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The differences between information security managers and chief information officers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become an information security manager, becoming a chief information officer takes usually requires More than 10 years. Additionally, a chief information officer has an average salary of $146,907, which is higher than the $126,447 average annual salary of an information security manager.
The top three skills for an information security manager include risk management, NIST and infrastructure. The most important skills for a chief information officer are CIO, project management, and network infrastructure.
| Information Security Manager | Chief Information Officer | |
| Yearly salary | $126,447 | $146,907 |
| Hourly rate | $60.79 | $70.63 |
| Growth rate | 32% | 6% |
| Number of jobs | 115,414 | 124,678 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Average age | 42 | 52 |
| Years of experience | 6 | - |
An information security manager is primarily in charge of overseeing the security systems established to protect a company's data from hackers or cyber-attacks. Their responsibilities revolve around monitoring networks for any security breaches, designing and developing new security systems, and improving existing ones when necessary. They may also perform research and analysis to determine company needs, provide instructional materials, and produce progress reports. Furthermore, as an information security manager, it is essential to provide technical support to employees, all while adhering to the company's policies and regulations.
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.
Information security managers and chief information officers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Information Security Manager | Chief Information Officer | |
| Average salary | $126,447 | $146,907 |
| Salary range | Between $91,000 And $175,000 | Between $98,000 And $219,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | California | California |
| Best paying company | eBay | Mayer Brown |
| Best paying industry | Media | Agriculture |
There are a few differences between an information security manager and a chief information officer in terms of educational background:
| Information Security Manager | Chief Information Officer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 62% | Bachelor's Degree, 67% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Stanford University | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between information security managers' and chief information officers' demographics:
| Information Security Manager | Chief Information Officer | |
| Average age | 42 | 52 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.8% Female, 14.2% | Male, 81.4% Female, 18.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.2% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 9.0% Asian, 9.6% White, 65.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | 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% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 12% |