Chief Information Security Officer Career and Salary Outlook
Updated December 8, 2022
Reviewed by
Credit: Marko Geber / DigitalVision / Getty Image
A chief information security officer (CISO) is a senior-level professional who focuses on big-picture issues relating to information security issues and policies.
CISOs earn strong salaries in an in-demand field, making the role an attractive choice for people with extensive tech industry experience.
This page discusses the CISO career outlook and explains how much a chief information security officer can make. We explore different factors that can affect earning potential and career opportunities.
What Does a CISO Do?
CISOs oversee organizations' strategies, practices, and policies for secure data management. Typical tasks may include creating budgets, managing IT teams, and creating IT security best practices. CISOs need strong communication, management, and problem-solving skills.
The role requires expertise in cybersecurity, information management, and computer hardware and software. CISOs also need advanced knowledge of computer systems, networks, and government regulations for the field.
Chief information security officers work across industries, including in computer systems design, management, education, and local and state government.
As a high-level role with management duties, a CISO career includes a lot of responsibility, which can be stressful. A CISO may find their position particularly challenging when dealing with a security breach or cyberattack on their company.
How Much Does a Chief Information Security Officer Make?
Chief information security officers can earn high salaries. Payscale reported an average CISO salary of $172,910 as of October 2022. The strong earning potential can make this career path attractive.
Keep in mind that the road to becoming a CISO is long and takes significant work. CISOs spend 4-6 years in school earning bachelor's and sometimes master's degrees.
They may also devote time to pursuing professional certifications. As top executives, CISOs need extensive related work experience — often five or more years.
Factors that can influence CISO salary expectations include specialization, industry, and location. Experience and education can also affect earnings.
$172,910
Average Annual Salary of Chief Information Security Officers, 2022
Source: Payscale
Average Salary for Chief Information Security Officers by Experience
The average salary for a chief information security officer varies with experience and continues to change. CISOs steadily make more money as they spend more time in their role. Early-career professionals make an average salary of $130,760.
By the time they hold 20 or more years of experience, a CISO earns an average yearly salary of more than $184,000.
Payscale does not have adequate data to provide an average annual salary for CISOs with less than one year of experience on the job.
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Average Salary for CISOs by Education
The average CISO salary varies by education. Professionals with more advanced degrees earn higher average salaries. The data in the following table does not represent solely chief information security officers, but rather all respondents who hold that degree.
You can earn a higher average annual salary by pursuing additional higher education. However, there are pros and cons to earning more advanced degrees. Consider the time and money required to earn a new degree and calculate whether the return on investment is worth it.
A professional certification may allow you to earn more money without earning another degree.
Discover Which Education Path Is Right for You
- Bachelor’s in Cybersecurity Programs
- Master's in Cybersecurity Programs
- Online Doctorates in Cybersecurity
- Business and Technology Degrees
- IT Management Degree Programs
- Master's in Information Assurance
Average Salary for CISOs by Location
The average salary of a chief information security officer varies by location, with some cities and states offering much higher wages. Factors like population density, demand, and cost of living/quality of life can impact salaries.
The table for top-paying states is not specific to CISOs, but represents top executives, a set of careers grouped by the BLS that includes this occupation.
| City and State | Average Annual Salary | Percent Above the National Average |
|---|---|---|
|
New York, New York |
$228,280 |
32% |
|
San Francisco, California |
$204,810 |
18% |
|
Chicago, Illinois |
$202,430 |
17% |
|
Dallas, Texas |
$198,700 |
15% |
|
Washington, District of Columbia |
$197,470 |
14% |
Source: Payscale
| State | Number of Chief Information Security Officers Employed | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
|
District of Columbia |
1,700 |
$290,560 |
|
Hawaii |
360 |
$289,860 |
|
Washington |
2,990 |
$279,590 |
|
South Dakota |
440 |
$272,780 |
|
Massachusetts |
5,580 |
$267,070 |
Source: BLS
CISO Career Outlook and Job Prospects
The career outlook and job prospects for chief information security officers appear promising. The BLS projects a 6% growth rate for top executives from 2021-2031, which aligns with the average for all U.S. occupations. Demand for this career is stable and keeps up with national growth projections.
In the coming years, factors that may affect a CISO's employability include technological improvements and changes to organizational structures that lead to fewer chief executive jobs.
Many of the projected openings in coming years are likely to come from the need to replace workers who retire or change jobs.
Demand for CISOs varies depending on the location or their industry. Some places and sectors employ many more chief information security officers than others.
We discuss the best locations and industries for this profession below. The following data is not specific to the career discussed here but represents top executives — a BLS grouping of careers that includes CISOs.
Change in Projected Employment for Top Executives:
+6% from 2021-2031
Source: BLS
Best Locations for Chief Information Security Officers
Depending on where you pursue a CISO career, you may find better and worse options. Some states, cities, and metropolitan areas offer many more job openings for chief information security officers than others. Similarly, metropolitan areas offer more job opportunities than rural locations.
Top States for CISOs
Some of the best states for chief information security officers include California, Florida, and Illinois. Pennsylvania and Minnesota also employ some of the highest numbers of CISOs in the country. Job demand for CISOs is high in these states, which often makes it easier to get a job and land a higher salary.
