Side-by-side distribution
Event Planner
$70,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 25%
- Live roles
- 632
Server
$17.34/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 44.4%
- Live roles
- 257
Highest-paying jobs
Marketing - Senior Manager/Manager, Event Production, Events & Experiences
Senior Manager, Programs & Event Design
Senior Event Planner, Global Events & Activations
Sr. Event Marketing Manager, Field Programming
Event Marketing Manager
Business Development Manager, Event Commerce (Remote - US)
Senior Event Strategy Manager
Event Marketing Manager
AI Innovation Lab Event Coordinator
Field Event Manager, EMEA
Highest-paying jobs
Food & Beverage Server
Seasonal Restaurant Server, Bergdorf Goodman
Restaurant Server
Breakfast Comp Food Server
Evening Comp Food Server
Club Commis Waiter/Waitress - Fixed Term Contract
Commis Waiter / Waitress - Mei Ume
Server, Food Nutrition & Services - Chula Vista Campus (Temporary)
Server, Food Nutrition & Services - San Marcos Campus (Temporary)
Server, Food Nutrition & Services - Point Loma
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Dave & Buster's
|
$28,600 | 9 |
Fogo de Chão
|
$54,080 | 8 |
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$63,750 | 6 |
First Global Management Services, Inc.
|
$75,386 | 5 |
American Express Global Business Travel
|
$79,000 | 4 |
Michaels
|
$31,720 | 4 |
| L( LA28 (Web) | $143,000 | 3 |
Maritz
|
$70,000 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Soho House & Co.
|
$42,803 | 23 |
|
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$22,672 | 19 |
Stonebridge Companies
|
$33,280 | 9 |
Atrium Hospitality
|
$19,474 | 6 |
|
Four Seasons
|
$49,388 | 5 |
|
Saks
|
$39,905 | 5 |
Nordstrom
|
$33,176 | 5 |
Bupa
|
$36,276 | 4 |
Event Planner salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $154,600 | 8 |
| Denver | $114,700 | 3 |
| Los Angeles | $112,583 | 9 |
| Chicago | $112,500 | 3 |
| New York | $95,500 | 29 |
| Boston | $65,000 | 4 |
Event Planner vs Server: which pays more?
The median for Event Planner is $70,000 per year (typically $51,480–$103,738), versus $17.34/hr for Server ($11.53/hr–$20.53/hr). That puts Event Planner about 94% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Event Planner and Server are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.