Here’s how much the average CISO in the US makes – and why it’s so much
New data shows that Chief Information Security Officers (CISOS) in the US and Canada have seen their salaries rise to $565,000 ($426,000) on average.
The findings come from the fifth annual survey of IANS surveyThis also suggests that the best way to increase your salary as a CISO is to change jobs or give your employer an ultimatum.
Going this route would increase average pay by 31%, while staying in a job where you perform well would only see a 6.3% increase.
Training and AI
According to the IANS report, CISO turnover has almost halved since 2022, with IANS chief research director Nick Kakolowski suggesting that employees are happy to wait for stability and their companies to come through with pay increases or even other non-cash incentives such as equity.
He also emphasized that geography plays an important role in increasing this average. The research shows that California CISOS are more likely to be better paid and gain equity. Better-paid CISOs are also getting richer: 23% of the top 10% in the role report a 20% pay increase, while among the lowest-paid, two-thirds report that their pay increased by less than 5%, if at all.
Kakolowski also mentioned North Carolina’s financial services, biotech sector and Texas’ growing status as a technology center. The Northeast is the most lucrative place to work after California, while Canadian CISOs earn the least.
Via The registry