Fundraisers Salary
Fundraisers in Knoxville, TN make a median of $58,940 a year, or about $28.34 an hour. The range runs from $41K at the entry level to $82K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.57), which stretches that salary to about $63,671 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,471/month, about 35.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $59K actually covers in Knoxville, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Knoxville’s Regional Price Parity (92.57). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About fundraisers
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What this looks like in Knoxville
Pay for fundraisers in Knoxville runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $73K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,471/month, which is 35.7% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.57 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for fundraisers.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fundraisers in metros near Knoxville, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $64K | $66K |
| Memphis | $66K | $72K |
| Chattanooga | $60K | $65K |
| Kingsport-Bristol | $57K | $65K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Knoxville, TN
Entry-level fundraisers (10th percentile) start around $41K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $82K or more, a $41K spread from bottom to top.
Fundraisers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fundraisers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $81K | +11% | 2,350 |
| New York | $81K | +11% | 11,600 |
| Maryland | $80K | +10% | 2,010 |
| California | $80K | +10% | 12,860 |
| Massachusetts | $79K | +9% | 6,160 |
| Washington | $79K | +9% | 3,870 |
| Connecticut | $78K | +7% | 1,350 |
| New Jersey | $77K | +6% | 1,950 |
| Minnesota | $77K | +6% | 3,190 |
| North Dakota | $76K | +5% | 340 |
| Rhode Island | $75K | +4% | 1,000 |
| Colorado | $74K | +3% | 2,470 |
| Virginia | $73K | +0% | 4,010 |
| Vermont | $73K | -0% | 510 |
| Louisiana | $72K | -1% | 330 |
| Georgia | $72K | -1% | 2,690 |
| Wyoming | $71K | -2% | 90 |
| Delaware | $71K | -2% | 320 |
| Nevada | $69K | -6% | 310 |
| Kentucky | $68K | -6% | 1,030 |
| Nebraska | $68K | -6% | 770 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -8% | 80 |
| Maine | $67K | -8% | 930 |
| Illinois | $66K | -8% | 4,470 |
| New Hampshire | $66K | -9% | 810 |
| Indiana | $66K | -9% | 2,080 |
| Michigan | $66K | -9% | 3,170 |
| North Carolina | $66K | -9% | 3,700 |
| Wisconsin | $66K | -9% | 2,130 |
| New Mexico | $65K | -10% | 330 |
| Kansas | $65K | -11% | 1,100 |
| Florida | $64K | -11% | N/A |
| Arizona | $64K | -12% | 1,580 |
| Oregon | $64K | -12% | 2,090 |
| Ohio | $64K | -12% | 3,460 |
| Oklahoma | $64K | -12% | 950 |
| Iowa | $64K | -12% | 1,230 |
| Missouri | $64K | -12% | 1,670 |
| Hawaii | $64K | -12% | 440 |
| Pennsylvania | $64K | -12% | 6,180 |
| Alaska | $63K | -14% | 290 |
| South Carolina | $63K | -14% | 1,200 |
| Utah | $62K | -15% | 920 |
| Tennessee | $61K | -15% | 1,930 |
| Montana | $61K | -16% | 700 |
| Idaho | $61K | -16% | 380 |
| Texas | $60K | -17% | 4,020 |
| Alabama | $60K | -17% | 1,120 |
| Mississippi | $58K | -21% | 230 |
| West Virginia | $55K | -25% | 260 |
| Arkansas | $50K | -31% | 360 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track fundraisers salary changes
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a fundraiser afford a 2BR apartment alone in Knoxville?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 35.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,200/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for fundraisers in Knoxville?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fundraisers typically earn — is $41K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,913/month. At HUD’s $1,471/month FMR, rent would take 50% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fundraiser a high-paying job in Knoxville?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $59K here vs. $73K nationally. Cost of living is 7% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Knoxville compare to the national average for fundraisers?
Knoxville pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $73K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.57), the purchasing-power equivalent is $64K — below the national median.
How much do fundraisers make in Knoxville, TN?
The median is $58,940 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,970, and experienced fundraisers can clear $82,000. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Knoxville?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,116/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,471/month, which eats 35.7% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a fundraisers salary go in Knoxville?
Knoxville has a Regional Price Parity of 92.57 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median fundraisers salary is worth about $63,671 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fundraisers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.