Career comparison
Event Planner vs. Florist
Side-by-side pay, training, growth and day-to-day duties to help you choose between two related careers.
Event planners earn more at the median ($61,160 vs. $37,360), while florists usually get to work faster (1–6 months of training). Event planners plan and run conferences, weddings, meetings and celebrations. Florists design flower arrangements for weddings, events and everyday moments.
Pay data: BLS OEWS, May 2025 · Outlook: BLS 2025–35 · Checked October 15, 2026
| Event Planner | Florist | |
|---|---|---|
| Median pay | $61,160 ($29.41/hr) | $37,360 ($17.96/hr) |
| Pay range (10th–90th) | $36,830 – $101,700 | $28,600 – $51,000 |
| Job growth, 2025–35 | +5.8% (faster than average) | -5.6% (a projected decline) |
| Openings per year | 16,800 | 5,200 |
| Typical entry education | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma or equivalent |
| Training time | 4 years or event experience | 1–6 months |
| Key credential | Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) | AIFD Certified Floral Designer (CFD) |
| Work setting | Planners work in offices, hotels, convention centers and event venues, traveling to sites and working on their feet during events.. | Florists work in shops, coolers, studios and event venues, standing and lifting buckets.. |
What each job does
Event Planner
- Meet clients to define goals and budgets
- Research and book venues
- Negotiate contracts with vendors
- Coordinate catering, AV and transportation
- Manage registration and attendees
Florist
- Process and care for fresh flowers
- Design bouquets and arrangements
- Consult with clients on events
- Take orders and handle sales
- Create sympathy and holiday arrangements
How they’re similar
Both careers involve working with people and creative work. They sit in different fields, hospitality, food & tourism and arts, media & design, but share transferable skills such as organization and creativity.
Which should you choose?
Choose event planner if…
- I love organizing details
- I stay calm when things go wrong
- I enjoy working with people
Choose florist if…
- I love flowers
- I’m creative
- I like working with my hands
Still torn? Take the Event Planner fit quiz and the Florist fit quiz, or the full Career Match Quiz.
Quick comparisons
Which pays more, event planner or florist?
Event Planners earn more at the median: $61,160 versus $37,360 for florists, based on BLS May 2025 data.
Which takes less time to train for?
Florists typically train faster (1–6 months) than event planners (4 years or event experience).
Which career has better job growth?
BLS projects event planners to grow +5.8% from 2025–35, compared with -5.6% for florists.