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The differences between major gifts officers and development directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a major gifts officer and a development director. Additionally, a development director has an average salary of $107,044, which is higher than the $84,209 average annual salary of a major gifts officer.
The top three skills for a major gifts officer include moves management, solicitation strategies and donor prospects. The most important skills for a development director are digital marketing, oversight, and patients.
| Major Gifts Officer | Development Director | |
| Yearly salary | $84,209 | $107,044 |
| Hourly rate | $40.49 | $51.46 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 8% |
| Number of jobs | 63,570 | 63,008 |
| Job satisfaction | 2 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 4 |
A major gifts officer is responsible for coordinating with organizations and sponsors for donation purposes to support an institution's cause and activities for social services. Major gifts officers identify donors by conducting in-depth research, usually those personalities who have a history of donating to organizations. They provide presentations and an objective outline to the potential sponsors, respond to their inquiries and concerns, and manage their presence during the event proper. A major gifts officer must have excellent communication and organizational skills, especially in writing reports and planning events efficiently.
A development director is an individual who is responsible for securing funds and sponsors for non-profit organizations. Development directors must actively seek new business partners and develop relationships with volunteers and donors. They meet with members of the development team to help advertise and promote brand awareness and funding. Development directors must possess skills and experience in managing human resources, marketing, and budgeting functions. They must also obtain a bachelor's degree in business management, public relations, or related field.
Major gifts officers and development directors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Major Gifts Officer | Development Director | |
| Average salary | $84,209 | $107,044 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $132,000 | Between $64,000 And $177,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Jersey City, NJ |
| Highest paying state | Nevada | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Earthjustice | Cornerstone Research |
| Best paying industry | Non Profits | - |
There are a few differences between a major gifts officer and a development director in terms of educational background:
| Major Gifts Officer | Development Director | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 77% | Bachelor's Degree, 72% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between major gifts officers' and development directors' demographics:
| Major Gifts Officer | Development Director | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.2% Female, 53.8% | Male, 50.2% Female, 49.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.1% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 6.0% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 9.2% Asian, 5.1% White, 74.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% |
| LGBT Percentage | 16% | 16% |