Best Fundraiser programs in Massachusetts, ranked by enrollment
Organize activities to raise funds or otherwise solicit and gather monetary donations or other gifts for an organization. May design and produce promotional materials.
40 schools in Massachusetts run programs that feed this job, graduating 1,923 people a year. The job pays a median of $79,060 in Massachusetts across about 6,160 jobs (BLS OEWS May 2025).
Fields of study in Massachusetts that lead to this job
Grouped at the 4-digit CIP level. Numbers are graduates per year in this state.
5 programs in Massachusetts that lead to this job
Ranked by graduates per year in Massachusetts (IPEDS completions). Graduate earnings and debt are national College Scorecard figures reported at the 4-digit CIP level, so specializations within one field share a figure. Each program also links to its own Massachusetts page.
| # | Program | Graduates / yr | Share of pipeline | Schools | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CIP 52.1401In Massachusetts → | 1,147 | 59.6% | 35 | $44,670 | $24,250 |
| 2 | CIP 09.0100In Massachusetts → | 449 | 23.3% | 15 | $34,858 | $25,000 |
| 3 | CIP 09.0902In Massachusetts → | 233 | 12.1% | 4 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
| 4 | CIP 09.0900In Massachusetts → | 70 | 3.6% | 7 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
| 5 | CIP 09.0904In Massachusetts → | 24 | 1.2% | 1 | $39,658 | $24,500 |
Top 25 schools in Massachusetts
Ranked by graduates per year into this job. Graduate earnings are reported for 14 of the 40 schools in this state.
| # | School | Graduates / yr | Top feeder program | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Grad rate | Net price | Acceptance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Massachusetts - Amherst Amherst, MA Public · 2 feeder programs | 414 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $58,462 | 83% | — | 60% |
| 2 | Boston University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 253 | Public Relations/Image Management | — | 89% | $21,956 | 11% |
| 3 | Merrimack College North Andover, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 141 | Communication, General | $29,527 | 70% | $33,877 | 70% |
| 4 | Emerson College Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 116 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $41,651 | 77% | $40,982 | 51% |
| 5 | Bentley University Waltham, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 110 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $60,447 | 87% | $31,677 | 45% |
| 6 | Suffolk University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 92 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $44,424 | 61% | $28,895 | 82% |
| 7 | Endicott College Beverly, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 66 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $49,913 | 76% | $34,195 | 71% |
| 8 | Stonehill College Easton, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 65 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $50,025 | 76% | $24,000 | 66% |
| 9 | University of Massachusetts - Boston Boston, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 58 | Communication, General | $42,480 | 49% | — | 84% |
| 10 | University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth North Dartmouth, MA Public · 2 feeder programs | 56 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $42,782 | 52% | — | 91% |
| 11 | Bridgewater State University Bridgewater, MA Public · 2 feeder programs | 54 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $39,871 | 53% | — | 88% |
| 12 | Salem State University Salem, MA Public · 2 feeder programs | 51 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 50% | — | 96% |
| 13 | Assumption University Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 46 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $55,314 | 75% | $24,206 | 83% |
| 14 | Fitchburg State University Fitchburg, MA Public · 2 feeder programs | 39 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 55% | — | 87% |
| 15 | Clark University Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 36 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 77% | $23,332 | 40% |
| 16 | Boston College Chestnut Hill, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 35 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $66,227 | 91% | $21,126 | 16% |
| 17 | Westfield State University Westfield, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 30 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 54% | — | 81% |
| 18 | Harvard University Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 29 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 98% | $15,013 | 4% |
| 19 | Lasell University Newton, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 26 | Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication | — | 59% | $23,724 | 81% |
| 20 | Emmanuel College Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 23 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $46,491 | 68% | $29,723 | 76% |
| 21 | Western New England University Springfield, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 23 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 64% | $29,327 | 83% |
| 22 | Nichols College Dudley, MA Private not-for-profit · 1 feeder programs | 20 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 63% | $29,718 | 81% |
| 23 | Framingham State University Framingham, MA Public · 1 feeder programs | 15 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | $39,218 | 48% | — | 84% |
| 24 | Simmons University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · 3 feeder programs | 15 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 72% | $24,848 | 70% |
| 25 | American International College Springfield, MA Private not-for-profit · 2 feeder programs | 14 | Marketing/Marketing Management, General | — | 46% | $23,595 | 100% |
All 40 schools in Massachusetts
Every school in Massachusetts with a program that feeds this job, ordered by graduates per year. Earnings are shown for the ranked schools above; open a school profile for the rest.
