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The differences between chief information officers and information technology project managers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes More than 10 years to become a chief information officer, becoming an information technology project manager takes usually requires 4-6 years. Additionally, a chief information officer has an average salary of $146,907, which is higher than the $106,981 average annual salary of an information technology project manager.
The top three skills for a chief information officer include CIO, project management and network infrastructure. The most important skills for an information technology project manager are project management, infrastructure, and scrum.
| Chief Information Officer | Information Technology Project Manager | |
| Yearly salary | $146,907 | $106,981 |
| Hourly rate | $70.63 | $51.43 |
| Growth rate | 6% | - |
| Number of jobs | 124,678 | 207,249 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 3 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Average age | 52 | 44 |
| Years of experience | - | 6 |
A chief information officer, also known as CIO, is responsible for the technological development within the company or organization. Primarily overseeing all information technology-related operations, a chief information officer takes the lead in setting the department's budget, developing strategies that will improve computer systems, and implementing policies to attain significant growth in profit and client base. Furthermore, a chief information officer is in charge of managing the workforce behind computer systems, ensuring their efficiency in accomplishing tasks and projects.
An information technology project manager is responsible for supervising the technology department, ensuring that all tasks are being done by following technological strategies and solutions. Information technology project managers' duties include monitoring the technology team's daily operation, handling team members' concerns, managing customers' inquiries and complaints, helping team members' in achieving their professional growth, creating reports, sharing updates during team and board meetings, and maintaining effectivity of operational procedures. An information technology project manager must have excellent leadership and decision-making skills to decide on the best strategies in meeting the company's objectives.
Chief information officers and information technology project managers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chief Information Officer | Information Technology Project Manager | |
| Average salary | $146,907 | $106,981 |
| Salary range | Between $98,000 And $219,000 | Between $76,000 And $149,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | Menlo Park, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | Mayer Brown | Reed Smith |
| Best paying industry | Agriculture | Technology |
There are a few differences between a chief information officer and an information technology project manager in terms of educational background:
| Chief Information Officer | Information Technology Project Manager | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 67% | Bachelor's Degree, 68% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | University of Pennsylvania | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between chief information officers' and information technology project managers' demographics:
| Chief Information Officer | Information Technology Project Manager | |
| Average age | 52 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% | Male, 66.4% Female, 33.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 3.7% Unknown, 3.9% Hispanic or Latino, 7.5% Asian, 7.4% White, 76.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 11% |