Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners Salary
The median pay for a meeting, convention, and event planners in Elkhart-Goshen, IN is $45,650/year ($21.95/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $80K for experienced workers.
So what does $46K get you in Elkhart-Goshen?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Elkhart-Goshen’s Regional Price Parity (90.3). 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 Elkhart-Goshen
Pay for meeting, convention, and event planners in Elkhart-Goshen runs about 25% below the U.S. median of $61K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,183/month, which is 38% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.3 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for meeting, convention, and event plannerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for meeting, convention, and event planners in metros near Elkhart-Goshen, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $55K | , |
| Fort Wayne | $48K | , |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $48K | , |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $52K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Elkhart-Goshen, IN
Entry-level meeting, convention, and event planners (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $46K. Top earners bring in $80K or more, a $46K 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 |
| Alaska | $55K | -10% | 150 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -10% | 4,340 |
| 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
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
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Frequently asked questions
Can a meeting, convention, and event planner afford a 2BR apartment alone in Elkhart-Goshen?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $46K, rent takes 38% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,183/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/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 Elkhart-Goshen?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new meeting, convention, and event planners typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,030/month. At HUD’s $1,183/month FMR, rent would take 58% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Local pay runs 25% below the national median — $46K here vs. $61K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Elkhart-Goshen compare to the national average for meeting, convention, and event planners?
Elkhart-Goshen pays $46K median vs. the U.S. average of $61K — that’s -25%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $51K — below the national median.
How much do meeting, convention, and event planners make in Elkhart-Goshen, IN?
The median is $45,650 a year, that works out to about $22 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,830, and experienced meeting, convention, and event planners can clear $79,620. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $46K enough to live in Elkhart-Goshen?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,111/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,183/month, which eats 38% 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 Elkhart-Goshen?
Elkhart-Goshen has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median meeting, convention, and event planners salary is worth about $50,554 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.