Nonprofit management means supervising a nonprofit company. Pursue a nonprofit management degree online if you want a career that has a positive impact on community!
Nowadays, almost everything has become digital, and so are college degrees. Are you seeking a career in nonprofit management? Can’t attend physical classes? Don’t be concerned! Getting an online degree is an excellent approach to completing your desired degree. Continue reading if you’re searching for cost-effective online degrees in nonprofit management.
Article Navigation: What is a Nonprofit? | What Is a Nonprofit Management Program? | Nonprofit Management Courses | How Long Does A Nonprofit Management Degree Online Take? | Degree Admission Requirements | Nonprofit Sector – Salary, Career Outlook, and Growth | How To Choose A Nonprofit Management Degree Online | Best Associate Nonprofit Management Program | Best Bachelors in Nonprofit Management Degrees | Best Master’s in Nonprofit Management Programs | Nonprofit Career Paths | Get A Nonprofit Management Degree Online Today! | FAQs Nonprofit Management Degree Online
What is a Nonprofit?
Nonprofit Organizations (NPOs) serve the public and are subsequently exempt from taxation. They collect donations to distribute wherever required to focus on the mutual benefit of the community instead of generating revenues. These setups usually cover education, religious, charitable, scientific, and similar sectors. Furthermore, revenues for NPOs are not declared. After covering operating expenses, all the income remains available for the public good.
What Is a Nonprofit Management Program?
A nonprofit management degree allows students to learn efficient financial management, impactful leadership, and effective fundraising. Students gain knowledge of every operational area of an NPO. These include:
- Marketing communication
- Statistical analysis
- Volunteer management
- Resource development
- Grant writing
- Research
- Law
- Financial management
Nonprofit management degrees also cover social entrepreneurship, strategic planning, and, most importantly, organizational development.
Nonprofit Management Courses
The future of nonprofit management seems pretty bright; therefore, millions of youngsters worldwide are interested in pursuing this particular field. Are you one of them? If yes, then nonprofit management courses can help you reach new heights. These courses are an effective tool playing a considerable role in the growth of nonprofit organizations. Below is a list of the top 6 nonprofit management courses students should take to excel in 2022. To illustrate, let’s check them out:
1. Public Financial Management
This course focuses on enhancing knowledge of the importance of public financial management. It also looks at its role in achieving sustainable development objectives, economic growth, and economic stability. A public financial management course includes everything from preparing budgets to the accountability of governments and implementing new reforms.
A public financial management course is an excellent place to start for financially oriented students who want to enhance their skills. Look for programs led by faculty with experience in the field! Professors with practical experience will help students learn public financial management effectively. Hundreds of educational and professional institutions are offering online public financial management courses.
Before choosing one, don’t forget to learn about the institution’s credibility in providing this particular course. Looking at the online reviews will support students in making the right decision. This way, the chances of enrolling in an excellent course become brighter.
2. Public Policy Analysis
As the name depicts, this course focuses on learning how to create effective public policies and their successful implementation. During public policy-making, the participants of this course learn to debate the accountability to the public, government, and nonprofit business sectors.
3. Public Administration
A public administration course encourages students to learn the basics of managing a nonprofit’s operational activities. In short, it covers organizational ethics, regulations, policy-making, strategic planning, and similar tasks. Suppose this is something students want to do in the future. Then they should do this course because it will assist them at different professional career stages.
4. Public Personnel Management
This course focuses on conflict management between:
- The workforce and the management authorities,
- Productivity enhancement
- Leadership skill development
- Human resource handling
- Etc.
In short, the primary goal of this course is to efficiently manage the workforce and ensure higher productivity of the nonprofit organization.
5. Grant Writing
Grant writing skill is an effective tool to give nonprofit organizations a solid boost. Many colleges and universities are offering online grant writing courses these days. This course helps students gain knowledge of multiple aspects, including but not limited to corporate philanthropy, yearly campaigns, social companies, and significant gifts.
6. Fundraising
Fundraising is a way to ask people to donate to a nonprofit organization. Accordingly, financial support plays a crucial role in successfully running these entities. Fundraising is a distinctive method that helps NPOs stand out in the market and go the extra mile to help the public. At the same time, fundraising courses cover unique ideas and basic terms to specifically convince others to donate to an organization generously. Additionally, they teach how to prepare an effective fundraising plan and familiarize students with the challenges they will face in the market.
However, fundraising is not just collecting and adequately utilizing funds. It also includes good relationships, support, and attracting new people and organizations to gain their trust. Finding suitable donors is challenging, hence the fundraising course supports students in achieving their goals. Instead of communicating with specific donors, students learn how to make alternate fundraising ideas to bring in more funds.
