Navigating the Advancement Salary Landscape, Backed by EAB’s Data Analysis
As the salary arms race in advancement escalates, salary continues to play a crucial role in retaining and attracting top talent. Leveraging data is essential to move the needle on compensation and illustrate the correlation between salaries and performance in advancement.
This data, collected through Advancement Benchmarking for Higher Ed Leaders in fiscal year 2024, can help persuade key campus allies to support necessary salary changes. The data reveals significant disparities between low and high performers, emphasizing the need for fair and performance-based compensation. The data also provides salary differences among various geographies and campus settings.
Armed with these insights, advancement leaders can better navigate the complex salary landscape to attract and retain top talent, promote equity, and advance the mission of their institution.
Scroll to explore the data segments below, or jump to the section you’re most interested in:
2024 Salary Data
All institutions
By Role and Performance
| Role | Median (all) | Median of low performers | Median of high performers |
|---|---|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $224,239.00 | $200,502.29 | $284,625.00 |
| Principal gifts | $188,918.00 | $161,561.04 | $212,587.50 |
| Major gifts | $116,594.00 | $94,306.00 | $144,844.50 |
| Planned gifts | $130,630.00 | $117,894.00 | $162,287.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $118,638.98 | $103,000.00 | $149,612.00 |
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54%
Salary premium for high-performing major gifts officers
Midwest U.S.
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $200,000.00 |
| Principal gifts | $187,939.00 |
| Major gifts | $124,999.00 |
| Planned gifts | $126,874.50 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $130,620.00 |
Northeast U.S.
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $259,107.91 |
| Principal gifts | $192,188.00 |
| Major gifts | $129,302.00 |
| Planned gifts | $149,500.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $123,879.50 |
Southeast U.S.
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $233,430.50 |
| Principal gifts | $175,850.20 |
| Major gifts | $114,487.50 |
| Planned gifts | $125,656.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $103,273.00 |
West U.S.
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $208,626.00 |
| Principal gifts | $236,368.00 |
| Major gifts | $116,711.00 |
| Planned gifts | $160,664.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $118,097.50 |
Canada
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $210,395.01 CAD |
| Principal gifts | $140,262.34 CAD |
| Major gifts | $110,206.91 CAD |
| Planned gifts | $100,188.10 CAD |
| Corporate and foundation relations | N/A |
Location Type
Large City/Suburb
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $235,503.08 |
| Principal gifts | $194,774.00 |
| Major gifts | $121,848.00 |
| Planned gifts | $139,786.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $118,738.00 |
Midsize City/Suburb
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $205,420.00 |
| Principal gifts | $185,658.00 |
| Major gifts | $105,325.76 |
| Planned gifts | $125,919.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $111,843.00 |
Small City/Suburb or Remote Town
| Role | Median (all) |
|---|---|
| AVP/VP | $213,484.00 |
| Principal gifts | $125,040.00 |
| Major gifts | $129,150.00 |
| Planned gifts | $129,375.00 |
| Corporate and foundation relations | $149,999.00 |
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