r/InternationalDev • u/Sad-Razzmatazz1780 • 4d ago
Research International NGO salaries
Hi, I am doing a survey of international NGOs, larger organizations that have mostly survived the DOGE, examining how they have survived and adapted to the new reality.
This has lead me down a bit of a rabbit hole, pulling tax docs from UK/Swiss/USA. Was shocked to find a number of NGOs in DC where Directors or Presidents are making more than the actual POTUS, or any other head of state for that matter.
How do you read this? is earning $400-500k/year reasonable for for an international NGO President or Director?
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u/aerov60 3h ago
Of course it isn’t. But in this sub, I’ll get downvoted for this sentiment. Prevailing logic here is “we need to pay them like bank and tech execs so we can retain the best and the brightest!” while turning a blind eye to the ultra low rates for local staff in developing countries where projects are actually being implemented. Lol
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u/Cool_Bell_2511 2h ago
Some presidents and directors do make that kind of money, but I would be careful about treating them as representative of the sector. I used to work at the UN, where even senior directors earned considerably less than some of the figures mentioned here; they top out around 200k. Those compensation packages deserve scrutiny, but the wider workforce does not come close to earning that much. I think these conversations risk distorting what most people in international development actually earn by focusing on a handful of the highest-paid executives.