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Baltimore Nonprofits Offer Comparable Wages To That Of For-Profit Counterparts

While people don't generally first think of nonprofit organizations when considering different profitable fields to enter, it's important to understand all the advantages in working for a nonprofit. Although there are obvious altruistic benefits in working for a charitable organization, those advantages aren't the only important factors in choosing a career. Often, the first and foremost factor to consider is a career's ability to maintain a reasonable lifestyle, with the ability to pay the bills and sustain a family. However, the biggest misconception about working for a nonprofit organization is that they do not have comparable wages with their for-profit counterparts.

In a 2009 report on wages in the nonprofit sector, released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, it stated, "In examining the wages of specific occupations within the management occupations group, some statistically significant differences were found. For example, the average hourly earnings of human resources managers at nonprofits ($40.35) were higher than those of their counterparts in state governments ($28.65)."

While data is different with each region and profession, studies on employment in the nonprofit sector show how comparable wages are from their for-profit counterparts. For those in the Baltimore area, there are numerous nonprofit organizations to choose from when considering where to best utilize your expertise.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, "Not only is the nonprofit sector a major employer in many different states, but nonprofit employment is also present in virtually all parts of these states. In Maryland, nonprofits account for 28 percent of total private employment in Baltimore City, but also account for 8.5 percent in the Baltimore suburbs and 10 percent in the rural Eastern Shore."

For a complete list of nonprofit organizations within the Baltimore area, Great Nonprofits offers ratings and reviews for both top nonprofit organizations and up-and-coming charitable groups looking for ways of expanding. Keeping an open mind to different career paths can increase job opportunities. For Baltimore residents, whether you're a student looking towards graduation or a professional seeking alternate career routes, there are a number of different organizations to choose from.

Sara Lugardo is a professional writer out of Chicago, Illinois. She has a bachelor's in Communication and is currently working on her master's. Her work can be found on Examiner.com.

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