Fundraisers
Fundraisers (SOC 13-1131) earn a median $72,550 a year ($34.88 an hour) in the United States, with 111,040 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is District of Columbia.
What fundraisers do
Fundraisers organize activities that raise money or gather other gifts for an organization. The work centers on people: identifying potential donors, building relationships with them, and securing commitments of donations, sponsorships, or participation from individual, business, or government donors. Fundraisers write thank-you letters, keep donor databases current, compile materials for granting organizations, and carry out activities such as annual giving campaigns and direct mail programs, and they may design promotional materials. They also help raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs. Titles include development officer, annual giving officer, and capital campaign fundraiser. Fundraisers differ from fundraising managers, who plan and direct campaigns and supervise a staff, and from public relations specialists, who concentrate on public image rather than donations. Strategies to encourage new or increased contributions are also part of the job.
Typical entry: O*NET respondents most often report a bachelor's degree as the typical level of education for this occupation.
Also called: Annual Giving Coordinator, Annual Giving Officer, Campaign Fundraiser, Capital Campaign Fundraiser, Community Fundraiser.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $22.42 | $27.63 | $34.88 | $44.32 | $55.68 | $37.12 | 111,040 |
| Annual | $46,630 | $57,480 | $72,550 | $92,180 | $115,820 | $77,200 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where fundraisers earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| District of Columbia | Hourly | $28.44 | $31.29 | $38.87 | $49.37 | $68.22 | $43.46 | 2,350 | 3.35 | 4.69 |
| Annual | $59,150 | $65,080 | $80,840 | $102,690 | $141,910 | $90,400 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $25.80 | $31.12 | $38.72 | $48.68 | $63.71 | $42.08 | 11,600 | 1.20 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $53,670 | $64,720 | $80,540 | $101,250 | $132,510 | $87,530 | ||||
| Maryland | Hourly | $26.46 | $32.07 | $38.36 | $45.95 | $51.54 | $39.96 | 2,010 | 0.73 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $55,040 | $66,710 | $79,780 | $95,580 | $107,190 | $83,110 | ||||
| California | Hourly | $24.20 | $29.98 | $38.32 | $49.01 | $63.33 | $41.50 | 12,860 | 0.71 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $50,340 | $62,360 | $79,710 | $101,930 | $131,720 | $86,320 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $24.80 | $29.12 | $38.01 | $49.51 | $61.66 | $40.52 | 6,160 | 1.69 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $51,580 | $60,570 | $79,060 | $102,990 | $128,260 | $84,270 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $24.20 | $29.98 | $38.32 | $49.01 | $63.33 | $41.50 | 12,860 | 0.71 | 0.99 |
| Annual | $50,340 | $62,360 | $79,710 | $101,930 | $131,720 | $86,320 | ||||
| New York | Hourly | $25.80 | $31.12 | $38.72 | $48.68 | $63.71 | $42.08 | 11,600 | 1.20 | 1.68 |
| Annual | $53,670 | $64,720 | $80,540 | $101,250 | $132,510 | $87,530 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $21.69 | $26.55 | $30.64 | $39.03 | $47.53 | $33.93 | 6,180 | 1.02 | 1.43 |
| Annual | $45,110 | $55,230 | $63,730 | $81,190 | $98,870 | $70,570 | ||||
| Massachusetts | Hourly | $24.80 | $29.12 | $38.01 | $49.51 | $61.66 | $40.52 | 6,160 | 1.69 | 2.37 |
| Annual | $51,580 | $60,570 | $79,060 | $102,990 | $128,260 | $84,270 | ||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $20.95 | $25.41 | $31.94 | $39.30 | $51.84 | $34.38 | 4,470 | 0.73 | 1.03 |
| Annual | $43,580 | $52,850 | $66,440 | $81,750 | $107,820 | $71,500 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | Hourly | $31.86 | $39.95 | $51.33 | $51.33 | $65.33 | $49.59 | 1,060 | 0.94 | 1.31 |
