This June, Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) Convene magazine published the results of its annual Salary Survey, which has served as an industry benchmark for several decades.
The results of this year’s survey — completed by 371 association, corporate and independent meeting professionals in March — revealed that their average raise was 3.6 percent, compared to a 9.4-percent raise in 2013.
“Even though they were smaller, raises were more widely distributed than in 2013,” said Michelle Russell, editor-in-chief, Convene. “Seventy-seven percent said they received a salary increase so far this year, so that’s a good sign. It could be that the nearly double-digit raises given out last year were something of a ‘course correction,’ intended to bring planners’ salaries more in line after several years of little or no increases during the economic downturn.”
This year’s results proved once again that the value of earning a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) can be measured in terms of compensation. Those with a CMP earned $81,515 annually versus $71,042 for respondents without the designation.
The survey results paint a picture of a mostly satisfied profession. Half of the respondents said they are content with their current salary; 76 percent said they are fine with their current roles; and 88 percent said they feel good about the profession as a whole.
“That’s not to say, however, that we’re complacent about the results. Ninety percent of the respondents were female, yet the male respondents make significantly higher salaries: $102,222 compared to $72,880 for women. ”We can’t make sweeping generalizations about pay inequity in our industry,” she said, “but that one statistic alone led the Convene editorial team to explore the issue in a larger context. Our June cover story takes stock of women in the workforce today, drawing on the latest research and thinking about women and leadership, mentorship, salary negotiations and more.”
Published by PCMA since 1986, Convene is a meetings industry publication for educational content and professional development.
