Best Wedding Planner Programs in Fulton, Missouri (2026)

The best wedding planner programs near Fulton, Missouri pair focused training with a state median wage of about $56,900 a year for meeting, convention, and event planners (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Most students finish a 3-to-9-month wedding and event planning certificate, then build a portfolio by assisting established planners and coordinating their first events.

Wedding planners design, budget, and coordinate weddings - managing vendors, timelines, and day-of logistics. Training typically covers budgeting, vendor contracts, event design, and the business side of planning.

Key Facts

  • Missouri median wage: $56,900/yr (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
  • Job outlook: +4.8% with ~15,500 openings/yr (Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034)
  • Missouri employment: 2,500 meeting, convention, and event planners (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
  • Missouri location quotient: 0.93 (Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025)
  • Typical program length: 6-12 months (certificate) to 2 years (associate) (Source: IPEDS, 2024)

Wedding Planner Schools near Fulton

How we rank schools – graduation rate, graduate earnings, cost and retention. Advertising plays no part.

This page lists 4 schools within 237 miles, closest group first, then ordered by BOC Score with the highest at the top. 4 of them carry a score.

Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate how often students finish
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry whether it paid off
25%
Average net price what students actually pay after aid; lower ranks higher
20%
Retention rate how many come back for year two
15%
Fully online availability whether you can study while working
10%

Scores come from IPEDS (2024) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Earnings are for all graduates of a school, not one program, so treat them as a signal about the institution rather than about this subject. Sponsored listings are paid placements and are labelled as such; they are separate from this ranking and never change it. Read the full methodology.

#1

Iowa State University

Ames, IA 236.6 miles away BOC Score 76.9
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 26
  • Annual completions: 1515
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $68,277 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#2

University of Iowa

Iowa City, IA 193.0 miles away BOC Score 73.5
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 21
  • Annual completions: 828
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $69,866 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#3

Missouri State University-Springfield

Springfield, MO 135.2 miles away BOC Score 56.3
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Programs offered: 30
  • Annual completions: 1168
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $53,058 (College Scorecard)
  • Online programs available

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

#4

College of the Ozarks

Point Lookout, MO 170.0 miles away BOC Score 55.7
Tuition Contact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Completion rate: 62.4% (College Scorecard)
  • Programs offered: 10
  • Annual completions: 64
  • Median graduate earnings, 4 yrs after completing (all majors, not a single program): $44,258 (College Scorecard)

Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard

Wedding Planner Pay and Job Outlook

Annual Wage by Percentile, United States - Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners annual wage percentiles, BLS OEWS May 2025P10 $36830, P25 $46970, P50 $61160, P75 $78790, P90 $101700.10th$36,83025th$46,97050th (median)$61,16075th$78,79090th$101,700
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners annual wage percentiles
PercentileAnnual wage
10th$36,830
25th$46,970
50th (median)$61,160
75th$78,790
90th$101,700
Projected employment growth, United States, Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners, 2024-2034
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners employment 2024 vs 2034 projection, BLS Employment Projections2024 employment 155800; 2034 projected employment 163300; percent change +4.8%.2024155,800 jobs2034 (proj.)163,300 jobsChange: +4.8%
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024-2034
Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners employment projection 2024 to 2034
YearEmployment
2024155,800
2034 projected163,300
Percent change+4.8%

Missouri Wedding Planner Quick Facts

Wedding-Planner Salary in U.S.

Median Salary $61,160 $29.41/hr
Average Salary $66,520 $31.98/hr

Salary Range

$36,830 10th pctl
$61,160 Median
$101,700 90th pctl
10th Percentile $36,830 $17.71/hr
25th Percentile $46,970 $22.58/hr
75th Percentile $78,790 $37.88/hr
90th Percentile $101,700 $48.90/hr

Employment & Outlook

Total Employed142,860
Growth (2024-2034)4.8%
Annual Openings15,500
Jobs per 1,0000.9

Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners (13-1121) • BLS OEWS, May 2025 • bls.gov/oes

How to Start a Wedding Planner Career in Missouri

  1. Finish high school or earn a GED. Hospitality, business, and design coursework are helpful; BLS lists a bachelor’s degree as typical for the broader event-planning occupation.

  2. Complete wedding or event planning training. Certificate programs typically cover budgeting, contracts, design, and business practices.

  3. Get real event experience. Assist established planners, work venue or catering events, or coordinate community functions.

  4. Build a portfolio and vendor network. Styled shoots, assisted weddings, and vendor relationships win the first paying clients.

  5. Grow into full-service planning. Many planners start with day-of coordination and expand to partial and full-service planning as referrals grow.

No. No state licenses wedding planners. Industry associations offer voluntary certificate and designation programs, and portfolios, reviews, and vendor relationships carry the most weight with couples.

Pathways into the Field

Common entry paths are an event planning certificate, hospitality coursework, or hands-on work with venues, caterers, and established planners. Day-of coordination is the typical first paid service.

What You Study

  • Budgeting and vendor contracts
  • Event design and styling
  • Timeline and logistics management
  • Client consultation and communication
  • Marketing and business practices

Tips for Choosing a Wedding Planner Program

  • Confirm accreditation and how recognized the credential is with employers.
  • Look for hands-on training in portfolio projects, internship events, and business coursework.
  • Compare flexible schedules (day/evening/online) that match your availability.
  • Ask about job-search support with local employers.
  • Review certification-prep resources and post-completion support.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does wedding planner training take near Fulton?

Wedding and event planning certificate programs typically run 3 to 9 months. Practical experience assisting established planners matters as much as coursework, and many planners book their first day-of coordination clients within a year or two.

How much do meeting, convention, and event planners earn in Missouri?

According to BLS OEWS (May 2025), meeting, convention, and event planners in Missouri earned a median annual wage of about $56,900. Pay varies with experience, employer, and specialization. The 10th-to-90th percentile range was about $31,190 to $83,500 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

How many wedding planner schools are near Fulton?

The schools listed above are within driving distance of Fulton. Compare them by tuition, program length, BOC Score, and the credential each one awards.

Do wedding planners need a license?

No. No state licenses wedding planners. Industry associations offer voluntary certificate and designation programs, and portfolios, reviews, and vendor relationships carry the most weight with couples.

In Missouri

Next Steps


About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.

Data sources

Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.

DataProviderVintage
Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsMay 2025
Employment ProjectionsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics2024-2034
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemNational Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)2024
College Scorecard (school-level outcomes)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release
College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings)U.S. Department of Educationlatest release (updated 2026-06-12)
Occupational licensing requirementsCareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2026-02-22)
Registered apprenticeship programsCareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor)latest release (updated 2025-10-25)