2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report: Key Findings

The 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits (GSB) Key Findings is an illustrated, three-page document highlighting important trends shaping the philanthropic sector. Also available as a free PDF, the 2023 GSB Key Findings is a small part of the full dataset available in the 2023 GSB Report, which is built from data on 10,733 full-time staff at 957 foundations and corporate grantmakers. Council members can download the full 2023 GSB Report for free, and nonmembers can purchase the full report for $549.

Download the Key Findings PDF

Download the 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report

Compensation Rises, but Not Like Inflation

While the U.S. experienced its highest peak inflation rate (9.1%) in 40 years...

Staff salaries for 514 respondents that participated in the last five Grantmaker Salary and Benefits surveys tried to keep up, rising an average of 5.49% in 2023. The same group of five-year respondents also reported CEO/CGO salaries increasing 5.76%. Program officer salaries in the five-year respondent group reported salary increases averaging 5.26% in 2023. 

2023         2022

Turnover Increases

Departures and turnover rates are higher in this year's GSB report than in previous years.

The mean turnover rate for participating foundations was:

2023      2022

57%

of responsive foundations reported staff departures in 2023.

52% in 2022

50% in 2021

The median turnover rate for administrative staff was:

2023      2022

Leave Benefits Expand, Coverage for Partners Plateaus

This was the first year the GSB asked about sabbaticals as a benefit for all staff members, rather than solely for executives.

9% of responding foundations offer sabbaticals to full-time staff.

6.3% offer them to part-time staff.

Of responding foundations paternity leave is offered by:
 

Of responding foundations, adoption leave is offered by:
 

2023      2022

Domestic partner inclusion for benefits appears to have plateaued, rising only to:

69.6%

Same-Gender Benefits

Only 69.6% of foundations extend benefits to employees' same-gender spouses.

69.1% in 2022

67.3% in 2021

Increased Reporting of Disabilities

8.42%

of foundations report having at least one full- or part-time staff member with a disability, up slightly from 8% in 2022.
 
 

16

foundations — 2% of those who responded to questions covering staff with disabilities — reported having a CEO/CGO with a disability, double the number reported in 2022.

Racial Diversity Continues to Climb, but Gender Pay Gap Persists

People of color account for:

32.7%
of full-time staff in 2023.

31% in 2022
29% in 2021
27% in 2020

A chart illustrating the percentage of full-time staff at participating foundations who identify as people of color.

61%

of foundation CEOs identified as female, down slightly from:

62% in 2022

14.9%

of foundation CEOs were people of color, up slightly from:

14% in 2022
12% in 2021

0.4%

of foundation staff members identified as nonbinary, the same as last year.

 

The Gender Pay Gap

The median salary for female CEOs was:

The median salary for male CEOs was:

2023            2022

Female CEO pay is about 85.3% of the median salary reported for male CEOs.

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Download the 2023 Grantmaker Salary and Benefits Report

Download the Key Findings PDF

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