CISO Salary – How Much Can You Earn as a Chief Information Security Officer?
What Is the Average Annual Salary of a CISO?
As of August 2022, the average salary of a CISO in the USA is $230,204 per year.
The range, however, is quite broad, with some CISOs earning as little as $120,000 and others earning as much as $900,000. The average salary of a CISO depends on many factors, including hours worked, company size, and location.
Organizations need to have a Chief Information Security Officer who can oversee risk management, security operations, data protection, and the overall security of information and data assets. Given the critical importance of this job, it can be intriguing to know how much a CISO makes.
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Factors That Influence the Salary of a CISO
The salary of a CISO depends on a wide variety of factors. Some notable factors that influence salary include:
Level of Experience
CISOs with experience of 2 years and below earn an average starting salary of $75,000. The average salary of a CISO increases with increasing years of experience.
An experienced CISO has a higher salary than an inexperienced CISO because of the additional knowledge and skills required to perform the job. Companies tend to favor CISOs with a military background because of their experience dealing with cyber-attacks and their knowledge of network security.
Location
Cities have a significant impact on the salaries of CISOs. For instance, the average salary of a CISO in Santa Cruz, CA, is $208,183 per year, whereas it’s only $196,230 in Cambridge, MA.
A business located in a city will generally pay its employees more than a business located in a rural area. The same is true for CISOs. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is that cities have a higher cost of living than rural areas.
Industry Sector
The positions of CISOs in sectors such as finance, insurance, and healthcare tend to pay higher salaries than those in other industries. The reason for this is that these sectors are more sensitive to cyber-attacks. As such, they often require a high level of security clearance.
Data breaches can have a huge impact on these companies, and they tend to invest more in cyber-security than other companies.
Education Level
A CISO with a bachelor’s degree is $112,000 per year, whereas the average salary of one with a master’s degree is $145,000 per year. The average salary increases with each level of education because it takes more time and effort to acquire the necessary skills and knowledge required.
Job Function
The job function also has an impact on a CISO’s salary. There is a specific set of skills that rewards CISOs with higher salaries. A CISO who is responsible for network security, for example, will earn more than a CISO who is responsible for information security.
Organization Size
CISOs who work in small organizations earn an average annual salary of $235,000 per year. While the COSO who work in large organizations earn an average annual salary of $267,000 per year.
CISOs who work in large organizations earn more than those in small organizations because they are expected to have more responsibilities, manage larger budgets, and have higher risks of a data breach. They also get additional benefits and perks from working for larger organizations.
What Is the Average Annual Starting Salary for CISOs?
CISOs who are just beginning their career earn an average annual starting salary of $75,000 per year. CISOs at the mid-career stage of their career earn an average annual starting salary of $167,000 per year. CISOs who are well experienced in their careers earn an average annual salary of $270,000 and above per year.
The starting salary for a CISO depends on their experience, the type of organization they work for, and the type of job responsibilities and work environment.
What Are the Highest Paying Cities for CISOs
CISOs who work in the following cities tend to earn higher salaries than those who work in other cities:
- New York City, NY: $220,000
- San Francisco City, CA: 144,000
- Boston City, MA: $134,000
- Seattle City, WA: $240,000
- Washington City, DC: $200,000
What Are the Highest Paying States for CISOs
CISOs who work in the following states tend to earn higher salaries than those who work in other states:
- Arizona: $152,000
- California: $152,000
- Florida: $153,000
- Georgia: $154,000
- Illinois: $150,000
Comparison of CISO Salary with Other Jobs in Cyber Security
Cyber security is a growing field, and it is expected to grow further in the coming years. There are different job titles in the sector, each having additional responsibilities and different pay scales.
While CISOs have an average annual salary of $240,000, other jobs in the same cyber security space have the following average annual salaries:
- Network Security Analyst (Network Security): $105,000
- Information Security Analyst: $112,000
- Information Security Manager: $125,000
Key Takeaways
The salary of a chief information security officer is dependent on the company’s size, the officer’s experience, and responsibilities. The average salary is $240,000, but it could go up as high as $900,000 based on different factors.
Working as a chief information security officer is challenging, but it is also very rewarding. All you need to do is to improve your skills and experience.
