Nonprofit Program Evaluation Specialist

Career Guide

Nonprofit Program Evaluation Specialists design and run evaluations to determine if programs achieve intended outcomes. They plan data collection, analyze quantitative and qualitative data, and translate findings into clear recommendations that improve services and inform grants and strategy.

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Key Responsibilities

Design logic models, theories of change, and evaluation plans
Develop surveys, interview guides, and data collection protocols
Analyze quantitative and qualitative data; ensure data quality
Build dashboards and reports to communicate outcomes to stakeholders
Present findings and actionable recommendations to leadership and funders
Support grant reporting, outcome tracking, and compliance
Train staff on data collection and evaluation best practices

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Senior Program Evaluation Specialist

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Manager

Director of Evaluation & Learning

Transition Opportunities

Program Manager

Data Analyst (social impact)

Grant Program Officer (foundation)

Policy Research Analyst

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

Quasi-experimental impact evaluation methodsSurvey design and instrument validationQualitative analysis and coding (NVivo or Dedoose)Building dashboards with Tableau or Power BIDeveloping logic models and measurable KPIs

Development SuggestionsTake an applied program evaluation course and complete CITI Human Subjects Research training; do a pro bono evaluation via Catchafire or Taproot to produce a logic model, survey, findings brief, and a Tableau/Power BI dashboard.

Market Intelligence Report

Nonprofit Program Evaluation Specialist is part of the Social Science Research category.Explore our market intelligence report to see how AI and hiring demand are shifting for these roles.

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Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry Level$55,000-$70,000

Mid Level$70,000-$90,000

Senior Level$90,000-$120,000

Growth Trend

growing — Funders expect evidence of impact; nonprofits expanding MEL capacity

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

United WayAmerican Red CrossSave the Children US

Industry Sectors

Non-Profit & Social ImpactPhilanthropy & FoundationsInternational DevelopmentPublic Health & Human Services

Recommended Next Steps

Complete an applied Program Evaluation course/certificate (e.g., University of Washington, University of Michigan, or AEA workshops).

Earn Tableau Desktop Specialist or Microsoft PL-300 and publish a sample dashboard using nonprofit data.

Do a pro bono evaluation project through Catchafire/Taproot to build a portfolio and seek feedback from your local AEA affiliate.