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Principal gifts officer vs fundraising specialist

The differences between principal gifts officers and fundraising specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a principal gifts officer and a fundraising specialist. Additionally, a principal gifts officer has an average salary of $86,359, which is higher than the $51,507 average annual salary of a fundraising specialist.

The top three skills for a principal gifts officer include donor database, leadership gifts and professional development. The most important skills for a fundraising specialist are event planning, fundraising strategy, and community outreach.

Principal gifts officer vs fundraising specialist overview

Principal Gifts OfficerFundraising Specialist
Yearly salary$86,359$51,507
Hourly rate$41.52$24.76
Growth rate11%11%
Number of jobs95,42319,019
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Average age4343
Years of experience44

Principal gifts officer vs fundraising specialist salary

Principal gifts officers and fundraising specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

Principal Gifts OfficerFundraising Specialist
Average salary$86,359$51,507
Salary rangeBetween $59,000 And $126,000Between $31,000 And $84,000
Highest paying CityNew York, NY-
Highest paying stateNew Jersey-
Best paying companyChildhelp-
Best paying industryProfessional-

Differences between principal gifts officer and fundraising specialist education

There are a few differences between a principal gifts officer and a fundraising specialist in terms of educational background:

Principal Gifts OfficerFundraising Specialist
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 57%Bachelor's Degree, 76%
Most common majorBusinessBusiness
Most common collegeUniversity of Southern CaliforniaNorthwestern University

Principal gifts officer vs fundraising specialist demographics

Here are the differences between principal gifts officers' and fundraising specialists' demographics:

Principal Gifts OfficerFundraising Specialist
Average age4343
Gender ratioMale, 59.1% Female, 40.9%Male, 36.6% Female, 63.4%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 5.1% Unknown, 4.1% Hispanic or Latino, 7.8% Asian, 5.1% White, 77.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%Black or African American, 5.3% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 5.1% White, 77.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
LGBT Percentage19%19%

Differences between principal gifts officer and fundraising specialist duties and responsibilities

Principal gifts officer example responsibilities.

  • Manage all aspects of donor prospecting, cultivation, stewardship, and budget/vendor/consultant management for special events and individual giving.
  • Coordinate among cross-functional business departments including investor relations, risk, trading desk, compliance, tax/accounting, and portfolio administration.
  • Execute PAC fundraising plan for congressional and political action committee clients.

Fundraising specialist example responsibilities.

  • Manage monthly progress meetings and promote education and leadership opportunities through skill-building activities.
  • Conduct research using online federal regulations, review Medicare and Medicaid policy and guidelines to complete an accurate and well-support decision.
  • Canvase door-to-door seeking donations for the DNC.

Principal gifts officer vs fundraising specialist skills

Common principal gifts officer skills
  • Donor Database, 15%
  • Leadership Gifts, 13%
  • Professional Development, 13%
  • Capital Campaign, 10%
  • Donor Relations, 8%
  • Strategic Plan, 6%
Common fundraising specialist skills
  • Event Planning, 20%
  • Fundraising Strategy, 16%
  • Community Outreach, 15%
  • Alumni Events, 8%
  • Non-Profit Organization, 7%
  • Outbound Calls, 7%

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