| School | City | Control | Graduates / yr | Feeder programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts - Amherst | Amherst | Public | 414 | 2 |
| Boston University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 253 | 2 |
| Merrimack College | North Andover | Private not-for-profit | 141 | 2 |
| Emerson College | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 116 | 3 |
| Bentley University | Waltham | Private not-for-profit | 110 | 1 |
| Suffolk University | Boston | Private not-for-profit | 92 | 2 |
| Endicott College | Beverly | Private not-for-profit | 66 | 3 |
| Stonehill College | Easton | Private not-for-profit | 65 | 1 |
| University of Massachusetts - Boston | Boston | Public | 58 | 1 |
| University of Massachusetts - Dartmouth | North Dartmouth | Public | 56 | 2 |
| Bridgewater State University | Bridgewater | Public | 54 | 2 |
| Salem State University | Salem | Public | 51 | 2 |
| Assumption University | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 46 | 1 |
| Fitchburg State University | Fitchburg | Public | 39 | 2 |
| Clark University | Worcester | Private not-for-profit | 36 | 2 |
What fundraisers earn in Massachusetts
What people already working in this job earn (BLS OEWS May 2025). Not graduate earnings.
U.S. median $72,550. Massachusetts pays above the national figure.
Concentrated here: Massachusetts employs more of this job per worker than the U.S. average.
Metro areas in Massachusetts
Job outlook
Bureau of Labor Statistics Employment Projections, 2024 to 2034.
Growth and openings are national. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does not publish employment projections at state level, so these figures describe the occupation across the whole U.S., not this state alone.
How to get in
The full skills, tools, and day-to-day breakdown lives on the national Fundraisers page.
How to become a Fundraiser
Job zone 4 of 5 · SVP 7.0 to < 8.0- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
Top skills
The same job in other states
Where else this occupation employs the most people, and what it pays there.
Related careers in Massachusetts
Every major mapped to this job
The official federal mapping behind the rankings above.
All 7 majors mapped to Fundraisers6 of them graduated someone in the latest IPEDS year. NCES CIP 2020 → SOC 2018 crosswalk.+
- 09.0100Communication, General
- 09.0900Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
- 09.0902Public Relations/Image Management
- 09.0904Political Communication
- 52.0214Research Administration(no graduates reported)
- 52.0502Grantsmanship
- 52.1401Marketing/Marketing Management, General
Common questions
Answers for people weighing fundraisers programs in Massachusetts.
What degree do you need to become a Fundraiser?+
Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education BLS reports for this occupation. The most common program people actually graduate from is Marketing/Marketing Management, General, which awarded 1,147 degrees in Massachusetts in 2024-25, 59.6% of everyone graduating from a program that feeds this career.
Which college majors lead to becoming a Fundraiser?+
The NCES CIP-to-SOC crosswalk maps 5 programs to this occupation. The largest are Marketing, Communication and Media Studies, Public Relations. Together they graduate about 1,923 people a year in Massachusetts.
How much do fundraisers earn in Massachusetts?+
The median is $79,060 a year (BLS OEWS May 2025). That is 9.0% above the U.S. median of $72,550. This is pay for people already working in the occupation, not the same thing as graduate earnings one year after finishing a degree.
Is demand for fundraisers growing?+
BLS projects a +4.3% change in employment between 2024 and 2034, about as fast as average, with roughly 10,200 openings a year nationally once retirements and job changes are counted.
How many schools offer programs for this career in Massachusetts?+
40 institutions in Massachusetts reported graduates from at least one of the 5 programs that feed this occupation in IPEDS 2024-25. Rankings on this page use graduates per year, because the federal data publishes no enrollment count by program.
What other job titles do fundraisers work under?+
Employers advertise this work under many names. O*NET records Development Officer, Philanthropy Officer, Contract Grant Writer, Fundraising Consultant among the most commonly reported, all mapping to SOC 13-1131.
About the data on this page
Rankings use IPEDS completions 2024–25, degrees awarded per year. That is the closest federal measure of how many people a program puts into a career, because no federal dataset publishes enrollment by program. Wages and employment come from BLS OEWS May 2025, growth and openings from BLS Employment Projections 2024-34, and which majors lead to which jobs from the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk. Occupation descriptions, tasks, skills and tools are O*NET 30.3 (CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor/ETA).
BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics
May 2025Wages, employment counts, location quotients and metro breakdowns.
BLS Employment Projections
2024–34Projected growth, annual openings and typical entry-level education.
IPEDS Completions
2024-25 (provisional)Graduates per year by program and institution — the ranking metric.
College Scorecard, Field of Study
2020-21 cohortsMedian graduate earnings one year after completion, and median debt.
Census Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes
latest availableGraduate earnings 1/5/10 years out, where the state participates.
NCES CIP 2020 and the CIP-to-SOC 2018 crosswalk
CIP 2020 / SOC 2018Which college programs officially lead to this occupation.
O*NET Database 30.3
30.3Tasks, skills, knowledge, tools, job zone and alternate job titles.
Official source →CC BY 4.0, U.S. Department of Labor / ETA
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