Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Chief development officer salary
Average chief development officer salary
$116,047
Understanding Chief Development Officer Salaries
The Chief Development Officer (CDO) is responsible for leading fundraising strategies, developing partnerships, and driving organizational growth. As of October 2025, the average salary for a CDO stands at $116,047 annually or approximately $56 per hour. Salaries can vary based on factors including geographic location, industry, and years of experience.
Industry Analysis
Chief Development Officers typically earn higher salaries in sectors such as technology, healthcare, and finance. For example, those working in major metropolitan areas often see a significant pay increase due to the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals.
Geographic Variability
States like California and New York tend to offer some of the highest salaries for this role. Understanding these geographic trends can help job seekers target their applications effectively. Additionally, exploring salary estimates from various sources can provide a clearer picture of potential earnings.
Conclusion
For those considering a career as a Chief Development Officer, it’s essential to research specific industries and locations to optimize earning potential. Resources available on job boards, like Zippia, can assist in navigating these opportunities.
Let Zippia find your next chief development officer job
Let Zippia find your next chief development officer job
Where can a Chief Development Officer earn more?
Chief development officer salary estimates from across the web
Average chief development officer salary by state
The highest-paying states for chief development officers are New York, Delaware, and Connecticut. The lowest average chief development officer salary states are Florida, Montana, and Alaska.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chief development officers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $124,725 | $59.96 |
| 2 | New Mexico | $124,466 | $59.84 |
| 3 | New York | $132,305 | $63.61 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $116,814 | $56.16 |
| 5 | Georgia | $119,239 | $57.33 |
| 6 | South Dakota | $115,300 | $55.43 |
| 7 | North Carolina | $115,592 | $55.57 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $131,491 | $63.22 |
| 9 | Delaware | $131,732 | $63.33 |
| 10 | Arkansas | $109,729 | $52.75 |
| 11 | Ohio | $115,173 | $55.37 |
| 12 | Illinois | $123,567 | $59.41 |
| 13 | Pennsylvania | $112,263 | $53.97 |
| 14 | Arizona | $116,087 | $55.81 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $127,255 | $61.18 |
| 16 | Texas | $122,684 | $58.98 |
| 17 | District of Columbia | $117,502 | $56.49 |
| 18 | Wisconsin | $109,119 | $52.46 |
| 19 | Vermont | $118,873 | $57.15 |
| 20 | California | $128,350 | $61.71 |
| 21 | Indiana | $109,110 | $52.46 |
| 22 | Michigan | $108,058 | $51.95 |
| 23 | Kansas | $109,194 | $52.50 |
| 24 | Virginia | $112,640 | $54.15 |
| 25 | Massachusetts | $113,864 | $54.74 |
| 26 | Tennessee | $100,382 | $48.26 |
| 27 | Iowa | $100,121 | $48.14 |
| 28 | Rhode Island | $110,090 | $52.93 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $98,766 | $47.48 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $106,279 | $51.10 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $97,864 | $47.05 |
| 32 | Nebraska | $95,779 | $46.05 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $99,383 | $47.78 |
| 34 | Alabama | $94,050 | $45.22 |
| 35 | Minnesota | $93,113 | $44.77 |
| 36 | Colorado | $103,625 | $49.82 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $92,858 | $44.64 |
| 38 | Missouri | $92,740 | $44.59 |
| 39 | Maryland | $103,306 | $49.67 |
| 40 | Idaho | $89,954 | $43.25 |
| 41 | Washington | $98,462 | $47.34 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $89,557 | $43.06 |
| 43 | Maine | $93,333 | $44.87 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $86,693 | $41.68 |
| 45 | Utah | $91,006 | $43.75 |
| 46 | Alaska | $87,035 | $41.84 |
| 47 | Florida | $87,416 | $42.03 |
| 48 | Oregon | $90,328 | $43.43 |
| 49 | Hawaii | $77,236 | $37.13 |
| 50 | Montana | $87,345 | $41.99 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $80,853 | $38.87 |
Highest paying cities for chief development officers
The highest-paying cities for chief development officers are New York, NY, Palo Alto, CA, and San Antonio, TX.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $135,375 | $65.08 |
| 2 | Palo Alto, CA | $133,510 | $64.19 |
| 3 | San Antonio, TX | $127,260 | $61.18 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $126,345 | $60.74 |
| 5 | Atlanta, GA | $121,045 | $58.19 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $118,620 | $57.03 |
| 7 | Phoenix, AZ | $117,800 | $56.63 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $116,120 | $55.83 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $114,587 | $55.09 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh, PA | $111,659 | $53.68 |
| 11 | Little Rock, AR | $110,728 | $53.23 |
| 12 | Providence, RI | $110,646 | $53.20 |
| 13 | Rapid City, SD | $109,282 | $52.54 |
| 14 | Pontiac, MI | $108,887 | $52.35 |
| 15 | Denver, CO | $104,006 | $50.00 |
| 16 | Baltimore, MD | $103,660 | $49.84 |
| 17 | Bellevue, WA | $99,214 | $47.70 |
| 18 | Bellevue, NE | $98,344 | $47.28 |
| 19 | Saint Louis, MO | $96,622 | $46.45 |
| 20 | Portland, ME | $94,355 | $45.36 |
Chief development officer salary details
A chief development officer's salary ranges from $67,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $199,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chief development officer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $199,000 | $16,583 | $96 |
| 75th Percentile | $154,000 | $12,833 | $74 |
| Average | $116,047 | $9,671 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $87,000 | $7,250 | $42 |
| 10th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
Highest paying chief development officer jobs
The highest paying types of chief development officers are president/chief executive officer, executive vice president, and senior vice president.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division Director | $120,757 | $10,063 | $58.06 | 63,545 |
| Managing Director | $129,690 | $10,808 | $62.35 | 81,022 |
| Division Vice President | $158,729 | $13,227 | $76.31 | 68,176 |
| Deputy Director | $100,190 | $8,349 | $48.17 | 41,439 |
| Vice President | $158,637 | $13,220 | $76.27 | 119,530 |
| Vice President Of Programming | $142,967 | $11,914 | $68.73 | 46,296 |
Top companies hiring chief development officers now:
Which companies pay chief development officers the most?