| Annual | $66,270 | $83,090 | $106,760 | $106,760 | $135,880 | $103,150 | ||||
| Merced, CA | Hourly | $24.34 | $26.57 | $40.66 | $44.11 | $62.93 | $40.94 | 40 | 0.46 | 0.65 |
| Annual | $50,640 | $55,270 | $84,570 | $91,740 | $130,900 | $85,160 | ||||
| Logan, UT-ID | Hourly | $25.53 | $31.23 | $40.43 | $41.69 | $52.05 | $38.09 | 110 | 1.66 | 2.32 |
| Annual | $53,090 | $64,950 | $84,090 | $86,710 | $108,270 | $79,220 | ||||
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | Hourly | $25.66 | $30.96 | $40.30 | $49.34 | $65.66 | $42.26 | 170 | 0.73 | 1.02 |
| Annual | $53,380 | $64,390 | $83,830 | $102,620 | $136,580 | $87,890 | ||||
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | Hourly | $24.20 | $31.10 | $39.87 | $50.97 | $65.87 | $43.96 | 3,020 | 1.27 | 1.78 |
| Annual | $50,340 | $64,680 | $82,930 | $106,020 | $137,010 | $91,430 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $27.68 | $32.58 | $39.51 | $49.60 | $64.90 | $43.47 | 9,520 | 1.00 | 1.40 |
| Annual | $57,570 | $67,760 | $82,180 | $103,170 | $134,990 | $90,420 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $25.82 | $29.79 | $38.62 | $49.72 | $63.17 | $41.78 | 4,620 | 1.71 | 2.39 |
| Annual | $53,700 | $61,960 | $80,340 | $103,420 | $131,380 | $86,910 | ||||
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | Hourly | $27.94 | $30.04 | $38.75 | $49.09 | $65.45 | $42.44 | 4,450 | 1.42 | 1.99 |
| Annual | $58,120 | $62,490 | $80,610 | $102,110 | $136,130 | $88,270 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $25.05 | $29.89 | $37.28 | $47.10 | $62.05 | $40.02 | 4,230 | 0.68 | 0.95 |
| Annual | $52,090 | $62,160 | $77,550 | $97,970 | $129,070 | $83,240 | ||||
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | Hourly | $21.18 | $26.10 | $34.88 | $40.23 | $53.43 | $35.35 | 3,540 | 0.78 | 1.10 |
| Annual | $44,050 | $54,280 | $72,550 | $83,680 | $111,130 | $73,520 | ||||
Top industries employing fundraisers
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools employ 16.6% of fundraisers nationally (18,420 jobs) at a median $79,120 a year ($38.04 an hour), followed by Grantmaking and Giving Services (16.2%) and Social Advocacy Organizations (8.0%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools NAICS 611300 | 18,420 | 16.6% | $79,120 | $38.04 |
| Grantmaking and Giving Services NAICS 813200 | 17,990 | 16.2% | $76,860 | $36.95 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations NAICS 813300 | 8,860 | 8.0% | $73,610 | $35.39 |
| Individual and Family Services NAICS 624100 | 7,110 | 6.4% | $63,640 | $30.59 |
| Elementary and Secondary Schools NAICS 611100 | 5,420 | 4.9% | $73,530 | $35.35 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (111,040). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $60,660 for fundraisers in May 2021 and $72,550 in May 2025, with employment of 82,080 and 111,040.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $60,660 | $29.17 | 82,080 |
| May 2022 | $61,190 | $29.42 | 94,630 |
| May 2023 | $64,160 | $30.85 | 101,730 |
| May 2024 | $66,490 | $31.97 | 105,930 |
| May 2025 | $72,550 | $34.88 | 111,040 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia profile | $38.87 | $80,840 | $59,150 | $141,910 | 2,350 | 3.35 | 4.69 |
| 2 | New York profile | $38.72 | $80,540 | $53,670 | $132,510 | 11,600 | 1.20 | 1.68 |
| 3 | Maryland profile | $38.36 | $79,780 | $55,040 | $107,190 | 2,010 | 0.73 | 1.02 |
| 4 | California profile | $38.32 | $79,710 | $50,340 | $131,720 | 12,860 | 0.71 | 0.99 |
| 5 | Massachusetts profile | $38.01 | $79,060 | $51,580 | $128,260 | 6,160 | 1.69 | 2.37 |
| 6 | Washington profile | $37.98 | $79,000 | $51,110 | $120,060 | 3,870 | 1.09 | 1.53 |
| 7 | Connecticut profile | $37.37 | $77,730 | $52,780 | $121,850 | 1,350 | 0.80 | 1.12 |
| 8 | New Jersey profile | $37.10 | $77,170 | $51,490 | $129,990 | 1,950 | 0.46 | 0.64 |
| 9 | Minnesota profile | $36.98 | $76,910 | $51,130 | $108,980 | 3,190 | 1.08 | 1.51 |
| 10 | North Dakota profile | $36.56 | $76,040 | $52,000 | $119,550 | 340 | 0.78 | 1.09 |
