Growth in Nonprofit Workforce Outpaces Other Sectors

A recent study by Johns Hopkins shows that the nonprofit workforce grew 5.3 percent from 2002 to 2004. In comparison, in the for-profit world, employment dropped 0.2 percent for the same period.

The nonprofit sector workforce, in this study, includes both paid workers and volunteer work (volunteer work is translated into FTEs or full time equivalents). The study reports that as of the second quarter of 2004, 9.4 million people worked in the nonprofit sector, while the equivalent of an additional 4.7 million full-time workers volunteered their time.

Nonprofit workers earned $321.6 billion in 2004, with the average pay being $627 per week. For-profit employees earned $669 per week. The average salary for workers in some organizations such as hospitals can be significantly higher.

Because the nonprofit sector is so robust, it is worthwhile for job seekers to look there for opportunities.

More on employment in nonprofit organizations:

• Top 5 Reasons to Work at a Nonprofit
• Top 7 Tips for Getting Your Dream Nonprofit Job
• A Guide to Nonprofit-Focused Graduate Degree Programs - An MBA with a Twist