Most Fund Raisers Didn’t Receive Raises Last Year

Most fund raisers didn’t get a raise last year, according to a report released today.

Fund raisers across the country earned a median of $65,000 in 2010, meaning that half earned more and half less. The survey was based on data from 2,400 fund raisers provided to the Association of Fundraising Professionals.

Fund raisers at professional associations earned the most, with a median of $80,000, followed by those who worked at scientific or research groups ($77,500).

The lowest-paid fund raisers worked for government-related organizations, at a median of $52,250, followed by those at arts and cultural groups ($57,250).

Among the other findings:

• Fund raisers at the biggest institutions earned the most, with development officers at organizations with budgets of $75-million or more earning a median of $88,660. But those fund raisers suffered the biggest drop in pay (5.7 percent from 2009).
• Women continue to earn less than men. Salaries for women were a median of $62,000, while median pay for men was $77,375.
• Fund raisers who have made the effort to get professional certification did much better than those who did not. People who hold professional credentials such as Certified Fundraising Executives earned $25,000 more last year than those without them.

Salaries May Rise

Association officials said they saw signs that the growing number of jobs available for fund raisers could cause employers to decide to push salaries up in 2011 as competition for top fund raisers rises.

Forty-one percent of fund raisers said they had looked for a new job in the past year. And three out of five fund raisers had thought about looking for another position, citing a higher salary as the No. 1 reason for a move.

Already in the past year, many fund raisers have found new jobs. Twenty-three percent said they had been with their current employer for a year or less.

Free copies of the full survey, “2011 Compensation and Benefits Study,” are available to members of the association. Nonmembers may purchase copies for $95.