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The average salary for a Director of Advancement is approximately $117,155 per year, or about $56 per hour. This role is essential for organizations focusing on fundraising, donor relations, and strategic outreach. Salaries can vary significantly based on factors such as location, years of experience, and the specific industry.
Directors of Advancement in states such as California and New York tend to earn higher salaries, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals. The highest-paying states often provide competitive compensation packages, making them attractive locations for job seekers.
Industries such as education and healthcare typically offer robust compensation for this role, with opportunities for advancement as organizations expand their fundraising efforts. Understanding these dynamics helps candidates assess their potential earnings in the field.
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The average director of advancement salary in Nevada, New Mexico, and California are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average director of advancement salary states are Oregon, Alaska, and Minnesota.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | $128,509 | $61.78 |
| 2 | Pennsylvania | $127,585 | $61.34 |
| 3 | Arkansas | $113,574 | $54.60 |
| 4 | Nevada | $131,588 | $63.26 |
| 5 | Texas | $128,394 | $61.73 |
| 6 | California | $129,651 | $62.33 |
| 7 | Delaware | $127,783 | $61.43 |
| 8 | Georgia | $119,350 | $57.38 |
| 9 | Arizona | $120,502 | $57.93 |
| 10 | New Jersey | $123,520 | $59.38 |
| 11 | Louisiana | $111,044 | $53.39 |
| 12 | Illinois | $117,759 | $56.61 |
| 13 | New Mexico | $130,344 | $62.67 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $115,806 | $55.68 |
| 15 | Vermont | $114,472 | $55.03 |
| 16 | North Carolina | $112,411 | $54.04 |
| 17 | New York | $110,309 | $53.03 |
| 18 | Rhode Island | $107,128 | $51.50 |
| 19 | Ohio | $109,424 | $52.61 |
| 20 | South Dakota | $110,853 | $53.29 |
| 21 | Kansas | $109,848 | $52.81 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $102,275 | $49.17 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $109,333 | $52.56 |
| 24 | Alabama | $95,180 | $45.76 |
| 25 | Virginia | $106,634 | $51.27 |
| 26 | Florida | $106,473 | $51.19 |
| 27 | Iowa | $94,766 | $45.56 |
| 28 | Oklahoma | $94,434 | $45.40 |
| 29 | Indiana | $104,006 | $50.00 |
| 30 | Michigan | $101,712 | $48.90 |
| 31 | District of Columbia | $101,608 | $48.85 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $99,305 | $47.74 |
| 33 | Washington | $98,673 | $47.44 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $89,693 | $43.12 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $95,830 | $46.07 |
| 36 | Maryland | $98,963 | $47.58 |
| 37 | Colorado | $94,643 | $45.50 |
| 38 | Utah | $94,258 | $45.32 |
| 39 | West Virginia | $94,036 | $45.21 |
| 40 | New Hampshire | $94,515 | $45.44 |
| 41 | Nebraska | $92,607 | $44.52 |
| 42 | Oregon | $86,824 | $41.74 |
| 43 | Missouri | $88,365 | $42.48 |
| 44 | South Carolina | $90,654 | $43.58 |
| 45 | Montana | $83,994 | $40.38 |
| 46 | Minnesota | $85,477 | $41.09 |
| 47 | Alaska | $85,577 | $41.14 |
| 48 | Idaho | $89,124 | $42.85 |
| 49 | Maine | $89,334 | $42.95 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $85,306 | $41.01 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $82,492 | $39.66 |
The highest-paying cities for directors of advancement are Menlo Park, CA, Austin, TX, and Philadelphia, PA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Menlo Park, CA | $135,232 | $65.02 |
| 2 | Austin, TX | $131,428 | $63.19 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $129,226 | $62.13 |
| 4 | Jersey City, NJ | $124,393 | $59.80 |
| 5 | Phoenix, AZ | $121,526 | $58.43 |
| 6 | Atlanta, GA | $120,084 | $57.73 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $118,607 | $57.02 |
