All careersBusiness & finance

Fundraiser

$72,550
median / year
$46,630 – $115,820
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Plan campaigns and events to raise money and build relationships with donors for an organization.

You may also see this posted as: Contract Grant Writer, Development Officer, Fundraising Consultant, Philanthropy Officer, Development Associate, Direct Response Consultant.

Where you work

Offices, events, and donor visits

The hours

Full time, some evenings and weekends

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • Identify and build relationships with potential donors.
  • Secure commitments of participation or donation from individuals or corporate donors.
  • Write and send letters of thanks to donors.
  • Solicit cash or in-kind donations or sponsorships from individual, business, or government donors.
  • Create or update donor databases.

Good fit if you like…

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Social

helping, teaching, caring for, or supporting other people

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

Social OrientationAchievement OrientationOptimismDependability

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Blackbaud The Raiser's EdgeMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft Word

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$72,550
per year
Hourly median
$34.88
per hour
What most earn
$46,630–$115,820
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~10,200
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+4.3%
About average
Working in the U.S.
111,040
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 1.9% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's in communications or related.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: None.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

CommunicationOrganizationPersuasionEvent planning

The honest take

Raises money for nonprofits, campaigns, and causes by organizing donors and events.

Standard Occupational Classification 13-1131. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.