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Business Careers with a Nonprofit Management Major

Be Ready for a Challenging Career in the Nonprofit Sector

NPOs* are the 3rd largest employer in the U.S.1

62% of CEO/CGOs are women2

Throughout COVID-19, NPOs proved resilient.

  • 71% saw an increased demand for services3
  • 88% created new ways to work with positive effects3
  • 49% of staff took on duties outside of their normal roles3

Why Choose Us?

By learning skills in every area of an NPO and building advanced leadership skills and experience in our We Empower Learners and Leaders (WELL) series, you can make a big impact within an NPO and the community it serves.

Furthermore, you graduate with skills NACE4 identifies as critical to career readiness — which they report as deficient in as many as 44.2% of graduates.5 These include communication, critical thinking, professionalism, and teamwork — areas TAWC focuses on throughout the Nonprofit major in our online BS in Business degree.

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You Can Help Improve Lives in a Nonprofit Management Role

The focus of NPO organizations is on people, not profits. This means your career can focus on improving lives in the community your organization serves to make lasting, positive changes.

Roles with high salaries and faster-than-average growth rates in this sector include:

  • Community Service Manager: $74,000/Year | 12% Growth Rate6
  • Grant Writer: $64,280/Year | 4% Growth Rate7
  • Public Relations Manager: $117,780/Year | 8% Growth Rate8
  • Fundraising Manager: $99,970/Year | 8% Growth Rate8
  • Event Manager: $56,620/Year | 18% Growth Rate9

Industry Stats

If you have your eye on the C-suite in the long run, research2 shows the type of foundation you work for will have a direct impact on the salary you’ll earn in a CEO/CGO role. The average salary across all organizations is 200,000, and while this role may expect a master’s degree, professionals with a bachelor’s, experience and proven track record also hold the position. Average industry incomes are:

  • $345,000/Year at operating foundations
  • $249,000/Year at independent foundations
  • $247,300/Year at public foundations
  • $235,000/Year at private foundations
  • $193,960/Year at other organizations
  • $153,541/Year at community organizations
  • $142,500/Year at corporate grant makers

Executives at Grantmaking Nonprofit Organizations

See where women and people of color lead in top executive roles at grantmaking organizations.2

  • 85% at NPOs with less than $5 million in assets
  • 71% at NPOs with one or two paid staff members
  • 60% of CEO/CGOs at NPOs with $5 billion or more in assets
  • 46% at NPOs with 20 or more paid staff
  • 31% at NPOs with $1 billion to $1,999 billion in assets
  • 30% at NPOs with $5 billion or more in assets
  • 6% at NPOs with assets between $50 and $99 million

Find your state’s association of nonprofits at the National Council of Nonprofits to connect with local resources and expertise.

What Do Other Career Options in Business Look Like?

This bachelor’s degree offers a variety of career-focused majors that deliver nuanced skills that belong to a particular area of the degree. You can explore career options with above-average salaries and growth rates for other majors by clicking on the appropriate career page.

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Sources and Disclaimer

  1. Center for Civil Society Studies Archive. The 2020 Nonprofit Employment Report: The 3rd Largest Employer Faces the COVID-19 Crisis. Retrieved from http://ccss.jhu.edu/2020-nonprofit-employment-report/.
  2. Council on Foundations. 2022 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings. Retrieved from https://cof.org/sites/default/files/documents/files/private/2022-GSB-KeyFindings.pdf.
  3. Nonprofit Finance Fund. 2022 State of the Nonprofit Sector Survey. Retrieved from https://nff.org/learn/survey.
  4. The National Association of Colleges and Employers.
  5. NACE. “Competencies: Employers Weigh Importance Versus New Grad Proficiency.” Retrieved from https://www.naceweb.org/career-readiness/competencies/competencies-employers-weigh-importance-versus-new-grad-proficiency/.
  6. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Social and Community Service Managers.” Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/social-and-community-service-managers.htm.
  7. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Media and Communication, Writers, and Authors.” Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/media-and-communication/writers-and-authors.htm#tab-5.
  8. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Public Relations Managers.” Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/public-relations-managers.htm#tab-5.
  9. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook. “Meeting, Convention, and Event Planners.” Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/meeting-convention-and-event-planners.htm#tab-5.

*Nonprofit Organizations