Builds relationships with wealthy donors and asks them for large gifts to universities, hospitals, museums and nonprofits. BLS does not publish separate figures for fundraisers; it counts them within fundraiser (SOC 13-1131), whose median pay is $72,550 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 13-1131
- Business and Financial Operations
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Major Gifts Officer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $72,550a year, or $34.88/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $47KTop 10% $116K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.5%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.5%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.5% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 10,000140,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025140.9K
- Projected 2035148.7K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 140.9K Projected 2035 148.7K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's90.5%
- Post-bacc certificate4.8%
- Master's4.8%
Highest education held by fundraisers Segment Value Bachelor's 90.5% Post-bacc certificate 4.8% Master's 4.8%
Also advertised as: Major Gift Officer, Director of Major Gifts, Principal Gifts Officer, Philanthropy Officer, Gift Officer.
Pay
How much do Fundraisers make?
Every major gifts officer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$72,550
Middle half earn $57,480 to $92,180
- 10th
- $46,630
- 25th
- $57,480
- 75th
- $92,180
- 90th
- $115,820
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $46,630 |
| 25th | $57,480 |
| Median | $72,550 |
| 75th | $92,180 |
| 90th | $115,820 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $72,550
- Median hourly wage
- $34.88/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $77,200
- People employed
- 111,040
Versus all US occupations
At $72,550, Fundraisers earn 42% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $21,570 a year.
Versus business and financial operations occupations
Inside the Business and Financial Operations group, where the middle occupation pays $80,730, this is 10% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $115,820 or more while the bottom 10% earn $46,630, a gap of 2.5×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 46% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
District of Columbia posts the highest raw median ($80,840), but once local prices are taken into account North Dakota leads at $85,478 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Fundraisers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1District of Columbia | $80,840 | $73,557 | 2,350 |
| 2New York | $80,540 | $74,629 | 11,600 |
| 3Maryland | $79,780 | $76,011 | 2,010 |
| 4California | $79,710 | $71,992 | 12,860 |
| 5Massachusetts | $79,060 | $74,756 | 6,160 |
| 6Washington | $79,000 | $73,823 | 3,870 |
| 7Connecticut | $77,730 | $75,022 | 1,350 |
| 8New Jersey | $77,170 | $70,925 | 1,950 |
| 9Minnesota | $76,910 | $77,985 | 3,190 |
| 10North Dakota | $76,040 | $85,478 | 340 |
Job outlook
Is Major Gifts Officer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.5% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Fundraisers | +5.5% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Fundraisers to change 5.5% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 7,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 10,000 openings are projected each year, 7.1% of the 140,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Major Gifts Officer
Most major gifts officers have a bachelor's degree in any field. Many start in annual giving, alumni relations, event planning or sales and move into frontline fundraising after a few years. Experience managing relationships and comfort asking for money matter more than a specific degree.
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) and the Council for Advancement and Support of Education support the field with training and ethics standards. The Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential requires documented fundraising experience, education and a passing exam. Universities and hospitals often hire officers with no fundraising background who have strong sales or client relationship experience and train them on the job.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as fundraisers.
- Bachelor's Degree90.5%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate4.8%
- Master's Degree4.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 90.5% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.8% |
| Master's Degree | 4.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Major Gifts Officer do?
Major gifts officers raise the largest donations a nonprofit receives outside of foundation grants. Each officer manages a portfolio of prospective donors, usually people who can give at a level that funds a scholarship, a building, a research program or an endowed position. The job follows a cycle: identify prospects, get meetings, learn what the donor cares about, develop a proposal and ask for the gift.
Officers spend much of their time meeting donors over coffee, at events and on campus visits, then write contact reports and plan next steps in a donor database. They work with faculty, physicians or program leaders to design giving opportunities, coordinate gift agreements involving stock or multi-year pledges, and make sure donors see the impact of their giving.
Day-to-day tasks
- Manage a portfolio of prospective major donors
- Schedule and hold discovery and cultivation meetings
- Write tailored gift proposals with program leaders
- Ask donors for gifts and negotiate gift agreements
- Record meetings and strategy in a donor database
- Plan donor events, tours and recognition
- Report back to donors on the impact of their gifts
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Major gifts officers work for universities, hospitals, museums and large nonprofits. The job involves frequent travel to meet donors, as well as evening and weekend events. Office time goes to research, writing proposals and updating donor records. Officers usually have annual goals for meetings and dollars raised.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Writing4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Active Learning3.3
- Monitoring3.1
- Mathematics3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Writing | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.9 |
| Active Learning | 3.3 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
| Mathematics | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Persuasion4.0
- Negotiation3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Service Orientation3.5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.4
- Complex Problem Solving3.3
- Systems Analysis3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Persuasion | 4.0 |
| Negotiation | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Service Orientation | 3.5 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.4 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.3 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Customer relationship management CRM software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Data base reporting software
- Desktop publishing software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Major Gifts Officer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ESC) built on O*NET's Fundraiser profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Major Gifts Officer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 1 |
| Investigative | 2 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 6 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around leading, persuading, selling and making decisions, combined with teaching, helping and working directly with other people.
- Enterprising6.0
- Social4.6
- Conventional4.3
- Artistic3.2
- Investigative2.0
- Realistic1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Major Gifts Officer
O*NET related occupations
- Business and Financial Operations
- Management
- Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media
- Management
- Management
- Business and Financial Operations
More business and financial operations careers
Median annual pay, with fundraisers highlighted
- Financial Advisor$105,070
- Accountant$83,680
- Insurance Underwriter$81,370
- Coroner$80,730
- Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator$78,000
- Loan Officer$76,690
- Human Resources Specialist$75,940
- Major Gifts Officer$72,550
- Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate$67,960
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Financial Advisor | $105,070 |
| Accountant | $83,680 |
| Insurance Underwriter | $81,370 |
| Coroner | $80,730 |
| Claims Adjuster, Examiner, and Investigator | $78,000 |
| Loan Officer | $76,690 |
| Human Resources Specialist | $75,940 |
| Major Gifts Officer | $72,550 |
| Appraiser and Assessor of Real Estate | $67,960 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Major Gifts Officer appears on
Questions
Major Gifts Officer: frequently asked questions
How much do Fundraisers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for fundraisers. It counts them within fundraiser, whose median pay is $72,550 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $57,480 and $92,180, and the top 10% earn $115,820 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Major Gifts Officer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Fundraisers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 90.5% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Major Gifts Officer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.5% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 10,000 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Major Gifts Officer do?
Major gifts officers raise the largest donations a nonprofit receives outside of foundation grants. A typical task: manage a portfolio of prospective major donors. Employers most often ask for Customer relationship management CRM software, Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software.
Which states pay Fundraisers the most?
The highest state medians for Fundraisers are District of Columbia ($80,840), New York ($80,540), Maryland ($79,780) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, North Dakota moves to the top at $85,478.
What personality type suits a Major Gifts Officer?
O*NET scores Fundraisers highest on the Enterprising, Social and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes leading, persuading, selling and making decisions with teaching, helping and working directly with other people. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ENFJ, ESFJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.