Canadian Fundraising Salaries Rebound in 2026 Compensation Study After Years of Stagnation
The 2026 AFP Compensation and Benefits Study shows Canada outpacing the U.S. in salary growth, with a surprising twist on pay equity
According to the 2026 AFP Compensation and Benefits Study, average compensation for Canadian fundraising professionals rose 6.2 percent in 2025, from $98,376 to $104,442 — comfortably outpacing Canada's 2.1 percent annual inflation rate. Median compensation told the same story, climbing 6.6 percent, from $87,275 to $93,000, indicating this growth is shared across the profession.
These stats are a welcome departure from the last few years which saw wages remain stagnant in the wake of large increases in 2022 related to post-COVID recovery and significant inflation. This growth also puts Canada ahead of the U.S. this year, where average pay grew just 0.9 percent — not enough to keep pace with their 2.6% inflation rate.
A Continuation of the Reverse Gender Pay Gap
Another area where Canada significantly differed from our U.S. counterparts is in the gender pay gap. In the U.S., women reported earning $24,285, or 25.9 percent, less than men, a significant increase from last year’s 18 percent. In Canada, however, the pay gap favored women for the second year in a row. Female fundraisers in Canada reported average compensation of $107,938, compared to $97,614 for men, widening last year’s .8% pay gap, to a roughly 10.6 percent gap.
It's worth noting the context behind that number, however. 84 percent of Canadian respondents who reported both salary and gender identified as women, meaning the male comparison group is considerably smaller and more sensitive to a handful of individual salaries. That doesn't erase the finding, but it's a reason to watch next year's study closely to see whether this holds as a genuine trend or reflects this year's particular sample.
Certification Pays Off — Increasingly So
Professional credentials continued to pay off for Canadian fundraisers. Among those with 10 or more years of experience, CFRE holders earned 20 percent more on average than non-holders — up from a 15 percent premium reported in 2024. With CFRE the most widely held fundraising certification among Canadian AFP members (nearly 40 percent of those who answered the certification question hold it), that year-over-year increase in the credential's value is worth noting for anyone weighing whether to pursue certification.
Location Still Matters
Where a Canadian fundraiser works still shapes their paycheck significantly. Ontario led all provinces in compensation, paying 9.3 percent above the national average, among the provinces with a large enough sample for confident comparison. Newfoundland and Labrador came in roughly 29 percent below the national average, the steepest regional gap in the country, though that figure is based on a very small sample and should be read with caution.
Benefits: Stronger Retirement Coverage, Milder Cost Pressure
On the benefits side, Canadian employers report somewhat more robust retirement coverage than their U.S. counterparts: 89 percent of Canadian organizations offer some form of retirement plan, compared with 80 percent in the U.S. Defined benefit pension plans (43 percent) and Group Retirement Savings Plans (41 percent) are the two most common options. Rising health costs are a shared concern in both countries, though less acute in Canada: 28.7 percent of Canadian respondents at organizations offering health insurance reported a premium increase in 2025, compared with 42.5 percent in the U.S.
Looking Ahead
Across both countries, the study found relatively modest job-search activity: approximately 15 percent of participants indicated they had looked for a job with a different organization in 2025, while the vast majority of Canadian respondents — over three-quarters — say they intend to stay with their current organization through 2026.
Overall, the 2025 data suggests Canadian fundraisers are finally seeing the market move in their favor after several flat years: real wage growth that outpaces inflation, a gender pay gap that has now favored women two years running, and rising value for professional certification. For Canadian fundraisers using this report to benchmark their own compensation, the numbers suggest 2025 may mark a turning point, though it's worth watching whether the trend continues into next year's data.
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