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Donor relations officer salary
Average donor relations officer salary
$54,939
Donor Relations Officer Salary Overview
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Donor Relations Officer in the United States is $54,939 per year, translating to approximately $26 per hour. This position is vital for organizations aiming to build and maintain relationships with donors and stakeholders.
Factors Influencing Salary
Salary levels for Donor Relations Officers can vary based on several factors:
- Experience: Entry-level positions typically earn less than those with several years in the field.
- Location: Salaries can differ significantly from state to state, with metropolitan areas often offering higher compensation.
- Industry: Nonprofits, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations may have varying pay scales.
Opportunities for Advancement
With experience, Donor Relations Officers can move into senior positions, managing larger teams and overseeing more significant fundraising initiatives. Understanding the salary trends in this field can help you negotiate better pay and make informed career decisions.
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Where can a Donor Relations Officer earn more?
Donor relations officer salaries by experience level
| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level donor relations officer | $45,000 | $21.65 |
| Mid-level donor relations officer | $50,900 | $24.49 |
| Senior-level donor relations officer | $79,500 | $38.24 |
Donor relations officer salary estimates from across the web
Average donor relations officer salary by state
The average donor relations officer salary in New Jersey, Illinois, and New York are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average donor relations officer salary states are Missouri, Louisiana, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for donor relations officers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $89,564 | $43.06 |
| 2 | Illinois | $76,361 | $36.71 |
| 3 | New York | $74,802 | $35.96 |
| 4 | Idaho | $65,410 | $31.45 |
| 5 | Iowa | $74,426 | $35.78 |
| 6 | California | $71,004 | $34.14 |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | $63,290 | $30.43 |
| 8 | Nevada | $60,068 | $28.88 |
| 9 | District of Columbia | $83,887 | $40.33 |
| 10 | Kansas | $72,839 | $35.02 |
| 11 | Arizona | $60,821 | $29.24 |
| 12 | Connecticut | $69,884 | $33.60 |
| 13 | Utah | $65,849 | $31.66 |
| 14 | Wisconsin | $62,444 | $30.02 |
| 15 | Indiana | $62,385 | $29.99 |
| 16 | Rhode Island | $58,768 | $28.25 |
| 17 | Massachusetts | $61,023 | $29.34 |
| 18 | Maine | $59,459 | $28.59 |
| 19 | Oregon | $61,874 | $29.75 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $59,260 | $28.49 |
| 21 | North Dakota | $56,728 | $27.27 |
| 22 | North Carolina | $57,425 | $27.61 |
| 23 | Virginia | $64,938 | $31.22 |
| 24 | Minnesota | $56,238 | $27.04 |
| 25 | Vermont | $58,397 | $28.08 |
| 26 | Michigan | $58,663 | $28.20 |
| 27 | Washington | $60,339 | $29.01 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $56,461 | $27.14 |
| 29 | Wyoming | $57,157 | $27.48 |
| 30 | Delaware | $59,520 | $28.62 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $50,878 | $24.46 |
| 32 | Arkansas | $54,381 | $26.14 |
| 33 | Texas | $55,764 | $26.81 |
| 34 | Oklahoma | $51,282 | $24.65 |
| 35 | Maryland | $51,343 | $24.68 |
| 36 | New Hampshire | $53,813 | $25.87 |
| 37 | Georgia | $49,655 | $23.87 |
| 38 | Alabama | $49,654 | $23.87 |
| 39 | Colorado | $43,355 | $20.84 |
| 40 | South Dakota | $42,670 | $20.51 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $40,496 | $19.47 |
| 42 | Ohio | $47,320 | $22.75 |
| 43 | Florida | $49,532 | $23.81 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $42,397 | $20.38 |
| 45 | South Carolina | $41,483 | $19.94 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $43,440 | $20.88 |
| 47 | Missouri | $42,220 | $20.30 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $41,493 | $19.95 |
| 49 | Montana | $42,882 | $20.62 |
| 50 | Hawaii | $40,554 | $19.50 |
| 51 | Alaska | $38,096 | $18.32 |
Highest paying cities for donor relations officers
The highest-paying cities for donor relations officers are Jersey City, NJ, Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jersey City, NJ | $89,696 | $43.12 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $83,929 | $40.35 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $78,835 | $37.90 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | $76,677 | $36.86 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $75,135 | $36.12 |
| 6 | Arlington, VA | $66,664 | $32.05 |
| 7 | Salt Lake City, UT | $65,564 | $31.52 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $63,823 | $30.68 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $62,866 | $30.22 |
| 10 | Bloomington, IN | $61,358 | $29.50 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $61,242 | $29.44 |
| 12 | Newton, MA | $60,933 | $29.29 |
