Financial Manager
Median wage · national
$166,570
Range: $125K – $220K
Employed
842K
Openings/yr
66K
Typically: bachelor's degree
BUSINESS
Fundraising Managers
With a national median of $125,470 and +5.4% projected job growth through 2035, Fundraising Managers offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
About Fundraising Managers
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a fundraising managers: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Business Administration and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Plan, direct, or coordinate activities to solicit and maintain funds for special projects or nonprofit organizations.
- Median Wage
- $125,470
- Employed Nationally
- 39K
- Openings / Year
- 3,700
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
Also known as:
Account Manager
Account Supervisor
Advancement Director
Annual Giving Director
Campaign Manager
How Much Do Fundraising Managers Make?
Most fundraising managers take home around $125,470 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $95,970 and $169,990, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$125,470
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$96K–$170K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$95,970
Entry-level
$125,470
Median
$169,990
Experienced
What Do Fundraising Managers Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Critical Thinking
Speaking
Persuasion
Social Perceptiveness
Active Listening
Who Thrives Here
E
Enterprising
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
C
Conventional
Success depends on precision and structured processes, where detail-oriented people who work consistently within established systems perform best.
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
Where Do Fundraising Managers Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Fundraising Managers?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +5.4%, meaning it is growing at about the same pace as everything else, so expect steady demand. Around 3,700 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +5.4%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
About as fast as average.
3,700
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
39K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Fundraising Managers professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $125,470 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 5,430 | $135,870 | +8.3% |
| 2 | New York | 4,080 | $169,510 | +35.1% |
| 3 | Illinois | 2,860 | $106,290 | -15.3% |
| 4 | Texas | 2,560 | $96,520 | -23.1% |
| 5 | Massachusetts | 2,260 | $151,740 | +20.9% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 5 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Communication & Media program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 4: Considerable Preparation
These positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business Administration | 395,227 | $68,257 | 2,611 |
| 2 | Communication & Media | 56,620 | $56,359 | 1,406 |
| 3 | Marketing | 52,820 | $69,303 | 1,164 |
| 4 | Public Relations | 20,666 | $63,560 | 608 |
| 5 | Business Operations Support | 837 | $65,784 | 80 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Fundraising Managers
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United States Coast Guard Academy New London, CT | 96 | — | — |
| 2 | United States Air Force Academy USAF Academy, CO | 96 | — | — |
| 3 | United States Military Academy West Point, NY | 96 | — | — |
| 4 | CUNY Bernard M Baruch College New York, NY | 93 | $3,033 | $75,971 |
| 5 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | 93 | $12,470 | $84,943 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Fundraising Managers, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Fundraising Managers pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Fundraising Managers Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Fundraising Managers a compelling path. The 3 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $125,470 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Steady job outlook The BLS projects +5.4% growth through 2035, keeping pace with the national average. Demand is stable and annual openings remain consistent.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $169,990 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- Multi-year ramp before career-level pay This is a Job Zone 4 occupation, these positions typically require a bachelor's degree and several years of related experience before advancing into senior roles. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $125,470 median while building the experience employers require.
Fundraising Managers Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Fundraising Managers professionals earn?
Around $125,470 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $95,970 and $169,990. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Fundraising Managers a good career?
Yes, the data is strong. Median pay of $125,470 with +5.4% projected growth through 2035 is a combination most fields cannot match. The real variable is early career: workers around the 25th percentile earn $95,970, so your first employer and location will shape your trajectory more than the national number suggests.
How long does it take to work as Fundraising Managers?
Expect 4 years of undergraduate education followed by 2 or more years of field experience before most employers consider you qualified for career-level positions. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Business Administration are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $125,470 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Fundraising Managers?
Employment is projected to change by +5.4% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 3,700 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 39K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
Why do Fundraising Managers salaries vary so widely?
The $74,020 gap between the 25th ($95,970) and 75th ($169,990) percentile reflects how much employer type, industry, specialization, and geography affect pay. Entry-level roles and lower-demand markets cluster near the bottom; senior, specialized, or high-cost-metro positions push the top. In fields with this much spread, where you work and what you specialize in often matters more than years of experience.
What skills do Fundraising Managers professionals need?
Mainly Critical Thinking, Speaking, Persuasion, Social Perceptiveness, and Active Listening. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
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- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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