Fundraisers
Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials. May also raise awareness of the organization's work, goals, and financial needs.
What it pays
Fundraisers earn a median of $34.88/hr — about $72,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.42/hr; the top 10% earn $55.68/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
Fundraisers earn a median of $34.88/hr — about $72,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $22.42/hr; the top 10% earn $55.68/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)
What you'd actually do
- 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.
- Develop strategies to encourage new or increased contributions.
How you get there
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
The feel of the work
You're around people constantly. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)
Working for yourself
About 1.9% of fundraisers are self-employed.
Who it tends to fit
This work tends to fit people who are take-charge, people-focused and organized and detail-focused.
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Quick questions
- How much does a fundraiser make?
- The median pay is $34.88 per hour — roughly $72,500 a year, with the real range running from about $22.42/hr (10th percentile) to $55.68/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Do you need a degree to be a fundraiser?
- The typical entry-level education is: Bachelor's degree. Overall preparation level: considerable preparation (Job Zone 4 of 5).
- What does a fundraiser actually do all day?
- 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.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.
Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.