions, it’s only expected that the event planner salary differ. So much so that the highest mean wage per state or government district is found in DC, where employees earned $68,000. On the other side of this list, we see several states with event planner salaries of as little as #27,230.
Here is a list of the best paying states in the US:
| State |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage |
| District of Columbia |
$32.69 |
$68,000 |
| New York |
$29.80 |
$61,980 |
| Connecticut |
$29.63 |
$61,630 |
| Massachusetts |
$29.01 |
$60,350 |
| Virginia |
$27.84 |
$57,910 |
However, the average event planner salary means nothing without consistent employment levels for that profession. Here is where the highest employment is at:
| State |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage |
| California |
$26.21 |
$54,510 |
| New York |
$29.80 |
$61,980 |
| Texas |
$23.35 |
$48,580 |
| Florida |
$22.90 |
$47,640 |
| Virginia |
$27.84 |
$57,910 |
Event Planner Salary Change over Time
The event planner salary is subject to a great degree of potential change. These changes can occur depending on several things:
- Fast growth. An entry level event planner salary is generally 10% lower than the national average. However, the pay is projected to rise by 15% by mid-career, 24% at an experience level, and 30% for a late-career.
- A particular set of skills. A good event planner will earn more than the average if he/she is good at event management, project management, budget management, and especially contract negotiation.
Image source: bridesmaidforhire.com
The BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics) tells us that the average bartender salary for the fiscal year of 2014 was $19,050. This translates to $522 per week and $9.16 per hour.
Of the bartenders that were included in the national survey, 10% earned considerably less than the average. The yearly pay for these, according to PayScale, was $11,762, which also translates to $3.38 per hour. An encouraging fact may come from statistics regarding the top %10 of this profession. These end up earning more than twice over the average, with $45,020 per year and $11.68 per hour.
For the bartender job, wage inequality is less persistent, though still very much present. According to the Labor Statistics Bureau, for the year 2014, there were 103,000 male bartenders and 113,000 female bartenders. For these, the average weekly pay for men was $634, while the average for women stood at a modest $459.
Here are areas that pay the best bartender salary in the US:
| Industry |
Hourly mean wage |
Annual mean wage |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land |
$13.95 |
$28,190 |
| Traveler Accommodation |
$13.44 |
$27,950 |
| Beer, Wine, and Distilled Alcoholic Beverage Merchant Wholesalers |
$13.33 |
$27,720 |
| Grocery Sales |
$13.06 |
$27,160 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services |
$12.71 |
$26,450 |
Bartender Salary by Location
The average bartending salary differs on account of location. States with higher touristic potential have greater wages for their bartenders. However, that does not necessary mean that the same states offer high levels of employment. The highest paying state offered its drink preparing personnel $36.290 as a yearly wage. On the other end of the spectrum, the salary per year plummets to $17,460.
The following table lists the states where the bartender salary is the highest. Note the difference between the first state and the second state while keeping in mind the touristic potential:
| State |
Hourly mean wage |
Yearly mean wage |
| Hawaii |
$17.45 |
$36,290 |
| Virginia |
$14.52 |
$30,190 |
| Washington |
$14.13 |
$29,390 |
| Vermont |
$13.84 |
$28,780 |
| District of Columbia |
$13.20 |
$27,460 |
The bartender salary isn’t the only employment factor candidates should look for. The employment rate is also a decisive statistic. States that rank highest on bartender salary may have very few positions opened for the job.
| State |
Employment |
Hourly mean wage |
Yearly mean wage |
| California |
57,450 |
$11.89 |
$24,720 |
| New York |
41,760 |
$11.41 |
$23,740 |
| Texas |
37,580 |
$10.83 |
$22,530 |
| Florida |
37,540 |
$12.20 |
$25,370 |
| Pennsylvania |
31,220 |
$9.68 |
$20,140 |
Bartender Salary Change Over Time
Depending on how much time a bartender spends on a job, he or she may end up earning more as time goes by. There are also other factors that influence the bartender salary change over time:
- Entry level experience. A bartender that’s just starting out should expect to earn less than any national, state, or job average. The usual decline from the bartender salary national average for entry level employees is 7%.
- Job experience. An employee with experience in serving drinks and preparing beverages may increase the average salary by up to 9%, according to PayScale.
- Career experience. Likewise, an employee that has spent half his working days in a bartender job may also increase his/her pay by 9% over the average. Longer experience can result in an increase of up to %12.
Image source: workable.com
