Post job

What is a deputy chief information officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

The Deputy CIO is in charge of overseeing the day-to-day IT operations. The deputy CIO aids the CIO in focusing on the organization's IT strategy and how technology may help them achieve their goals. He/She is usually in charge of ensuring that all IT operations function smoothly. As a result, after the CIO's strategic initiatives have gone from the drawing board to production, deputy CIOs typically take over high-level administration of such programs. By implication, some deputy CIOs are also in charge of all project management functions inside the IT department. Deputy CIOs help to manage service provider partnerships and spearhead talent management.

A Deputy Chief Information Officer must possess an agile mind, excellent leadership ability, superior communication abilities, and high technological and business acumen. A Bachelor's Degree in Computer Science, Business Administration, or a closely related discipline is also required for this post. Deputy CIOs earn between $93,000 to $170,000 yearly.

ScoreDeputy Chief Information OfficerUS Average
Salary
8.6

Avg. Salary $137,548

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.6

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
1.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.21%

Asian 12.58%

Black or African American 6.82%

Hispanic or Latino 10.24%

Unknown 5.22%

White 64.93%

Gender

female 13.52%

male 86.48%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
8.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.1

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Deputy chief information officer career paths

Key steps to become a deputy chief information officer

  1. Explore deputy chief information officer education requirements

    Most common deputy chief information officer degrees

    Bachelor's

    64.7 %

    Master's

    22.9 %

    Associate

    6.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific deputy chief information officer skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Oversight9.74%
    CIO8.03%
    Architecture7.10%
    Ciso6.49%
    Service Delivery6.03%
  3. Complete relevant deputy chief information officer training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 6-12 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New deputy chief information officers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a deputy chief information officer based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real deputy chief information officer resumes.
  4. Gain additional deputy chief information officer certifications

    Deputy chief information officer certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific deputy chief information officer certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for deputy chief information officers include Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and IT Information Library Foundations Certification (ITIL).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research deputy chief information officer duties and responsibilities

    • Manage the CIO budget in support of operations and serve as the CIO in his absence.
    • Manage the cloud computing / data center approaches and unify communication strategies for operational excellence capabilities meeting the program requirements.
    • Establish and introduce enterprise architecture models into the organization to support continual expansion of the infrastructure.
    • Develop a strategy for audits, compliance checks and external assessment processes for internal/external auditors, PII, HIPAA and FERPA.
  6. Get deputy chief information officer experience

    Generally, it takes 6-8 years to become a deputy chief information officer. The most common roles before becoming a deputy chief information officer include chief information officer, information technology director team lead and program manager.
  7. Prepare your deputy chief information officer resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your deputy chief information officer resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a deputy chief information officer resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable deputy chief information officer resume templates

    Build a professional deputy chief information officer resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your deputy chief information officer resume.
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
    Deputy Chief Information Officer Resume
  8. Apply for deputy chief information officer jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a deputy chief information officer job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first deputy chief information officer job

Zippi

Are you a deputy chief information officer?

Share your story for a free salary report.

Average deputy chief information officer salary

The average deputy chief information officer salary in the United States is $137,548 per year or $66 per hour. Deputy chief information officer salaries range between $100,000 and $188,000 per year.

Average deputy chief information officer salary
$137,548 Yearly
$66.13 hourly

What am I worth?

salary-calculator

How do deputy chief information officers rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Deputy chief information officer reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2023
Pros

Staying abreast of technology and helping an organization define Technology strategy.

Cons

Work Life Balance can be difficult based on size of team and infrastructure.


Working as a deputy chief information officer? Share your experience anonymously.
Overall rating*
Career growth
Work/Life balance
Pay/Salary

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse executive management jobs