Fundraising Managers Salary
Fundraising Managers in Columbia, SC make a median of $103,620 a year, or about $49.82 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.66), which stretches that salary to about $110,634 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,276/month, or 19.5% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $104K get you in Columbia?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Columbia’s Regional Price Parity (93.66). 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 fundraising managers
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What this looks like in Columbia
Pay for fundraising managers in Columbia runs about 17% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,276/month, 20.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Columbia can be a reasonable trade-off for fundraising managerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for fundraising managers in metros near Columbia, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $101K | $108K |
| Charleston-North Charleston | $113K | $112K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $127K | $127K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $127K | $131K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Columbia, SC
Entry-level fundraising managers (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $104K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $105K spread from bottom to top.
Fundraising Managers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Fundraising Managers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $170K | +35% | 4,080 |
| New Hampshire | $157K | +25% | 270 |
| Rhode Island | $156K | +24% | 220 |
| Massachusetts | $152K | +21% | 2,260 |
| Virginia | $144K | +15% | 880 |
| District of Columbia | $142K | +13% | 800 |
| New Jersey | $141K | +12% | 750 |
| Washington | $137K | +9% | 1,050 |
| California | $136K | +8% | 5,430 |
| Delaware | $132K | +5% | 120 |
| Maryland | $131K | +4% | 810 |
| Colorado | $130K | +4% | 600 |
| Vermont | $129K | +3% | 180 |
| Minnesota | $127K | +1% | 680 |
| North Carolina | $126K | +0% | 1,030 |
| Kentucky | $125K | -1% | 210 |
| Wisconsin | $123K | -2% | 400 |
| Connecticut | $123K | -2% | 900 |
| Louisiana | $122K | -3% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $122K | -3% | 220 |
| North Dakota | $122K | -3% | 30 |
| Kansas | $121K | -3% | 160 |
| Arizona | $116K | -7% | 530 |
| Maine | $116K | -7% | 220 |
| Michigan | $113K | -10% | 880 |
| Georgia | $113K | -10% | 680 |
| Indiana | $113K | -10% | 440 |
| Pennsylvania | $111K | -11% | 1,950 |
| Missouri | $111K | -11% | N/A |
| Tennessee | $108K | -14% | 300 |
| Nevada | $106K | -15% | 150 |
| Illinois | $106K | -15% | 2,860 |
| Oregon | $104K | -17% | 1,160 |
| South Carolina | $103K | -18% | 220 |
| Alaska | $103K | -18% | 110 |
| New Mexico | $102K | -19% | 70 |
| Ohio | $101K | -19% | 1,630 |
| Iowa | $99K | -21% | 370 |
| Florida | $97K | -22% | 1,320 |
| Nebraska | $97K | -23% | 400 |
| Texas | $97K | -23% | 2,560 |
| Utah | $95K | -24% | 130 |
| Hawaii | $94K | -25% | 240 |
| Idaho | $88K | -30% | 70 |
| Alabama | $84K | -33% | 210 |
| Mississippi | $83K | -34% | 70 |
| West Virginia | $74K | -41% | 100 |
| Arkansas | $71K | -43% | 150 |
Showing 1–10 of 48 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track fundraising managers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Columbia numbers change.
Related careers in Management
Frequently asked questions
Can a fundraising manager afford a 2BR apartment alone in Columbia?
Yes — at the median salary of $104K, rent takes 20.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,276/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for fundraising managers in Columbia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new fundraising managers typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,963/month. At HUD’s $1,276/month FMR, rent would take 32% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is fundraising manager a high-paying job in Columbia?
Local pay runs 17% below the national median — $104K here vs. $125K nationally. Cost of living is 6% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Columbia compare to the national average for fundraising managers?
Columbia pays $104K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $111K — below the national median.
How much do fundraising managers make in Columbia, SC?
The median is $103,620 a year, that works out to about $50 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,050, and experienced fundraising managers can clear $171,300. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $104K enough to live in Columbia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,357/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,276/month, which eats 20.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a fundraising managers salary go in Columbia?
Columbia has a Regional Price Parity of 93.66 (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 fundraising managers salary is worth about $110,634 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do fundraising managers 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.
