$Who Earns What

How much does a fundraising manager make?

US Fundraising Managers

Answer: A typical fundraising manager in the United States makes $125,470 a year (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

Yearly pay of a typical person doing this job in the US
$125,470

Line up 100 people; this is the one in the middle (median). about 39,000 people work in this job. Well above the US-wide typical pay ($50,980).

Lower earner
$75,130
10th from the bottom of 100
Typical person
$125,470
Right in the middle (median)
Higher earner
$222,350
10th from the top of 100

If 100 people had this job

Lowest at bottom-left, highest at top-right

Hover over a person to see their yearly pay

54 of 100
more than half

Fundraising manager pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread)

Fundraising manager pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$75,130$125,470$222,350about 39,000
States where fundraising managers earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
New York$169,510about 4,000
Massachusetts$151,740about 2,000
Virginia$143,730about 880
District of Columbia$141,720about 800
New Jersey$140,500about 750

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience, location, and the employer’s field—BLS data show differences among industries and states. A specialty such as planned giving calls for extra tax knowledge, and an optional CFRE credential can show professional skill.

What if you lived in a different state?

Pay varies a lot by state in the US
Whole US$125,470
New York$169,510
Massachusetts$151,740
Virginia$143,730
District of Columbia$141,720
New Jersey$140,500
Oregon$103,870
Ohio$101,470
Texas$96,520

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

What does a fundraising manager do?

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.

What's a typical day like?

They may start at a desk planning a donation campaign, writing a grant request, or checking progress toward the goal. Later, they might meet donors, plan an event, and guide the fundraising team.

How to get this job

In the U.S., earn a bachelor’s degree, often in communications, public relations, or business, then build several years of related experience. CFRE certification is optional and requires fundraising experience, education, and an exam.

Usually a bachelor's degree (preparation level 4 of 5)

Good for people who like leading and selling and keeping things organized.

Did you know?

Some U.S. fundraising managers specialize in planned gifts and need tax training for donations of stocks, bonds, charitable annuities, or real estate left in a will.

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Sources and data

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY