Fundraising managers salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $75,130 | $36.12 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $125,470 | $60.32 |
| Mean (average) | $140,020 | $67.32 |
| 90th percentile | $222,350 | $106.90 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Fundraising managers pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 49 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $83,700 | $59,760 | $160,290 | 210 | 0.39 |
| Alaska | $103,090 | $80,150 | $134,010 | 110 | 1.41 |
| Arizona | $116,470 | $65,560 | $227,380 | 530 | 0.65 |
| Arkansas | $71,110 | $60,150 | $143,670 | 150 | 0.46 |
| California | $135,870 | $84,730 | $257,500 | 5,430 | 1.2 |
| Colorado | $130,010 | $85,670 | $209,460 | 600 | 0.84 |
| Connecticut | $122,540 | $83,350 | $209,840 | 900 | 2.14 |
| Delaware | $131,750 | $95,540 | $213,940 | 120 | 0.99 |
| District of Columbia | $141,720 | $106,470 | $221,580 | 800 | 4.59 |
| Florida | $97,240 | $71,230 | $206,360 | 1,320 | 0.53 |
| Georgia | $113,050 | $74,570 | $181,170 | 680 | 0.56 |
| Hawaii | $93,910 | $76,450 | $158,670 | 240 | 1.56 |
| Idaho | $87,990 | $61,310 | $164,630 | 70 | 0.32 |
| Illinois | $106,290 | $67,700 | $173,390 | 2,860 | 1.88 |
| Indiana | $112,890 | $73,590 | $221,880 | 440 | 0.55 |
| Iowa | $98,700 | $58,390 | $148,340 | 370 | 0.94 |
| Kansas | $121,210 | $84,670 | $207,550 | 160 | 0.45 |
| Kentucky | $124,770 | $79,160 | $197,150 | 210 | 0.42 |
| Louisiana | $122,150 | $72,500 | $129,390 | 50 | 0.11 |
| Maine | $116,470 | $80,340 | $171,280 | 220 | 1.41 |
| Maryland | $130,750 | $82,570 | $220,590 | 810 | 1.17 |
| Massachusetts | $151,740 | $92,650 | $277,040 | 2,260 | 2.49 |
| Michigan | $113,360 | $72,760 | $194,500 | 880 | 0.8 |
| Minnesota | $126,920 | $89,690 | $205,010 | 680 | 0.93 |
| Mississippi | $82,620 | $64,390 | $144,860 | 70 | 0.24 |
| Missouri | $111,120 | $67,090 | $212,680 | ||
| Montana | Data unavailable | 170 | 1.33 | ||
| Nebraska | $97,230 | $63,270 | $179,670 | 400 | 1.57 |
| Nevada | $106,420 | $70,610 | $186,160 | 150 | 0.4 |
| New Hampshire | $157,080 | $92,990 | $230,930 | 270 | 1.56 |
| New Jersey | $140,500 | $98,650 | $215,260 | 750 | 0.7 |
| New Mexico | $101,680 | $48,280 | $171,900 | 70 | 0.3 |
| New York | $169,510 | $102,040 | $304,970 | 4,080 | 1.69 |
| North Carolina | $125,870 | $78,680 | $212,020 | 1,030 | 0.83 |
| North Dakota | $121,750 | $69,410 | $203,010 | 30 | 0.32 |
| Ohio | $101,470 | $61,200 | $184,840 | 1,630 | 1.17 |
| Oklahoma | $122,100 | $82,850 | $240,570 | 220 | 0.51 |
| Oregon | $103,870 | $64,260 | $159,310 | 1,160 | 2.37 |
| Pennsylvania | $111,280 | $77,230 | $190,360 | 1,950 | 1.29 |
| Rhode Island | $155,970 | $99,160 | $249,990 | 220 | 1.73 |
| South Carolina | $103,240 | $65,600 | $194,580 | 220 | 0.39 |
| Tennessee | $107,760 | $61,180 | $192,550 | 300 | 0.36 |
| Texas | $96,520 | $64,150 | $164,360 | 2,560 | 0.73 |
| Utah | $95,190 | $55,120 | $177,610 | 130 | 0.31 |
| Vermont | $129,170 | $91,210 | $197,440 | 180 | 2.35 |
| Virginia | $143,730 | $87,010 | $227,110 | 880 | 0.85 |
| Washington | $137,010 | $96,160 | $226,690 | 1,050 | 1.19 |
| West Virginia | $74,400 | $57,890 | $132,610 | 100 | 0.56 |
| Wisconsin | $123,090 | $71,040 | $225,360 | 400 | 0.55 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for fundraising managers
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 3,700. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for fundraising managers
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- 5 years or more
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Communication, General CIP 09.0100
- Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication CIP 09.0900
- Public Relations/Image Management CIP 09.0902
- Communication Management and Strategic Communications CIP 09.0909
- Non-Profit/Public/Organizational Management CIP 52.0206
- Organizational Leadership CIP 52.0213
- Grantsmanship CIP 52.0502
- Marketing/Marketing Management, General CIP 52.1401
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical tasks
- Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.
- Manage fundraising budgets.
- Develop fundraising activity plans that maximize participation or contributions and minimize costs.
- Plan and direct special events for fundraising, such as silent auctions, dances, golf events, or walks.
- Establish goals for soliciting funds, develop policies for collection and safeguarding of contributions, and coordinate disbursement of funds.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with clients, government officials, and media representatives and use these relationships to develop new fundraising opportunities.
- Compile or develop materials to submit to granting or other funding organizations.
- Contact corporate representatives, government officials, or community leaders to increase awareness of organizational causes, activities, or needs.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft Outlook (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- Microsoft Word (in demand)
- Salesforce software (in demand)
- Blackbaud The Raiser's Edge (in demand)
- Adobe Acrobat (hot technology)
- Adobe After Effects (hot technology)
- Adobe Creative Cloud software (hot technology)
- Adobe Illustrator (hot technology)
- Adobe InDesign (hot technology)
- Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Facebook (hot technology)
- Google Analytics (hot technology)
- Google Docs (hot technology)
Transferable skills for career changers: Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Coordination, Judgment and Decision Making, Complex Problem Solving, Time Management.
Common job titles: Advancement Director, Annual Giving Director, Development Director, Donor Engagement Director, Foundation Director, Fundraising Manager, Individual Giving Director, Individual Giving Manager, Institutional Advancement VP (Institutional Advancement Vice President), Major Gifts Director.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do fundraising managers make?
The national median annual wage for fundraising managers was $125,470 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $75,130 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $222,350. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do fundraising managers need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with 5 years or more of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is fundraising managers a growing career?
BLS projects employment of fundraising managers to change +5.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 3,700 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay fundraising managers the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were New York ($169,510), New Hampshire ($157,080), Rhode Island ($155,970). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.