Nonprofit Fundraiser: how teachers make the switch

“Fundraisers plan and oversee campaigns and events to raise money and other donations for an organization.”

Know this first

  • DegreeBLS lists a bachelor's degree. Employers often favor prior nonprofit or volunteer experience.
From
Teaching
To
Nonprofit Fundraiser
U.S. median pay
$72,550
U.S. median, BLS (May 2025)
Job outlook
+6%
BLS, 2025–35
Entry education
Bachelor's degree
Related experience
None
SOC13-1131Source: BLS

Pay varies by state and sector.

Already packed

What carries over from your classroom

  • Writing grants for classroom supplies
  • Running school fundraisers and book fairs
  • Telling a story that makes people care

Still to pack

What you’d likely need to add

  • Donor databases
  • Major-gift and grant-writing practice at scale

Test flights

Try it before you quit

Small, low-risk ways to find out if you’d actually like this work.

  1. Write a real grant for your classroom or school
  2. Join the fundraising committee of a local nonprofit
  3. Ask a development director what their team hires for

Is this one of your 3 paths?

Answer a few questions about the teaching work you enjoy and your constraints around time, money, and pay. See 3 careers your skills already fit, including ones you’ve probably never heard of.

We’ll email you when it’s ready. No spam.

Other routes from teaching

Data checked September 2026 from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook (SOC 13-1131). Suggestions on this page are our own editorial guidance, not BLS data.