Prevailing Wage for Fundraising Managers
Prevailing wages for Fundraising Managers under SOC 11-2033 are set by the DOL using regional wage surveys, so the floor an Advancement Director faces in New York differs substantially from what a Development Director negotiates in Little Rock. DOL assigns four experience levels, and your employer must certify the offered salary meets the level that matches your background.
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Level 1 covers entry-level fundraising professionals with limited experience, typically working under close supervision on defined donor outreach or annual giving tasks. Most candidates at this level hold a relevant degree but have fewer than two years of direct development work.
Level 2 applies to qualified professionals who work independently on fundraising programs with moderate supervision. This is the most common LCA filing level for Fundraising Managers, reflecting mid-career candidates managing donor portfolios, grant pipelines, or annual fund campaigns.
Level 3 reflects experienced professionals who lead complex fundraising initiatives, manage junior staff, or direct major gift programs. Candidates at this level typically bring seven or more years of progressive development experience and exercise significant independent judgment.
Level 4 covers fully competent senior leaders, such as a Foundation Director or Donor Engagement Director overseeing an entire development operation. These professionals set organizational fundraising strategy, manage large teams, and are responsible for multi-million dollar campaign goals.
Prevailing Wage for Fundraising Managers by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
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See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Fundraising Managers and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
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Verify your title maps to SOC 11-2033
Titles like Development Director or Annual Giving Director are O*NET-recognized alternates for this SOC code. If your employer files an LCA under a management-support or marketing SOC instead, the prevailing wage floor shifts and may undervalue your offer significantly.
Scrutinize nonprofit versus university employer filings
Fundraising roles split heavily between nonprofit organizations and higher education institutions. University-based Advancement Directors often receive a larger share of total compensation as tuition benefits or retirement contributions, which DOL excludes from the prevailing wage calculation when assessing compliance.
Factor in geographic salary compression at lower metros
Markets like Little Rock and Cedar Rapids post prevailing wages well below the national median for this occupation. If an offer in those metros matches only the national floor rather than the local Level 2 wage, your employer's LCA certification will fail DOL review.
Use Migrate Mate to find employers with sponsorship history
Fundraising Manager roles appear at a narrow set of sponsors. Migrate Mate shows which organizations have historically filed H-1B or green card petitions for development professionals, helping you focus applications on employers already familiar with sponsoring this occupation.
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Find Jobs for Fundraising ManagersPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 11-2033.00 alongside Fundraising Managers, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Advancement Director Prevailing Wage
Advancement Director Prevailing Wage
Advancement Director positions fall under SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Annual Giving Director Prevailing Wage
Annual Giving Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Annual Giving Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Development Director Prevailing Wage
Development Director Prevailing Wage
Development Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Donor Engagement Director Prevailing Wage
Donor Engagement Director Prevailing Wage
Donor Engagement Director positions fall under SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Foundation Director Prevailing Wage
Foundation Director Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Foundation Director for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Individual Giving Director Prevailing Wage
Individual Giving Director Prevailing Wage
Individual Giving Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Individual Giving Manager Prevailing Wage
Individual Giving Manager Prevailing Wage
Individual Giving Manager positions fall under SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Institutional Advancement VP (Institutional Advancement Vice President) Prevailing Wage
Institutional Advancement VP (Institutional Advancement Vice President) Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Institutional Advancement VP (Institutional Advancement Vice President) for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Major Gifts Director Prevailing Wage
Major Gifts Director Prevailing Wage
Major Gifts Director is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 11-2033.00 (Fundraising Managers). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Fundraising Managers?
DOL calculates prevailing wages for Fundraising Managers using Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics surveys collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across hundreds of metro areas. The Office of Foreign Labor Certification, or OFLC, publishes these figures annually. Employers use the OFLC Wage Search to retrieve the certified wage floor for the specific worksite location before filing an LCA.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which applies to me?
DOL assigns Level 1 to entry-level candidates working under supervision, Level 2 to qualified professionals working independently, Level 3 to experienced staff who lead programs or manage others, and Level 4 to senior leaders directing an entire development function. Your employer selects the level based on the actual duties and supervision described in the job offer, not just your years of experience. USCIS reviews that determination during petition adjudication.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Fundraising Managers role vary so much by city?
OFLC derives wages from regional OES surveys, so each metro reflects local labor market rates for the occupation. Dense nonprofit and higher education markets like New York and San Jose drive wages well above the national median. The LCA must cite the actual worksite address, so if your employer's headquarters is in Boston but you work remotely from a lower-wage metro, the certified wage attaches to your physical work location.
What happens if my job offer is below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify an LCA for a wage below the applicable prevailing wage floor. If the offer falls short, DOL will reject the LCA, and USCIS will not approve the H-1B or green card petition without a valid certified LCA. The employer must either raise the offered wage to meet the floor or withdraw the sponsorship. Candidates cannot waive or negotiate around this requirement.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Fundraising Managers position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search, select SOC code 11-2033, choose the metro area matching your intended worksite, and select the experience level that fits your role. OFLC updates these figures each year. For additional context on which employers have sponsored Fundraising Managers roles in specific locations, Migrate Mate filters sponsored job listings by role and location so you can compare offers against employer filing history.
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