CISO compensation grew in 2025, in spite of a lukewarm overall rise in security budgets, new research has revealed.
CISO pay grew by 6.7%, while security budgets only saw a 4% rise in 2025, compared to the previous period. This represents the lowest level since 2020.
IANS Research and executive search firm Artico Search’s 2025 CISO Compensation Report interviewed 566 US and Canadian CISOs to reveal the changes in pay for CISOs based on industry, scope of role, and tenure.
The researchers explain that CISO budgets have had to grow in order to retain senior security professionals, despite a general decline in increased security spending due to economic conditions.
A significant disparity in compensation for CISOs was also recorded, with the top 1% earning approximately USD 3.2 million, or 10 times the median of all CISOs surveyed and 20 times the amount earned by the bottom 10%.
Equity played a large part in creating this gap. Seventy percent of CISOs received some form of equity-based compensation, including stock options and restricted stock units. For the highest paid CISOs, equity awards accounted for as much as 50% of their total pay-packet.
Compensation for CISOs also varied significantly depending on the industry sector:
- The average compensation for CISOs in technology organizations was USD 844,000.
- The average compensation for CISOs in financial services was USD 744,000.
- CISOs managing security teams of over 100 members and budgets exceeding USD 50 million saw generally higher pay
Changing Job Responsibilities and Benefits
The number of CISOs changing jobs reached its highest point in six years. Fifteen percent of CISOs changed employers in 2025, up from 11% in 2024. Only 50% of CISOs who changed employers experienced an increase in their salaries.
CISOs who retained their positions, but assumed expanded responsibilities, experienced an average compensation gain of 8.1% in 2025, while CISOs who left their positions to assume new roles experienced an average compensation gain of 5%.
Benefits for CISOs also began to expand. Over 50% of CISOs receive Directors and Officers (D&O) insurance coverage.
Additionally, CISOs have increasing access to deferred compensation, enhanced medical plans, executive coaching, and legal assistance. One in five CISOs receive two or more of these types of non-monetary benefits.
“The market for top security talent is still competitive, but motivations are shifting,” said Steve Martano, a partner at Artico’s cybersecurity practice as quoted by Cybersecurity Dive. “We’re seeing more CISOs prioritize influence, visibility and culture over pure compensation.”