The data in the tables below is not specific to CISOs but represents top executives, several careers grouped together by the BLS.
| Top-Employing States | Number of Chief Information Security Officers Employed | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
|
California |
33,930 |
$230,730 |
|
Florida |
19,610 |
$215,050 |
|
Illinois |
8,500 |
$244,390 |
|
Pennsylvania |
7,510 |
$232,630 |
|
Minnesota |
6,330 |
$213,270 |
Source: BLS
| State | Percent Projected Change, 2020-30 | Average Annual Openings |
|---|---|---|
|
Greatest Projected Percentage Increase |
||
|
Washington |
19% |
480 |
|
Utah |
15% |
500 |
|
Alaska |
11% |
130 |
|
Idaho |
7% |
270 |
|
Arizona |
7% |
380 |
|
Most Projected Average Annual Openings |
||
|
California |
-0.6 |
3,170 |
|
Florida |
3% |
2,170 |
|
Tennessee |
2% |
830 |
|
New York |
0.2% |
740 |
|
Texas |
3.5% |
650 |
Source: Projections Central
Top Metropolitan Areas for CISOs
Metropolitan areas that employ large numbers of CISOs or pay them the highest salaries may be particularly appealing for this career. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria metro areas rank among the top CISO employers.
The data below is not specific to chief information security officers but represents top executives, which the BLS groups among several similar careers.
| Metropolitan Area | Number of Chief Information Security Officers Employed | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
|
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA |
12,110 |
$256,600 |
|
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV |
9,100 |
$259,960 |
|
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI |
6,860 |
$250,860 |
|
Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL |
6,740 |
$218,330 |
|
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA |
5,350 |
$258,010 |
Source: BLS
Best Industries for Chief Information Security Officers
The top-employing industries for CISOs include management, local government, and computer systems design. Conversely, the top-paying industries for this profession all employ small numbers of CISOs.
The data in the tables below is not specific to a CISO career but represents top executives, a BLS grouping of several careers.
| Top-Paying Industries | Number of Chief Executives Employed | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
|
Coal Mining |
100 |
This wage is equal to or greater than $100.00/hour or $208,000/ year. |
|
Deep Sea, Coastal, and Great Lakes Water Transportation |
160 |
This wage is equal to or greater than $100.00/ hour or $208,000/ year. |
|
Insurance and Employee Benefit Funds |
40 |
This wage is equal to or greater than $100.00 per hour or $208,000 per year. |
|
Offices of Dentists |
40 |
This wage is equal to or greater than $100.00/ hour or $208,000/year. |
|
Household Appliance Manufacturing |
50 |
$315,360 |
Source: BLS
| Industries With Highest Employment | Number of Chief Executives Employed | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|---|
|
Management of Companies and Enterprises |
14,780 |
$289,840 |
|
Local Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
13,980 |
$112,800 |
|
Computer Systems Design and Related Services |
13,160 |
$256,280 |
|
Elementary and Secondary Schools |
9,580 |
$148,400 |
|
State Government, excluding schools and hospitals (OEWS Designation) |
8,930 |
$124,850 |
Source: BLS
Upward Mobility for Chief Information Security Officers
Chief information security officers are considered top executives. It is often difficult or impossible to advance further once you reach this level in your career. CISOs can continue to earn more money over time as they gain experience or pursue additional education or certifications.
Learn More About Chief Information Security Officers
Questions About CISO Salaries and Careers
-
What cities pay the most for CISOs?
The highest-paid CISOs are those working in cities like New York, San Francisco, and Chicago. CISOs with 20 or more years of experience make $184,410 annually, on average.
-
Where is the best state to work as a chief information security officer?
The best states for a CISO career offer higher-than-average pay and plentiful job openings. States that employ the most CISOs include California, Florida, and Illinois. Top-paying areas for this profession include Washington, D.C., Hawaii, and Washington state.
-
What is the best industry to work in as a chief information security officer?
Top-employing industries for CISOs include management, local government, and computer systems design. The highest-paying industries include coal mining and deep sea, coastal, and Great Lakes water transportation, but these sectors employ very few CISOs.
-
What is the average salary for a CISO?
Payscale reported an average annual salary for CISOs of $172,370 as of October 2022. Factors that can affect earnings include education, experience, location, and industry.
Reviewed by: Darnell Kenebrew
Darnell Kenebrew is a first-generation graduate of San Francisco State University's class of 2020. He graduated with a bachelor's in computer science, which helped him kick off a career in tech and pursue roles within data and engineering.
Currently, he's a data analytics engineer at Meta and an executive captain for COOP Careers — a nonprofit for overcoming underemployment. Kenebrew strongly believes in giving people a chance and that everyone should have an equal opportunity within the job market. He believes that COOP Careers helps this equality materialize.
Kenebrew is passionate about how the industry is shaped with data and its use in business decisions to meet goals. In addition, he's passionate about inclusion, community, education, and using data for good. He hopes that he can pivot business decisions to make a meaningful impact to positively affect end-users and meet business goals.
Darnell Kenebrew is a paid member of the Red Ventures Education Integrity Network.
Page last reviewed Oct 25, 2022
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