FINDING 4
CIO Skills, Responsibility Land Bigger Paychecks

The average salary for CIOs in 2008 is 5.5 percent higher than in 2007.

CIOs at larger companies make the most money, but there are other ways to increase earning potential. CIOs who focus on discovering new business opportunities for their companies take home, on average, $30,000 more annually than those who don’t. CIOs who manage other departments along with IT also earn higher salaries.

Large companies are more likely to hire MBAs as CIOs, so earning that degree opens the door to higher-paying jobs. Does it help to land a CIO title? Yes, but mostly because large companies are more likely to call the top IT executive the CIO. Overall, responsibility and business skills matter most.