Professional Fundraiser Salary in the United States

How much does a Professional Fundraiser make in the United States?

As of May 01, 2026, the average salary for a Professional Fundraiser in the United States is $73,145 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

However, a Professional Fundraiser's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $95,603
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $62,338 to $84,901
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $52,499
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View as table View as graph 25% $62,338 10% $52,499 90% $95,603 75% $84,901 $73,145 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Professional Fundraiser Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $84,901 $7,075 $1,633 $41
Average $73,145 $6,095 $1,407 $35
25th Percentile $62,338 $5,195 $1,199 $30
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Key Factors That Influence Professional Fundraiser Salaries

A Professional Fundraiser's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Professional Fundraiser Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Professional Fundraiser's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $75,397
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $80,803
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $99,663
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $112,757
  • Expert (over 8 years): $147,469
Levels Salary
Professio... Level Professional Fundraiser$75,397
Developme... Level Professional Fundraiser$80,803
Developme... Level Professional Fundraiser$99,663
Developme... Level Professional Fundraiser$112,757
Developme... Level Professional Fundraiser$147,469
$75,397 0 yr
$80,803 < 2 yrs
$99,663 2-4 yrs
$112,757 5-8 yrs
$147,469 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

How Do Professional Fundraiser Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Professional Fundraisers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

  • District of Columbia: $80,986.
  • California: $80,679.
  • Massachusetts: $79,604.

Top Paying Cities for Professional Fundraisers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $92,258
  • San Francisco: $91,248
  • Oakland: $89,325

What Skills Can Increase a Professional Fundraiser's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Initiative (Mentioned in 4.64% Job Postings): Taking decisive action and initiating plans independently to address problems, improve professional life, and achieve goals.
  • Microsoft Office (Mentioned in 1.51% Job Postings): Microsoft Office is a suite of desktop productivity applications that is designed by Microsoft for business use. You can create documents containing text and images, work with data in spreadsheets and databases, create presentations and posters.
  • CRM (Mentioned in 0.55% Job Postings): Customer relationship management (CRM) is a technology for managing all your company's relationships and interactions with customers and potential customers.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Initiative 4.64%
Microsoft Office 1.51%
CRM 0.55%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Professional Fundraiser's salary.
  • Quality Assurance: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Trading: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Data Analysis: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Quality Assurance
$78,265
7%
Trading
$77,534
6%
Data Analysis
$77,534
6%
Project Management
$76,802
5%
Salesforce
$76,802
5%
Analytical Skills
$76,802
5%
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How Education impacts a Professional Fundraiser's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Professional Fundraisers enter the field with a No Diploma degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Professional Fundraiser with a No Diploma is between $70,001 and $77,096).

Professional Fundraiser Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Professional Fundraiser
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.3%
High School 5.2%
Associates 3.8%
Bachelors 67.1%
Masters 23.7%
Doctorate 0.0%
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Professional Fundraiser Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Professional Fundraiser's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Professional Fundraiser

Salaries for a Professional Fundraiser can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $59,262 in 2023 to around $58,444 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Professional Fundraiser salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Professional Fundraiser Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$59,262
2024
$59,093
2025
$58,444
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $59,262
2024 $59,093
2025 $58,444
2026
View More
2027
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Most common benefits for Professional Fundraiser

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Professional Fundraiser

Here are companies hiring for Professional Fundraiser and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Professional Fundraiser Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Professional Fundraiser job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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