| 11 | Rhode Island profile | $36.25 | $75,410 | $51,580 | $108,860 | 1,000 | 1.99 | 2.78 |
| 12 | Colorado profile | $35.79 | $74,440 | $50,320 | $113,720 | 2,470 | 0.86 | 1.20 |
| 13 | Virginia profile | $34.91 | $72,610 | $46,810 | $122,140 | 4,010 | 0.98 | 1.37 |
| 14 | Vermont profile | $34.87 | $72,530 | $51,100 | $102,550 | 510 | 1.68 | 2.35 |
| 15 | Louisiana profile | $34.63 | $72,030 | $33,930 | $107,180 | 330 | 0.17 | 0.24 |
| 16 | Georgia profile | $34.62 | $72,010 | $48,160 | $104,460 | 2,690 | 0.55 | 0.77 |
| 17 | Wyoming profile | $34.28 | $71,310 | $46,200 | $98,790 | 90 | 0.31 | 0.43 |
| 18 | Delaware profile | $34.26 | $71,250 | $46,100 | $105,060 | 320 | 0.65 | 0.91 |
| 19 | Nevada profile | $32.95 | $68,530 | $46,630 | $93,870 | 310 | 0.20 | 0.28 |
| 20 | Kentucky profile | $32.82 | $68,270 | $42,220 | $106,590 | 1,030 | 0.52 | 0.72 |
| 21 | Nebraska profile | $32.71 | $68,030 | $46,090 | $102,100 | 770 | 0.76 | 1.06 |
| 22 | South Dakota profile | $32.11 | $66,800 | $53,940 | $119,210 | 80 | 0.18 | 0.25 |
| 23 | Maine profile | $32.11 | $66,790 | $48,890 | $101,160 | 930 | 1.45 | 2.03 |
| 24 | Illinois profile | $31.94 | $66,440 | $43,580 | $107,820 | 4,470 | 0.73 | 1.03 |
| 25 | New Hampshire profile | $31.86 | $66,260 | $47,860 | $109,900 | 810 | 1.19 | 1.66 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | $31.85 | $66,250 | $46,070 | $100,230 | 2,080 | 0.65 | 0.91 |
| 27 | Michigan profile | $31.79 | $66,130 | $43,620 | $106,100 | 3,170 | 0.72 | 1.01 |
| 28 | North Carolina profile | $31.78 | $66,100 | $45,280 | $104,600 | 3,700 | 0.75 | 1.05 |
| 29 | Wisconsin profile | $31.67 | $65,880 | $43,870 | $100,750 | 2,130 | 0.72 | 1.01 |
| 30 | New Mexico profile | $31.46 | $65,440 | $44,510 | $95,890 | 330 | 0.38 | 0.52 |
| 31 | Kansas profile | $31.16 | $64,820 | $43,230 | $103,680 | 1,100 | 0.76 | 1.07 |
| 32 | Florida profile | $30.96 | $64,390 | $40,880 | $128,100 | ** | ** | ** |
| 33 | Arizona profile | $30.85 | $64,180 | $40,790 | $97,830 | 1,580 | 0.49 | 0.68 |
| 34 | Ohio profile | $30.81 | $64,080 | $43,980 | $104,220 | 3,460 | 0.62 | 0.87 |
| 35 | Oregon profile | $30.81 | $64,080 | $48,150 | $100,890 | 2,090 | 1.06 | 1.49 |
| 36 | Oklahoma profile | $30.74 | $63,950 | $44,990 | $102,910 | 950 | 0.55 | 0.78 |
| 37 | Iowa profile | $30.74 | $63,930 | $46,340 | $104,040 | 1,230 | 0.79 | 1.11 |
| 38 | Missouri profile | $30.70 | $63,860 | $44,290 | $100,090 | 1,670 | 0.57 | 0.80 |
| 39 | Hawaii profile | $30.65 | $63,750 | $45,940 | $93,180 | 440 | 0.70 | 0.98 |
| 40 | Pennsylvania profile | $30.64 | $63,730 | $45,110 | $98,870 | 6,180 | 1.02 | 1.43 |
| 41 | Alaska profile | $30.17 | $62,750 | $52,000 | $93,860 | 290 | 0.89 | 1.25 |
| 42 | South Carolina profile | $30.16 | $62,720 | $46,590 | $104,610 | 1,200 | 0.52 | 0.73 |
| 43 | Utah profile | $29.72 | $61,820 | $38,810 | $99,490 | 920 | 0.53 | 0.74 |
| 44 | Tennessee profile | $29.51 | $61,370 | $40,500 | $96,690 | 1,930 | 0.59 | 0.83 |
| 45 | Montana profile | $29.46 | $61,280 | $42,310 | $93,630 | 700 | 1.38 | 1.92 |
| 46 | Idaho profile | $29.40 | $61,150 | $45,600 | $105,370 | 380 | 0.45 | 0.62 |
| 47 | Texas profile | $29.00 | $60,320 | $39,730 | $95,770 | 4,020 | 0.29 | 0.40 |
| 48 | Alabama profile | $28.90 | $60,120 | $38,440 | $84,740 | 1,120 | 0.53 | 0.74 |
| 49 | Mississippi profile | $27.70 | $57,610 | $40,340 | $115,010 | 230 | 0.19 | 0.27 |
| 50 | West Virginia profile | $26.33 | $54,760 | $37,250 | $75,590 | 260 | 0.37 | 0.52 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $24.13 | $50,190 | $30,800 | $74,620 | 360 | 0.28 | 0.39 |
Part of Business and Financial Operations Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 13-1131 Fundraisers.
**- Employment estimate not available.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 13-1131, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 13-1131.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.