How Long Does A Nonprofit Management Degree Online Take?
Well, it depends on the degree students want to earn. A bachelor’s in nonprofit management takes around four years to complete. Then, a nonprofit management master’s degree will take around two additional years. Finally, a Ph.D. in nonprofit management takes between three to five years on top of the master’s to complete.
Degree Admission Requirements
Every institute has its own rules for admission. Therefore, applicants must be conscientious about the documents and procedures required to get in. Furthermore, admission requirements may vary depending on a bachelor’s, Master or Ph.D. program in the same field.
Bachelor’s Degree in Nonprofit Management
The documents required for admission to nonprofit management undergraduate programs are:
- Online application to provide the institution with contact information and personal details
- High school transcripts.
- Many but not all institutes may ask for SAT or ACT scores.
- Two to three letters of recommendation by former instructors
- Application essay, which is like a personal statement
- Many institutes will ask for an IELTS score (5.5 to 6.5 bands) for international students
Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management
A list of essential documents applicants will need to apply for a Master’s Degree in Nonprofit Management include:
- Recent resume
- Official degrees/transcripts from all institutions attended
- Personal statement (two-page) listing educational and professional objectives, relevant work experience, and similar information
- Letter of recommendation
- Complete an online application providing contact information
Suppose an overseas student has studied somewhere outside the United States. Then that student will have to complete visa requirements and pass an English proficiency test as listed below:
- Duolingo with a minimum 125 score
- TOEFL with a minimum score of 96
- IELTS with a minimum of 7.5 bands
Ph.D. in Nonprofit Management
Passing the IELTS exam or any other English proficiency is required if students apply to US universities from another country. Suppose graduates have a master’s degree in nonprofit management and want to pursue higher studies in the same domain. Hence, they will have to arrange the following documents at admission:
- Updated resume listing professional and educational background
- Personal statement or essay
- Letter of recommendation
- Official transcripts of bachelor’s and master’s degrees
- GMAT or GRE scores (not every institute asks for this)
- Many but not all universities accept students with a CGPA between 3.0 and 3.5
- Some institutes may ask for professional experience of five to ten years
Important Note: We have listed almost all the requirements above to enroll in different nonprofit management programs. However, these requirements may vary from one institution to another. It is good to get familiar with the admission requirements of a university.
Nonprofit Sector – Salary, Career Outlook, and Growth
Before choosing a degree in nonprofit management or deciding to serve nonprofit organizations in the future, consider whether it will be a worthwhile decision. The specifics of what happens in this field will show a clear picture of its future scope. As soon as you get a crystal clear idea of the real potential of the nonprofit sector, it will be an easy decision.
Career Outlook and Growth
Nonprofits don’t come to mind as the fastest-growing field in the US. But most people are not aware of what potential this domain has. However, nonprofits are some of the top-performing entities in the country! Plus NPOs are the third-largest source of employment in the US. Between 2007 and 2016 the job growth in the nonprofit sector exceeded 12% compared to for-profit businesses. The BLS reports around 12.3 million working in nonprofit setups in 2016. That was 10.2% of the total employment in the country’s private sector.
Employers offered the highest number of nonprofit jobs (26%) in the District of Columbia in the same year. The states of South Carolina, Alabama, and Texas had 6% employment in the entire private sector. In contrast, Nevada shared only 2.7% of the nonprofit work around the US. Nonprofit entities hire ten percent of the US workforce.
Compared to for-profit organizations, nonprofit jobs are just as stable. Both for-profit and nonprofit companies need individuals with similar skill sets. Also, the average salary in nonprofit setups is higher than the minimum average wage of people serving the for-profit sectors. 81% of all the employees in nonprofits receive medical benefits. In contrast, for-profit businesses offer these facilities to only 67% of their workforce. Similarly, nonprofit organizations are ahead of for-profits regarding defined contribution and defined-benefit plans.
Average Salary
The average annual salary for nonprofit organizations is around $58,114. In short, they salary range may vary depending on the role in the company and the department. For example, for every significant position in NPOs, the salary range is below:
Designation – Salary Range (USD)
- Chief Executive Officer – $99,000 to $257,000
- Executive Director – $47,000 to $84,000
- Marketing Manager – $47,000 to $79,000
- Fundraising Manager – $40,000 to $75,000
- Program Manager – $39,000 to $59,000
- Program Coordinator – $32,000 to $46,000
- Volunteer Coordinator – $29,0000 to $41,000
How To Choose A Nonprofit Management Degree Online
The selection of an online nonprofit management degree should be according to a proper strategy. Therefore, to get the most out of your degree, consider the top 5 factors below:
1. Location
Location matters in online education. For example, students may need to visit the campus for practical exposure or other activities. Therefore, if a school is nearby and offers an online nonprofit management program, it would be a better option than an institution in another city, county, or state.
