Fundraisers: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Business and Financial Operations · SOC 13-1131 · O*NET 13-1131.00
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.
Fundraisers fall under the Business and Financial Operations category in the U.S. occupational classification. Fundraisers earn a median salary of $66,490 per year, ranking in the top 37% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +4.3% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do fundraisers earn?
The median annual wage for fundraisers is $66,490. That puts fundraisers at #297 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $43,200 |
| 25th percentile | $52,590 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $66,490 |
| 75th percentile | $85,280 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $106,960 |
| Median hourly wage | $31.97/hr |
Is fundraisers a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for fundraisers is +4.3%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 134K positions in 2024 to 140K in 2034, a net change of 6K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do fundraisers do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working fundraisers, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Develop or implement fundraising activities, such as annual giving campaigns or direct mail programs.
- 2.Compile or develop materials to submit to granting or other funding organizations.
- 3.Recruit sponsors, participants, or volunteers for fundraising events.
- 4.Contact corporate representatives, government officials, or community leaders to increase awareness of organizational causes, activities, or needs.
- 5.Write reports or prepare presentations to communicate fundraising program data.
- 6.Monitor budgets, expense reports, or other financial data for fundraising organizations.
- 7.Plan and direct special events for fundraising, such as silent auctions, dances, golf events, or walks.
- 8.Direct or coordinate Web-based fundraising activities, such as online auctions or donation Web sites.
Top skills for fundraisers
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become fundraiser?
The standard path into fundraisers begins with a bachelor's degree in a related field, followed by entry-level experience or internships during college. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about fundraisers
What is the median salary for fundraisers?
The median annual salary for fundraisers is $66,490 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is fundraisers a growing career?
BLS projects +4.3% growth for fundraisers from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become fundraiser?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to fundraisers?
Related occupations within the Business and Financial Operations category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.