| 13 | Walla Walla, WA | $60,457 | $29.07 |
| 14 | Albuquerque, NM | $59,602 | $28.65 |
| 15 | Detroit, MI | $59,123 | $28.42 |
| 16 | Lubbock, TX | $57,474 | $27.63 |
| 17 | Minneapolis, MN | $56,282 | $27.06 |
| 18 | Conway, AR | $54,276 | $26.09 |
| 19 | Alpharetta, GA | $49,962 | $24.02 |
| 20 | Miami, FL | $49,762 | $23.92 |
Donor relations officer salary details
A donor relations officer's salary ranges from $38,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $79,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a donor relations officer's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $79,000 | $6,583 | $38 |
| 75th Percentile | $66,000 | $5,500 | $32 |
| Average | $54,939 | $4,578 | $26 |
| 25th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 10th Percentile | $38,000 | $3,167 | $18 |
Highest paying donor relations officer jobs
The highest paying types of donor relations officers are direct response consultant, director of capital giving, and fundraising officer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Director Of Capital Giving | $100,243 | $8,354 | $48.19 | 6,717 |
| Fundraising Internship | $36,704 | $3,059 | $17.65 | 47,147 |
| Major Donor Coordinator | $48,037 | $4,003 | $23.09 | 17,673 |
| Government Relations Internship | $34,678 | $2,890 | $16.67 | 58,470 |
| Development Officer | $78,541 | $6,545 | $37.76 | 105,553 |
| Labour Relations Manager | $86,150 | $7,179 | $41.42 | 31,787 |
Top companies hiring donor relations officers now:
Which companies pay donor relations officers the most?
Donor relations officer salaries at Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average donor relations officer salary at companies like Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Glenmede are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stanford University | $86,821 | $41.74 |
| 2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $80,231 | $38.57 |
| 3 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $71,852 | $34.54 |
| 4 | Glenmede | $71,195 | $34.23 |
| 5 | Boston Medical Center | $71,019 | $34.14 |
| 6 | Cultural Vistas | $70,658 | $33.97 |
| 7 | Virginia Hospital Center | $69,576 | $33.45 |
| 8 | Cadence Biomedical | $68,429 | $32.90 |
| 9 | Columbia University in the City of New York | $67,507 | $32.46 |
| 10 | Hyatt Hotels | $66,952 | $32.19 |
| 11 | United States Institute of Peace | $64,866 | $31.19 |
| 12 | Gettysburg College | $64,768 | $31.14 |
| 13 | Endicott College | $63,860 | $30.70 |
| 14 | NextGen America | $61,809 | $29.72 |
| 15 | Loma Linda University Health | $61,152 | $29.40 |
| 16 | PSEA | $59,332 | $28.52 |
| 17 | Walla Walla Community College | $58,886 | $28.31 |
| 18 | Archdiocese Of San Antonio | $58,505 | $28.13 |
| 19 | Atlantic General Hospital | $58,472 | $28.11 |
| 20 | Utah Transit Authority | $58,216 | $27.99 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Donor relations officer salary trends
The average donor relations officer salary has risen by $8,828 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average donor relations officer earned $46,111 annually, but today, they earn $54,939 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for donor relations officers over the last decade.
Compare donor relations officer salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average donor relations officer salary over time
Compare donor relations officer salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Donor relations officer salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $54,900 | $26.41 | +2.8% |
| 2025 | $53,400 | $25.69 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $52,500 | $25.23 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $51,300 | $24.65 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $49,900 | $23.98 | +2.1% |
Recently added donor relations officer salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Planned Parenthood of Southern New England | Donor Relations Officer | New Haven, CT | 06/19/2025 | $58,985 |
| Hamilton County (Oh | Civil Rights & EO Officer-Client Relations) | Cincinnati, OH | 06/11/2025 | $60,210 |
| Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wisco | Donor Relations Officer-Corporate Giving | Madison, WI | 06/07/2025 | $61,000 |
| Norwich Free Academy | Donor Engagement Officer | Norwich, CT | 06/06/2025 | $75,000 |
| University of Minnesota | Director of Benefactor Relations (AD Officer 4-Stewardship) | Minneapolis, MN | 05/30/2025 | $81,000 |
| Bankers Trust | Employee Relations Officer | Des Moines, IA | 05/29/2025 | $75,000 |
| Montclair Dance Company | Donor Experience Officer | Montclair, NJ | 05/25/2025 | $71,401 |
| Regis Jesuit High School | Donor Engagement Officer | Aurora, CO | 05/24/2025 | $72,000 |
| State of Illinois | Chief Labor Relations Officer (Senior Public Service Administr) | Springfield, IL | 05/24/2025 | $120,000 |
| Msccn | Donor Relations Officer | Boston, MA | 05/22/2025 | $75,000 |
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