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The position of an Associate Director of Development is crucial in organizations focused on fundraising and development. As of October 2025, the average salary is reported at $108,570 per year. This figure can vary significantly based on factors like geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry you work in.
For instance, associate directors in major metropolitan areas often earn more due to the higher cost of living. States like California and New York are known for offering competitive salaries, with top earners exceeding $130,000 annually. In addition, industries such as nonprofit organizations and higher education typically provide higher compensation compared to other sectors.
Furthermore, experience plays a vital role in salary determination. Those with several years in the field, especially in leadership or strategic roles, can command higher wages. It's essential for aspiring professionals to research specific opportunities and understand the nuances of compensation in their desired locations and industries.
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The average associate director of development salary in Delaware, Nevada, and Connecticut are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average associate director of development salary states are Wyoming, Georgia, and Colorado.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $118,428 | $56.94 |
| 2 | South Dakota | $109,460 | $52.63 |
| 3 | Nevada | $125,666 | $60.42 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $124,739 | $59.97 |
| 5 | North Dakota | $108,181 | $52.01 |
| 6 | Arkansas | $103,572 | $49.79 |
| 7 | Arizona | $110,103 | $52.93 |
| 8 | Delaware | $126,854 | $60.99 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $125,260 | $60.22 |
| 10 | Massachusetts | $115,640 | $55.60 |
| 11 | New York | $123,245 | $59.25 |
| 12 | Texas | $103,266 | $49.65 |
| 13 | Kansas | $105,338 | $50.64 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $110,990 | $53.36 |
| 15 | Michigan | $100,279 | $48.21 |
| 16 | Wisconsin | $100,353 | $48.25 |
| 17 | California | $117,013 | $56.26 |
| 18 | Iowa | $92,744 | $44.59 |
| 19 | Vermont | $107,572 | $51.72 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $94,658 | $45.51 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $102,568 | $49.31 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $93,718 | $45.06 |
| 23 | Kentucky | $95,154 | $45.75 |
| 24 | Illinois | $100,125 | $48.14 |
| 25 | West Virginia | $92,708 | $44.57 |
| 26 | Maryland | $106,672 | $51.28 |
| 27 | Indiana | $93,443 | $44.92 |
| 28 | Ohio | $92,165 | $44.31 |
| 29 | Tennessee | $91,954 | $44.21 |
| 30 | Minnesota | $91,387 | $43.94 |
| 31 | Oklahoma | $85,721 | $41.21 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $90,424 | $43.47 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $93,303 | $44.86 |
| 34 | Virginia | $94,190 | $45.28 |
| 35 | Alabama | $83,273 | $40.04 |
| 36 | Missouri | $89,619 | $43.09 |
| 37 | Utah | $91,434 | $43.96 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $81,463 | $39.16 |
| 39 | Alaska | $83,592 | $40.19 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $76,844 | $36.94 |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $89,579 | $43.07 |
| 42 | Hawaii | $74,632 | $35.88 |
| 43 | Idaho | $88,628 | $42.61 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $83,306 | $40.05 |
| 45 | Georgia | $79,417 | $38.18 |
| 46 | Oregon | $84,959 | $40.85 |
| 47 | Montana | $84,450 | $40.60 |
| 48 | Florida | $73,388 | $35.28 |
| 49 | Maine | $83,307 | $40.05 |
| 50 | Washington | $81,890 | $39.37 |
| 51 | Colorado | $76,980 | $37.01 |
The highest-paying cities for associate directors of development are Stamford, CT, Jersey City, NJ, and New York, NY.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stamford, CT | $126,350 | $60.75 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $125,164 | $60.17 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $123,982 | $59.61 |
| 4 | Redwood City, CA | $122,324 | $58.81 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $115,564 | $55.56 |
