Chief Information Technology Officer Salary in the United States

How much does a Chief Information Technology Officer make in the United States?

As of April 01, 2026, the average salary for a Chief Information Technology Officer in the United States is $349,104 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $168.

However, a Chief Information Technology Officer's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $397,828
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $310,049 to $374,608
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $274,491
Compensation Planning
Develop a Job Description
Pay Equity
2025 Compensation Trend
AI Onboarding
AI-Powered HR
View as table View as graph 25% $310,049 10% $274,491 90% $397,828 75% $374,608 $349,104 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Chief Information Technology Officer Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $374,608 $31,217 $7,204 $180
Average $349,104 $29,092 $6,714 $168
25th Percentile $310,049 $25,837 $5,962 $149
Check out Chief Information Technology Officer Job Openings in the United States
Chief of Staff R&amp

Jazz Pharmaceuticals - EAST PALO ALTO, CA

Associate Director Global Medical Information

Jazz Pharmaceuticals - MIDDLE WEST, PA

Nuclear Medicine Technology Student

Mercy - VILLAGE, OK

Security Officer

University of Kansas Health System - OLATHE, KS

Search More Chief Information Technology Officer Jobs in the United States

Key Factors That Influence Chief Information Technology Officer Salaries

A Chief Information Technology Officer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Chief Information Technology Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Information Technology Officer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Information Technology Senior Manager (5+ years): $165,698
  • Information Technology Director (5+ years): $204,857
  • VP of Information Technology (5+ years): $251,700
  • SVP of Information Technology (5+ years): $317,872
  • Chief Information Technology Officer (5+ years): $349,104
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
Information Technology Senior Manager5+ years$165,698
Information Technology Director5+ years$204,857
VP of Information Technology5+ years$251,700
SVP of Information Technology5+ years$317,872
Chief Information Technology Officer5+ years$349,104
$165,698 Informati...
$204,857 Informati...
$251,700 VP of Inf...
$317,872 SVP of In...
$349,104 Chief Inf...
View as Table
View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Chief Information Technology Officers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $440,325
  • San Francisco: $435,996
  • Oakland: $426,326

What Skills Can Increase a Chief Information Technology Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 13.02% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Contract Negotiation (Mentioned in 1.92% Job Postings): Creating an agreement to legally binding terms to obtain favorable results.
  • Azure (Mentioned in 1.6% Job Postings): Microsoft Azure, often referred to as Azure, is a cloud computing service operated by Microsoft for application management via Microsoft-managed data centers.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 13.02%
Contract Negotiation 1.92%
Azure 1.6%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Chief Information Technology Officer's salary.
  • Office Administration: Can increase your salary by up to 12%.
  • Business Intelligence: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Contract Negotiation: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Office Administration
$390,996
12%
Business Intelligence
$380,523
9%
Contract Negotiation
$380,523
9%
IT Infrastructure
$377,032
8%
Data Warehouse
$373,541
7%
Negotiating
$373,541
7%
Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Chief Information Technology Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Chief Information Technology Officers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Chief Information Technology Officer with a Associate's Degree is between $314,485 and $343,347).

Chief Information Technology Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Chief Information Technology Officer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.7%
High School 6.3%
Associates 4.5%
Bachelors 42.0%
Masters 41.3%
Doctorate 5.0%
view as graph

Chief Information Technology Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Chief Information Technology Officer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on April 01, 2026

Most common benefits for Chief Information Technology Officer

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
For Employers

If your compensation planning software is too rigid to deploy winning incentive strategies, it’s time to find an adaptable solution.

Compensation Planning

Common company salaries for Chief Information Technology Officer

Here are companies hiring for Chief Information Technology Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Chief Information Technology Officer Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Chief Information Technology Officer job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
For Employees

Get a Salary Increase

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Search Job Openings

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

For Employers

Adjust Employee Salary

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Price My Industry Jobs

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

FAQ about Chief Information Technology Officer

1. Where can a Chief Information Technology Officer earn the most?

A Chief Information Technology Officer's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Chief Information Technology Officer earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Chief Information Technology Officer is $440,325.

2. What is the highest pay for Chief Information Technology Officer?

The highest pay for Chief Information Technology Officer is $397,828.

3. What is the lowest pay for Chief Information Technology Officer?

The lowest pay for Chief Information Technology Officer is $274,491.

4. What are the responsibilities of Chief Information Technology Officer?

Provides strategic guidance and technical oversight into planning and developing an organization's information technology systems. Develops IT strategies, policies, and objectives that support current business needs and organizational goals while adapting to technology advancements and industry changes. Collaborates with executives and department leaders to identify technology solutions that enhance productivity and streamline business processes. Oversees and evaluates IT continuity planning to ensure the organization's resilience against potential disruptions. Monitors IT performance metrics and manages budgets to optimize resource allocation and cost-effectiveness. Typically requires an advanced degree. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). C-Suite level management. Develops functional or business unit strategy for an organization. Executes multiple high impact initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Defines vision, strategy, and focus for a major functional or business unit. Substantial experience with setting key metrics like KPIs or OKRs and shaping plans to meet objectives. Typically requires progressive leadership experience in senior management roles. Has expert level knowledge of the overall departmental function. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing long term business strategies.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst
lower level job