Salaries of Fund Raisers Rose by 5% Last Year, a New Study Finds

Salaries of fund raisers in the United States rose by 5 percent last year, to a median $63,000 — meaning

that half earned more and half earned less — according to the annual compensation survey by the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

The highest-paid fund raisers, those in the top 25 percent, made more than $85,000, while the lowest-paid fund raisers, those in the bottom quarter, earned $48,000 or less.

The survey also found that fund raisers in Canada earned a higher median salary than those in the United States. Fund raisers in Canada earned the American equivalent of $69,316 last year.

The survey was based on data from 3,644 of the association’s nearly 30,000 members (3,179 Americans and 465 Canadians). Most of the respondents, 73 percent, were women, reflecting a female majority among fund raisers that has grown increasingly pronounced over the past several years.

However, as in every other year the survey has been conducted, women were paid less than men, especially in the United States.

Men working for American causes earned a median of $76,000 last year, or $16,000 more than the median pay for female fund raisers. However, those women’s salaries rose by a higher percentage last year, 4.3 percent, compared with a 1.3-percent median increase for men. Fund raisers at Canadian groups reported a similar gender gap, but at $8,000, it was half as large as the American gap.

High Turnover

While 50 percent or more of the fund raisers in both countries said they planned to remain in their current jobs indefinitely, the survey suggested that high turnover continued to be a problem for the groups that employed them: More than 45 percent of fund raisers said they had been in their current jobs for less than a year.

The study also found that the fund-raising profession continues to struggle to recruit minorities. Of the 3,603 fund raisers in the United States who answered a question about their ethnic background, 92 percent said they were white. Two percent were black, and Asian and Hispanic fund raisers each represented 1 percent of all respondents. Even smaller percentages were reported for Native Americans, Alaskan Natives, and multiethnic backgrounds.

Among other highlights from the survey:

• Asked about their biggest on-the-job problems, fund raisers most often cited an insufficient number of staff members at their organizations (24 percent), leaders who did not appreciate or understand fund raising (17 percent), and other duties that competed with their fund-raising work (16 percent).
• Fund raisers at scientific or research organizations earned the most among employees of American organizations ($83,000), followed by employees of consulting companies ($79,000), and trade and professional groups ($72,000). The lowest median salaries were found in federated organizations like United Ways ($50,000), social-service groups ($55,000), and civic and public-affairs groups or government agencies (both $59,000).
• Most fund raisers received medical insurance as part of their job benefits. In the United States, 93 percent of fund raisers said they had health insurance, with 79 percent reporting they also had dental insurance.
• Fund raisers’ salaries rose with their level of experience. Fund raisers in the United States with less than four years of experience earned a median of $46,999, while those with 30 or more years of experience commanded a median salary of $116,000.

A full copy of the survey is available free online in the Member Gateway section of the association’s Web site. Nonmembers may purchase a copy of the survey for $85. To order a copy, send an e-mail message to profadv@afpnet.org.