2. Accreditation
When applying for an online program, the university must be accredited. Suppose a school doesn’t have accreditation. In that case, it will become almost impossible for graduates to get a job or receive financial support. For instance, for a business degree, students should search for certification from different bodies. Business degree accreditation might come from “International Accreditation Council for Business Education” and the “Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs.”
3. Program Structure
The program format is important when choosing an online nonprofit management program. Online degrees usually work on two different program formats, i.e., asynchronous and synchronous. As far as synchronous programs are concerned, they need students to attend scheduled online classes. In contrast, students don’t have to follow a pre-decided schedule in asynchronous programs.
4. Tuition Fee
Looking for a good Return on Investment (RoI) is a decent idea. The tuition fee is an essential factor in selecting the right program. Online programs offer cost-effective degrees, but drawing a solid comparison between tuition costs will help save even more.
5. Student Support Services
Support services are one of the most critical factors when applying to an online nonprofit management program. Online sessions include little instructor interaction, so look at alumni networking, tutoring, career support, job opportunities, and mentorship.
Best Associate Nonprofit Management Programs
There are many great nonprofit management programs, such as the list of the best nonprofit management associate programs you can apply to in 2022 below:
A list of the best associate programs in nonprofit management includes:
Best Bachelors in Nonprofit Management Degrees
Do you want to pursue a bachelor’s in nonprofit management? Are you looking for the top bachelor’s degrees in this domain? This section presents the five best bachelor’s programs in nonprofit management.
Indian River State College
Bachelor of Science in Public Administration
This college is a reputed institute in the United States offering a Bachelor of Science in Public Administration. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits this institution which adds to its credibility. This program is 100% online and only requires a high school diploma or GED score for admission.
The program consists of two different concentrations, namely:
- Emergency Planning and Management
- Public Policy Leadership
Both these concentrations cover courses including:
- Organizational behavior
- State and local government
- Foundations of public safety
- Public personnel management
- Values, ethics, and conflict resolution
Montana State University-Northern
Bachelor of Science in Community Leadership
Montana State University offers a 100% online Bachelor of Science in Community Leadership. It is perfect for students starting their public service or nonprofit management careers. The program is known for emphasizing practical aspects of nonprofit management, combining business communication and social sciences.
In addition, the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU) accredits this institute, so students don’t have to worry about the standard of their degree.
Peru State College
Bachelor of Science in Business Administration
This college, located in Nebraska, is known for offering a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration entirely online. It is one of the best programs in nonprofit management out there since the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) accredits this institution. Students get the opportunity to study current socio-political and economic challenges, which prepares them for a career in nonprofit management. The program requires ACT/SAT scores for admission.
The curriculum includes topics such as:
- American national government
- American Constitutional law
- State and local government
- Project management
- Organizational ethics
William Peace University
Bachelor of Science in Leadership & Nonprofit Administration
This institute offers a 100% online Bachelor of Science in Leadership & Nonprofit Administration from its campus situated in North Carolina. Again, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits this institute. Hence students don’t have to worry about the quality of coursework. The program’s primary focus is business courses, including organizational development, community service, and ethical principles, which help students prepare for careers in civic and nonprofit sectors.
Coursework includes areas of business law, marketing, finance, and leadership theory, making graduates of this degree ready to manage nonprofit organizations.
LeTourneau University
Bachelor of Science in Business/Nonprofit Management
Letourneau University is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). It offers a 100% online bachelor’s in Business/Nonprofit Management, which equips students with the necessary business skills required to perform at the top in public organizations.
The program focuses on marketing, finance, and law, which is perfect for students looking to build a career in the nonprofit sector.
Coursework includes the following:
- Management and nonprofit leadership
- Financial analysis for managers
- Marketing principles
- Business ethics
- Grant writing
- Philanthropy
- Fundraising
- Volunteer management
- Nonprofit law
Best Master’s in Nonprofit Management Programs
Are you done with your undergraduate degree in nonprofit management? Do you want to pursue a master’s degree in the same field? The best master’s programs you should enroll yourself in are listed below.
University of Central Florida
Master of Nonprofit Management
The University of Central offers in-state and out-of-state options for the Master of Nonprofit Management program. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits this institute, making it a great choice to be assured of academic excellence. The best part about this program is that students can opt for a dual degree program, including a Master of Public Administration and a Master of Nonprofit Management.
