Volunteer Grant Writer. Salary: $0.00 

You skipped the grant writing internship in college, and no one will hire you. Now you're stuck volunteering at a small nonprofit organization just to get experience. While working on your first proposal, you forget to check your grantmaker's rules and submit it in the wrong font. They reject it without flipping past the first page. On the bright side you're volunteering, so at least you can't be fired, right?

Freelance Grant Writer. Salary: $20,000 

You've been working as a freelance grant writer for about a year, and you've already nailed over twenty successful grants. Only problem is, they've averaged about $20,000 a piece, and you're working for five percent. We'd tell you to "do the math," but we're pretty sure you did that when hunting for an apartment earlier in the year. Otherwise, you wouldn't have wound up with three roommates.

Seasoned Low-budget Director. Salary: $43,000 

You've finally scored a salaried position as a full-time grant writer for a non-profit school—huzzah. Sure, you've only managed to bag a $1200 grant so far, but you can sleep well tonight knowing you helped some kids...and finally have something worth putting on your résumé.

Better Freelance Grant Writer. Salary: $52,000 

You're working freelance on a grant proposal for a community college. Your proposal wins them a substantial grant—$230,000—to fund undergraduate research opportunities. Just like that, you're in demand. Maybe it's time to get your own Bat Signal.

Grant Auteur. Salary: $124,000 

You're a senior grant writer for the Children's Cancer Foundation. Your persuasive grant proposal was just awarded $1.5 million to fund research into a cure for pediatric cancer. Welcome to the big time.