Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
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.
Top skills:SpeakingCritical ThinkingSocial PerceptivenessPersuasionActive ListeningWriting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Fundraising Manager pay by experience level
Entry level$78,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$99,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$130,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$176,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$230,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+4.2%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
3,600
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Fundraising Manager salary by industry
Educational Services
12,760 workers
$148,500
Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations
11,480 workers
$145,000
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
9,170 workers
$152,000
Educational Services, Privately Owned
8,440 workers
$150,000
Grantmaking and Giving Services
6,700 workers
$151,500
Educational Services, State Government Owned
3,440 workers
$149,000
Social Assistance
3,210 workers
$115,000
Social Advocacy Organizations
2,590 workers
$143,500
Hospitals
2,030 workers
$171,500
Elementary and Secondary Schools
1,810 workers
$146,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Fundraising Manager pays 1% above the average across 58 roles in the Management job family (family average $144,000).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Fundraising Manager make?
The average base salary for a Fundraising Manager in the United States is $145,000 per year, or about $69.71 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $99,500 and $176,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Management roles?
The Management job family averages $144,000 across 58 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Fundraising Manager pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.