7 of the Best Types of Development Jobs in 2026

Discover some great types of Development jobs that are hiring now.

High Paying Development Jobs

• Freelance Development

  Salary range: $50,500 - $128,500

  Freelancers are self-employed. As a freelancer, you provide work to clients and invoice them for it. The type of clients you have depends on what kind of services you offer. Your clients can be individuals or companies. A full-time freelancer often has assignments from multiple clients at once. Some common services that people provide as freelancers are: writing, editing, graphic design, web design, marketing, programming, accounting, and bookkeeping. Freelancing is ideal for those who prefer to be their own boss and are willing to market themselves to meet their income goals.

• Development Director

  Salary range: $70,000 - $108,500

  The qualifications needed for a career as a development director include a bachelor’s degree in business, nonprofit administration, or public administration and experience as a grant writer or fundraising specialist. Most employers require between four and fifteen years of experience in fundraising before you qualify for a job as development director. You need strong communication skills, an understanding of contract management, and proficiency with fundraising software.

• Executive Development

  Salary range: $63,000 - $100,000

  The different types of executive jobs include upper- and senior-level management as well as the C-suite—the highest levels of senior management. The C-suite executives have the word “chief” at the beginning of their titles: Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Chief Operating Officer (COO), and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) are the most common. Companies with a heavy reliance on information technology may also have a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Other executive jobs include vice president and director of various departments.

• Development Manager

  Salary range: $58,500 - $90,500

  To become a development manager in fundraising, earn a bachelor’s degree in marketing, accounting, communications, or a related field. Intern or acquire an entry-level position in a fundraising department at a non-profit organization to learn how to create and manage fundraising campaigns. Take leadership roles in projects when available to gain management experience. Once you have worked in the industry for several years and have a substantial portfolio with successful campaigns, seek development manager positions.

• Junior Development

  Salary range: $67,000 - $87,000

  Junior Development is a more unusual job search query but still may give you interesting job results. Most salaries for Junior Development jobs pay between $67,000 (25th percentile) and $87,000 (75th percentile) annually. Currently, there are not many open positions nationwide for Junior Development job searches hiring now on ZipRecruiter. You can take a look at what is available and find similar job searches in this list.

• Development Coordinator

  Salary range: $43,500 - $58,500

  A development coordinator helps organize and administer fundraising efforts for a non-profit organization. As a development coordinator, your primary duties include scheduling and planning fundraising events, monitoring staff and volunteer calendars and attendance at events, and overseeing event budgets and resources. To pursue a career as a development coordinator, you need a high school diploma or equivalent and familiarity with the non-profit sector. Some employers prefer candidates with administrative, event planning, or customer service experience.

• Entry Level Development

  Salary range: $36,500 - $50,000

  Entry-level jobs are positions that do not require any previous experience in the role. Most entry-level jobs are aimed at high school or college graduates as a starting point for a future career goal. A college student may have majored in their ideal career field, but will still need to start in an entry-level position to train in a real-world environment. Some students move from internships into entry-level jobs, but most entry-level jobs do not expect a candidate to have any prior employment or on-site training.