This degree can help graduates pursue advanced employment opportunities or get more executive roles as administrators in the public sector. Also, the program is 100% online, with a minimum requirement of a bachelor’s degree for admission.
University of Lynchburg
Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership Studies
A Master of Arts in Nonprofit Leadership Studies is a popular degree known for producing highly talented individuals in the nonprofit sector. The program develops the leadership and management skills required to create highly effective and productive public sector organizations. Although the program is offered 100% online, students can also opt for an on-campus variant.
In addition, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) accredits this institute which adds to its credibility. The minimum GPA requirement for this university is 3.0.
Indiana University Online
Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies
Indiana University is one of the finest in the United States. It offers a top-rated program – The Master of Arts in Philanthropic Studies, which is 100% online. The program mainly focuses on nonprofit and philanthropic organizations’ social, political, economic, and cultural aspects. Moreover, this program prepares students who want to explore a wide range of functional areas such as education, arts, health, animal welfare, religion, and work in top-tier management roles.
Coursework includes:
- Nonprofit and voluntary sectors
- Civil society and philanthropy
- History of American philanthropy
- Ethics and values of philanthropy
University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point
Master of Science in Community & Organizational Leadership
This institution has offered a Master of Science in Community & Organizational Leadership for many years. Although the program is offered 100% online, students can also opt for on-campus classes in Wisconsin. The program focuses on community development and equips students with the necessary leadership skills to work in community service organizations.
After graduating, students can:
- Collaborate with community service programs and utilize resources effectively
- Evaluate community needs and decide on the best course of action for positive change
- Learn niche management such as budgeting, marketing, finance, and more
- Assess local and world issues and apply critical thinking for the best possible outcome
Nonprofit Career Paths
For the most part, this domain offers countless opportunities to make a stable professional career. The top 5 nonprofit career paths in 2022 are listed below. Let’s have a look at the potential each track has.
Executive Director
Salary: The median annual salary for this position is around $79,033 (as of Dec 2021).
An executive director is the chief executive officer of a nonprofit entity. Therefore, they act as the backbone of an organization. In summary, their responsibilities include actively participating in fundraising campaigns and budget management. Also, they must manage the workforce, ensure the organization’s success, and report to the board of directors are a few more tasks executive directors must do.
Fundraising Manager
Salary: The average annual salary for a fundraising manager is $114,800.
The primary responsibility of a fundraising manager is to bring in funds for the organization. Then they must manage its operating expenses and serve the public in the best possible manner. A bachelor’s degree is ideal, and also having decent fundraising experience is a plus.
Social and Human Service Assistant
Salary: According to BLS, the mean annual wage for social and human service assistants is $40,460.
This entry-level position requires providing clients with rehabilitative and social services. In addition, psychological services. For this purpose, professional social and human assistants work simultaneously with veterans, disabled individuals, older adults, and children.
Program Coordinator
Salary: The median annual salary of an individual working as a program coordinator is $59,698.
A program coordinator is the most junior position in any nonprofit setup. Nevertheless, they organize events, manage volunteers, and carry out their organization’s services. Also, program coordinators usually work under the program manager’s supervision.
Social and Community Services Manager
Salary: The mean annual salary of a social and community services manager is $76,790.
A social and community services manager should lead a mission-driven nonprofit entity. Responsibilities of these professionals are plenty, such as managing the workforce and budgets, writing grants, and analyzing data. They also enhance their programs according to need. In this case, applicants should have a bachelor’s degree and practical experience to qualify for this position.
Get A Nonprofit Management Degree Online Today!
Several online degree programs can set you up for success if you want to work in nonprofit management. Whether you choose distance learning or attend a brick-and-mortar school, many great options are available to help you get started. In the meantime, head over to GetEducated.com and make an informed decision.
FAQs Nonprofit Management Degree Online
What degree is best for nonprofit work?
A nonprofit management degree is considered the best to work effectively for a nonprofit organization. But, public administration, nonprofit management, and business administration are good options.
What is an MNM degree?
MNM means Master of Nonprofit Management. Get yourself enrolled in this degree. Then you will understand how to manage every component (including developing leadership qualities) of a nonprofit business entity.
Can you get rich starting a nonprofit?
Yes, you can become rich while starting and running an NPO. Further, a nonprofit setup does not necessarily mean zero revenue. You can generate decent profits through different business ventures, i.e., making investments and renting properties.
Can you work in a nonprofit with an MBA?
Yes, depending upon your MBA degree, you can work in different departments of a nonprofit. For instance, if you have an MBA degree in nonprofit management, you can work in a nonprofit organization’s philanthropy, education, and healthcare sectors.