More nonprofit organizations are reporting increased employee salaries in the past year than at any point since the economic downturn in 2008, according to new data published by Opportunity Knocks, a national job board and HR resource for nonprofit employers and job-seekers. 

Of the more than 1,600 nonprofits surveyed in this year's report, 47 percent reported salary increases in 2012. Although this is up 10 percent since bottoming out in 2010, it is still very much below the 75 percent of nonprofits that reported rising salaries before the downturn.

While salaries are trending upward, the data also show that nonprofits' contributions to employee and dependent health insurance is at a 5-year low and continues to decline, down approximately 15 percent in the past two years.

"We published the Opportunity Knocks 2013 Nonprofit Wage & Benefits Report to help organizations base their critical human resources decisions on hard numbers and facts," said Karen Beavor, President and CEO of Opportunity Knocks. "True to our mission, production of this report demonstrates our commitment to lead and support efforts promoting a robust workforce that enables organizations to achieve their missions."

Now in its fourth edition, the annual Opportunity Knocks Nonprofit Wage & Benefits Report is based on salary and benefits data collected from a survey of nonprofit organizations across the country. Employers and employees alike reported benefits information, while employers submitted information about salaries offered at their organizations. Each year, the report provides insights and trends for nonprofit employers to determine fair wages and benefits packages and helps job-seekers have realistic expectations of salaries and benefits offered throughout the sector.