| 8 | Needham, MA | $116,301 | $55.91 |
| 9 | New York, NY | $110,705 | $53.22 |
| 10 | Cleveland, OH | $110,373 | $53.06 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $104,236 | $50.11 |
| 12 | Milwaukee, WI | $102,737 | $49.39 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $101,691 | $48.89 |
| 14 | Baltimore, MD | $99,164 | $47.67 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $98,927 | $47.56 |
| 16 | Colorado Springs, CO | $96,240 | $46.27 |
| 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | $92,996 | $44.71 |
| 18 | Saint Paul, MN | $85,672 | $41.19 |
| 19 | Portland, OR | $85,670 | $41.19 |
A director of advancement's salary ranges from $74,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $184,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $184,000 | $15,333 | $88 |
| 75th Percentile | $148,000 | $12,333 | $71 |
| Average | $117,155 | $9,763 | $56 |
| 25th Percentile | $92,000 | $7,667 | $44 |
| 10th Percentile | $74,000 | $6,167 | $36 |
The highest paying types of directors of advancement are senior director of marketing, vice president of communication, and director of strategy.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dean | $86,317 | $7,193 | $41.50 | 1,183 |
| Community Development Director | $109,396 | $9,116 | $52.59 | 66,252 |
| Public Relations Manager | $91,426 | $7,619 | $43.95 | 35,273 |
| Communications Director | $107,700 | $8,975 | $51.78 | 27,939 |
| Vice President Of Communication | $156,662 | $13,055 | $75.32 | 43,726 |
| Development Director | $107,044 | $8,920 | $51.46 | 63,008 |
Top companies hiring directors of advancement now:
Director of advancement salaries at First Republic Bank and Acadia Pharmaceuticals are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average director of advancement salary at companies like Koch Industries and Phillips Brooks School are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | First Republic Bank | $174,169 | $83.74 |
| 2 | Acadia Pharmaceuticals | $173,410 | $83.37 |
| 3 | Koch Industries | $171,076 | $82.25 |
| 4 | Phillips Brooks School | $168,368 | $80.95 |
| 5 | Northwell Health | $167,630 | $80.59 |
| 6 | Cedars-Sinai | $166,034 | $79.82 |
| 7 | FTI Consulting | $164,538 | $79.10 |
| 8 | Novartis | $161,874 | $77.82 |
| 9 | Gap Inc. | $159,177 | $76.53 |
| 10 | Pwc | $159,130 | $76.50 |
| 11 | Expedia Group | $155,042 | $74.54 |
| 12 | Amd | $151,891 | $73.02 |
| 13 | Gilead Sciences | $151,712 | $72.94 |
| 14 | Walmart | $149,028 | $71.65 |
| 15 | Procore Technologies | $148,769 | $71.52 |
| 16 | W. R. Berkley | $144,018 | $69.24 |
| 17 | Micron Technology | $142,803 | $68.66 |
| 18 | Rackspace | $141,000 | $67.79 |
| 19 | CyberGrants | $140,338 | $67.47 |
| 20 | Florida Power and Light | $140,226 | $67.42 |
The average director of advancement salary varies across industries:
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $144,014 | $69.24 |
| 2 | Manufacturing | $128,836 | $61.94 |
| 3 | Automotive | $117,339 | $56.41 |
| 4 | Professional | $116,788 | $56.15 |
| 5 | Health Care | $114,872 | $55.23 |
| 6 | Non Profits | $94,765 | $45.56 |
| 7 | Education | $91,640 | $44.06 |
The average director of advancement salary has risen by $27,519 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average director of advancement earned $89,636 annually, but today, they earn $117,155 a year. That works out to a 14% change in pay for directors of advancement over the last decade.
Compare director of advancement salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare director of advancement salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $117,000 | $56.32 | +3.9% |
| 2025 | $113,000 | $54.12 | +2.0% |
| 2024 | $110,000 | $53.02 | +3.1% |
| 2023 | $107,000 | $51.39 | +3.6% |
| 2022 | $103,000 | $49.56 | +3.0% |
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