Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners Salary
The median pay for a meeting, convention, and event planners in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA is $60,410/year ($29.04/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $42K at the entry level to $84K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $65,878 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 33.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $60K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About meeting, convention, and event planners
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What this looks like in Des Moines-West Des Moines
Meeting, convention, and event planners pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $60K locally vs. $61K nationwide, a 1% difference. Rent runs $1,318/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 33.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for meeting, convention, and event planners in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $52K | $58K |
| Ames | $48K | $54K |
| Iowa City | $48K | $52K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $49K | $55K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level meeting, convention, and event planners (10th percentile) start around $42K. Mid-career wages sit at $60K. Top earners bring in $84K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $77K | +26% | 2,360 |
| Massachusetts | $76K | +24% | 4,640 |
| New York | $75K | +22% | 10,330 |
| Hawaii | $74K | +22% | 550 |
| Vermont | $74K | +22% | 430 |
| New Jersey | $73K | +19% | 2,160 |
| California | $71K | +16% | 20,650 |
| Connecticut | $70K | +14% | 1,450 |
| Washington | $66K | +7% | 3,600 |
| Maryland | $63K | +3% | 2,570 |
| New Hampshire | $63K | +3% | 510 |
| Colorado | $62K | +1% | 4,650 |
| Arizona | $61K | +0% | 3,440 |
| Louisiana | $61K | -0% | 610 |
| Oregon | $61K | -0% | 2,020 |
| Virginia | $61K | -0% | 4,230 |
| Florida | $60K | -1% | 10,480 |
| Rhode Island | $60K | -2% | 890 |
| Illinois | $60K | -2% | 5,220 |
| Pennsylvania | $58K | -5% | 3,940 |
| Maine | $58K | -5% | 490 |
| Minnesota | $58K | -6% | 3,160 |
| Nevada | $58K | -6% | 2,060 |
| Texas | $57K | -6% | 10,730 |
| Missouri | $57K | -7% | 2,500 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -9% | 120 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -10% | 4,340 |
| Alaska | $55K | -10% | 150 |
| Kansas | $55K | -10% | 920 |
| Utah | $54K | -11% | 1,970 |
| Wisconsin | $54K | -12% | 2,690 |
| Arkansas | $53K | -13% | 550 |
| Michigan | $53K | -14% | 3,560 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -14% | 610 |
| Alabama | $52K | -15% | 980 |
| Tennessee | $52K | -15% | 3,260 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -15% | 1,240 |
| Iowa | $52K | -15% | 1,120 |
| North Dakota | $52K | -15% | 300 |
| New Mexico | $51K | -17% | 350 |
| Indiana | $50K | -18% | 2,140 |
| Ohio | $50K | -18% | 4,750 |
| Kentucky | $49K | -19% | 1,110 |
| Georgia | $49K | -19% | 5,050 |
| Delaware | $49K | -20% | 400 |
| Montana | $49K | -20% | 350 |
| Oklahoma | $49K | -20% | 1,440 |
| South Dakota | $47K | -23% | 340 |
| Mississippi | $45K | -27% | 360 |
| West Virginia | $36K | -42% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track meeting, convention, and event planners salary changes
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Frequently asked questions
Can a meeting, convention, and event planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $60K, rent takes 33.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for meeting, convention, and event planners in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new meeting, convention, and event planners typically earn — is $42K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,534/month. At HUD’s $1,318/month FMR, rent would take 52% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is meeting, convention, and event planner a high-paying job in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $60K locally vs. $61K nationally, a 1% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for meeting, convention, and event planners?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $60K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -1%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $66K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do meeting, convention, and event planners make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $60,410 a year, that works out to about $29 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $42,240, and experienced meeting, convention, and event planners can clear $83,650. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $60K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,963/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 33.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a meeting, convention, and event planners salary go in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median meeting, convention, and event planners salary is worth about $65,878 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do meeting, convention, and event planners get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.