Chief development officer salaries at McKinsey & Company Inc and Goodwin are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chief development officer salary at companies like SAP and Catholic Relief Services are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $205,481 | $98.79 |
| 2 | Goodwin | $197,183 | $94.80 |
| 3 | SAP | $161,887 | $77.83 |
| 4 | Catholic Relief Services | $159,487 | $76.68 |
| 5 | Sandia National Labs | $155,781 | $74.89 |
| 6 | University of Maryland, Baltimore | $142,013 | $68.28 |
| 7 | The Metropolitan Museum of Art | $140,679 | $67.63 |
| 8 | Amnesty International USA | $138,125 | $66.41 |
| 9 | MWH Americas Inc | $133,654 | $64.26 |
| 10 | Summit Public Schools | $125,235 | $60.21 |
| 11 | The ONE Campaign | $125,189 | $60.19 |
| 12 | SAIC | $124,805 | $60.00 |
| 13 | Aspen Valley Hospital | $122,899 | $59.09 |
| 14 | WIT - Accelerate Digital Transformation | $119,806 | $57.60 |
| 15 | Jefferson Consulting Group | $116,425 | $55.97 |
| 16 | Grantham University | $115,821 | $55.68 |
| 17 | International Center of Photography | $114,287 | $54.95 |
| 18 | Epharmix | $113,973 | $54.79 |
| 19 | National Democratic Institute | $111,880 | $53.79 |
| 20 | Dev | $111,414 | $53.56 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chief Development Officer salary by industry
The average chief development officer salary varies across industries:
- The average chief development officer salary in the professional industry is $116,349, the highest of any industry.
- The average chief development officer salary in the finance industry is $101,299.
- Chief development officers in the non profits industry earn an average salary of $68,468, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for chief development officers
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $116,349 | $55.94 |
| 2 | Automotive | $101,299 | $48.70 |
| 3 | Health Care | $97,485 | $46.87 |
| 4 | Education | $77,585 | $37.30 |
| 5 | Non Profits | $68,468 | $32.92 |
High paying chief development officer jobs
Chief development officer salary trends
The average chief development officer salary has risen by $27,258 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chief development officer earned $88,789 annually, but today, they earn $116,047 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for chief development officers over the last decade.
Compare chief development officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chief development officer salary over time
Compare chief development officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chief development officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $116,000 | $55.79 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $112,000 | $53.61 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $109,000 | $52.52 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $106,000 | $50.91 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $102,000 | $49.10 | +3.0% |
Recently added chief development officer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Domes Alliance | Chief Development Officer | Milwaukee, WI | 06/27/2025 | $120,000 |
| 4000 Archdiocese of Seattle Payroll Svc | Chief Development Officer | Seattle, WA | 06/27/2025 | $170,000 |
| Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans | Chief Development Officer | New Orleans, LA | 06/25/2025 | $85,000 |
| SHRM | Chief Development Officer, Shrm Foundation | Alexandria, VA | 06/23/2025 | $180,000 |
| Food Bank of The Southern Tier | Chief Development Officer | Elmira, NY | 06/22/2025 | $115,000 |
| La Clinica Del Pueblo | Chief Development Officer | Washington, DC | 06/22/2025 | $160,000 |
| Kaleida Health | Vice President Chief Development Officer | Buffalo, NY | 06/19/2025 | $275,000 |
| Corporation for Public Broadcasting | Chief Development Officer, Wskg | Vestal, NY | 06/18/2025 | $90,000 |
| Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum | Chief Development Officer | Denver, CO | 06/17/2025 | $90,500 |
| Chicago Children's Advocacy Center | Chief Development & Marketing Officer | Chicago, IL | 06/16/2025 | $200,000 |
Chief development officer salary FAQs
Search for chief development officer jobs