Side-by-side distribution
Grant Writer
$79,277
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 58.1%
- Live roles
- 74
Program Officer
$64,836
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 50.5%
- Live roles
- 580
Highest-paying jobs
Digital Consulting Manager, Oracle Cloud PPM & Grants
Workday Grants Manager - US or Canada
✍️ Grant Writer ✍️
Grants Compliance Manager (NCS) - MONSE
Editor/Grant Writer, Department of Surgery
Grant Coordinator/Editor - Department of Surgery
Special Projects Coordinator, Grant Services Specialist III (NCS) - Baltimore City Health Department
Photonics Initiative Post-award Grants Manager
Grants Manager
Financial Grants Manager (09543)
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Program Officer, Software & AI
Senior Program Officer
Chief Program Officer, Exoneration Strategy & Support
Chief Program Officer, Policy, Research, and Prevention
Senior Strategy Officer, US Program (three openings)
Senior Program Officer, Policy and Evidence
Senior Program Officer, Evidence for Systems Improvement (11-month LTE*)
Facilities Capital Investments Program Regional Coordinator
Nurse Practitioner/Physician Assistant Lead Coordinator, Pediatric Trauma Program
DoW Rewards Program Coordinator
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$71,314 | 6 |
|
City of Baltimore
|
$92,739 | 3 |
| RF Research Foundation of CUNY | $90,000 | 3 |
|
Huron
|
$153,750 | 2 |
| MS Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | $98,250 | 2 |
Bannerbank
|
$87,811 | 2 |
| IR International Rescue Committee | $83,641 | 2 |
| SO State of Oklahoma | $71,250 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
The University of Texas at Austin
|
$54,500 | 20 |
Penn State University
|
$49,722 | 12 |
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine
|
$103,540 | 9 |
| MG Mass General Brigham | $50,034 | 7 |
Esri
|
$125,840 | 6 |
Washington University in St. Louis
|
$61,942 | 6 |
|
University of Pennsylvania
|
$58,224 | 6 |
Georgetown University
|
$56,116 | 6 |
Grant Writer vs Program Officer: which pays more?
The median for Grant Writer is $79,277 per year (typically $63,242–$92,000), versus $64,836 for Program Officer ($52,000–$90,638). That puts Grant Writer about 22% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Grant Writer and Program Officer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.