Fundraisers pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,050 a year or less, while the top 10% make $111,130 or more. The middle half of fundraisers in Chicago earn between $54,280 and $83,680.
- $44K10th
- $54K25th
- $73KMedian
- $84K75th
- $111K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $73,520 | $6,127 | $35.35 |
| Median | $72,550 | $6,046 | $34.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $54,280 | $4,523 | $26.10 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $83,680 | $6,973 | $40.23 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Fundraisers salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $73,520, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $57,053 a year, or $4,754 a month and $2,194 every two weeks. Taxes take 22% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $58,376 | $4,865 |
| Working in IL | $57,053 | $4,754 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for fundraisers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $73,520 buys what about $70,969 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.3 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 4.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Fundraisers salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 1st of 6 Illinois metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Chicago$73,520
- Peoria$69,180
- Bloomington$68,510
- Champaign$66,940
- Springfield$65,490
- Rockford$65,200
Highest-paying cities for fundraisers
San Jose, CA pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($103,150).
- San Jose, CA$103,150
- Santa Maria, CA$91,500
- San Francisco, CA$91,430
- New Haven, CT$91,060
- New York, NY$90,420
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Fundraisers salary in Chicago: questions
How much do fundraisers make an hour in Chicago?
$35.35 an hour on average, and $34.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level fundraisers salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $44,050 a year and the 25th percentile is $54,280, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the fundraisers take-home pay in Chicago?
About $57,053 a year ($4,754 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $73,520.
Do fundraisers earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 6% less than the U.S. metro average for this job ($78,243).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 13-1131; area Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.6%.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.10, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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