Event Staffing has become a popular choice for individuals in California who prefer flexible employment.

Working jobs in events are gig based — event staffing agencies typically allow their employees the option to choose the shifts that best fit their schedule.

As of 2024, California’s minimum wage is $16/hr and in Los Angeles, fast food employees are now required to be compensated $20/hr.

How Much Do Event Staffing Jobs Pay?

The average event staff salary in California is $21.59 per hour.

This metric is composed of California’s average wages for Catering Staff, Bartenders, Brand Ambassadors, and Production Assistants, which comprise of majority of event staffing positions.

It’s challenging to assume an average yearly salary in event staffing since it is a flexible, part time job.

Catering Staff make on average $21.58 per hour including occasional tips.

Private Event Bartenders average salary in California is $23.75 hourly plus tips. This is 63% higher than the national average.

The average salary for Brand Ambassadors is $22.05 per hour in California.

Event Production Assistants make an average of $19 hourly in California.

In event staffing, bartenders have the highest average salary, along with the highest average amount of tips.

These metrics are based on the state average which may not reflect what you can receive from event staffing agencies in California.

For reference on averages, below is the average hourly wage for Event Planners in California.

The average salary for an Event Planner is $26.65 per hour. This is fairly low given the responsibilities that come along with planning events.

I applied to over 20 event staffing agencies in California to see if these metrics were accurate.

Wages ranged from $18-$30 upon hire and some even offered room for growth with milestones for hourly wage increases.

In my personal experience working in event staffing, I’ve seen jobs range from $18-$62 hour depending on the level of service, and budget of event. The average hourly is typically between $20-$27/hr.

Why People Choose Event Staffing Jobs:

Flexibility - Employees in event staffing can choose which shifts they work and aren’t penalized for having other commitments.

Travel Pay - When events are out of a staffing agencies general radius of servicing, employees are given travel pay.

Minimum Hours - In the event staffing industry there are minimum hourly requirements. Most event staffing agencies have 4-5 hour minimums. Even if you work less, you still get paid for the minimum time.

Tips - Gratuity is never guaranteed, but is known as an industry standard when it comes to private events.

Where To Find Event Staffing Jobs in California:

Elevate Events is currently hiring, check out our careers page to learn how to apply.