| 6 | Durham, NC | $113,020 | $54.34 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $106,906 | $51.40 |
| 8 | Austin, TX | $104,406 | $50.20 |
| 9 | Providence, RI | $102,534 | $49.30 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $100,514 | $48.32 |
| 11 | Arlington, VA | $94,742 | $45.55 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $94,250 | $45.31 |
| 13 | Indianapolis, IN | $93,582 | $44.99 |
| 14 | Washington, DC | $93,385 | $44.90 |
| 15 | Cleveland, OH | $92,936 | $44.68 |
| 16 | Saint Louis, MO | $92,187 | $44.32 |
| 17 | Des Moines, IA | $91,823 | $44.15 |
| 18 | Salt Lake City, UT | $90,648 | $43.58 |
| 19 | Eugene, OR | $86,362 | $41.52 |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $82,140 | $39.49 |
An associate director of development's salary ranges from $71,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $164,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $164,000 | $13,667 | $79 |
| 75th Percentile | $135,000 | $11,250 | $65 |
| Average | $108,570 | $9,048 | $52 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $71,000 | $5,917 | $34 |
The highest paying types of associate directors of development are vice president of communication, development vice president, and vice president of programming.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grant Manager | $60,692 | $5,058 | $29.18 | 7,726 |
| Chief Of Staff | $130,835 | $10,903 | $62.90 | 124,272 |
| Development Vice President | $156,085 | $13,007 | $75.04 | 94,188 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
| Manager Of Special Events | $56,716 | $4,726 | $27.27 | 15,818 |
| Development Director | $107,044 | $8,920 | $51.46 | 63,008 |
Top companies hiring associate directors of development now:
Associate director of development salaries at Kimco Realty and The Rockefeller Foundation are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average associate director of development salary at companies like AstraZeneca and Biogen are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kimco Realty | $179,154 | $86.13 |
| 2 | The Rockefeller Foundation | $177,702 | $85.43 |
| 3 | AstraZeneca | $161,758 | $77.77 |
| 4 | Biogen | $161,192 | $77.50 |
| 5 | Creative Associates International | $159,152 | $76.52 |
| 6 | Exelixis | $158,014 | $75.97 |
| 7 | Genentech | $157,217 | $75.59 |
| 8 | Sutro Biopharma | $154,304 | $74.18 |
| 9 | Condé Nast | $153,596 | $73.84 |
| 10 | Hearst | $153,405 | $73.75 |
| 11 | Amazon | $153,216 | $73.66 |
| 12 | Novartis | $152,537 | $73.34 |
| 13 | Eli Lilly and Company | $151,073 | $72.63 |
| 14 | Vertex Pharmaceuticals | $150,989 | $72.59 |
| 15 | Takeda Pharmaceuticals U.S.A., Inc. | $150,931 | $72.56 |
| 16 | Sanofi US | $150,720 | $72.46 |
| 17 | Incyte | $150,324 | $72.27 |
| 18 | AbbVie | $149,820 | $72.03 |
| 19 | Regeneron | $149,632 | $71.94 |
| 20 | Bristol-Myers Squibb | $147,418 | $70.87 |
The average associate director of development salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pharmaceutical | $141,713 | $68.13 |
| 2 | Finance | $127,180 | $61.14 |
| 3 | Health Care | $115,653 | $55.60 |
| 4 | Professional | $106,962 | $51.42 |
| 5 | Media | $104,867 | $50.42 |
| 6 | Manufacturing | $100,974 | $48.55 |
| 7 | Non Profits | $85,649 | $41.18 |
| 8 | Education | $81,541 | $39.20 |
The average associate director of development salary has risen by $25,502 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average associate director of development earned $83,068 annually, but today, they earn $108,570 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for associate directors of development over the last decade.
Compare associate director of development salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare associate director of development salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $109,000 | $52.20 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | $104,000 | $50.15 | +2.0% |
| 2023 | $102,000 | $49.13 | +3.1% |
| 2022 | $99,100 | $47.63 | +3.6% |
| 2021 | $95,500 | $45.93 | +3.0% |
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