Fundraisers with a CFRE Make WAY More - Here's How Much
A Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) designation is the most widely recognized professional fundraising accreditation, and for good reason: It not only covers skills of fundraising, but also fundraising ethics, experience, and proven value in the industry years before even taking the exam, which up to 1 out of 3 people fail on the first try.
Because of its universal industry acceptance and desirability in the workplace, those with the designation made 21.7% more in the last year than those without a CFRE with the same amount of experience. That data is from the Association of Fundraising Professionals 2022 Compensation and Benefits Report. Unfortunately, the report in its entirety is only available to members of AFP, but here are a few key statistics from the report you need to know:
Fundraising professionals with 5 to 6 years experience make an average salary of $62,098 and with that same experience and a CFRE designation make $78,366
Fundraising professionals with 11 or more years experience make an average salary of $90,000 and with that same experience and a CFRE designation make $118,411
Fundraising professionals with either an ACFRE or CFRE make 21.7% more than without, and comparatively a University-based certification averages 7.2% more, with other certifications averaging 9.5% more (CAP, CNP, etc.)
One additional qualitative note we saw from the same anonymous survey stated “Respect for the CFRE credential is highly prized in my city, also, there are more jobs in fundraising than people to fill them. Nonprofits are compensating competitively due to this.”
How long have you worked in the philanthropy industry? Are you making what you are worth? The average is of course determined by other factors like cost of living in your city/community and the size of your nonprofit, but one thing is for sure, if you recently earned your CFRE, it might be time to ask for a raise or look for a job that pays you what your skills are worth.
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