6 highest-paying executive jobs in tech

Technology workers are a hot commodity and that demand is reflected in the salary for these six high-level executive technology jobs, according to data collected by Mondo. Every year Mondo, a digital marketing and tech talent company, conducts an IT salary survey. This year it surveyed 3,000 workers in New York City, San Francisco, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Denver, Boston, Chicago and Dallas, revealing increases in the average salaries for executive-level technology roles. The data suggests companies are starting to better understand the value of bringing seasoned IT executives on board in our modern, technology-driven world.

The role of the CIO and CTO has become more notable in recent years, especially as more businesses realize they need people to help manage corporate technology to achieve positive business outcomes. CIOs and CTOs are tasked with managing IT budgets, making final decisions regarding technology and looking forward to emerging technology that can be integrated into the business. The study revealed that the salary for these positions has increased an average of seven percent year-over-year for the same roles.

Mondo reports that the average salary for CIOs and CTOs starts at $182,000 on the low end and goes up to $268,000 per year. According to data from PayScale, the highest paid CIOs and CTOs are in Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, Atlanta, San Francisco, Houston, Chicago, Boston and Seattle. Data from PayScale also shows that skills associated with higher pay in this job title include strategy, leadership, strategic planning, software development management and budget management.

As business leaders start to understand ROI from data analytics, they’ve begun investing in Chief Data Officers to help manage that flow of data. Companies need someone who not only knows how to gather the data, but someone who can also help turn the data into easy-to-digest information for the company. A good CDO can help a business not only manage a massive influx of data, but also figure out how to make sense of it in a way that everyone can easily understand.

And, as Gartner points out, there is a lot of motivation for companies in regulated industries to hire a CDO to ensure their business practices comply with all the laws and guidelines surrounding data security. According to Mondo, the average salary for a CDO has increased five percent over last year, with an average salary range starting at $150,000 and going up to $210,000 per year.

The role of chief security officer is another position that is growing in popularity as more companies try to ensure they’re in compliance with security regulations in their industry. CSOs are also becoming more popular as businesses scramble to put up as many defenses against hackers to avoid a major data breach and PR nightmare. In fact, the demand for stronger security is growing so fast that a study from Gartner predicts that by the year 2020, businesses will put 60 percent of the IT budget solely towards security. Forbes even says that the CSO is the “corporate rock-star of the future,” as security becomes a major aspect of daily business.

Mondo found that the average salary for a CSO increased five percent over the past year, with an average annual salary range starting at $154,000 per year and going up to $226,000. And, according to data from PayScale, skills associated with higher pay for CSOs include security risk management and IT security and infrastructure. The highest paid CSOs report living in San Francisco, Dallas, New York and Boston.

For the vice president of engineering at any business, their focus is typically on researching and developing new products and software as well as overseeing a crew of engineers or developers. As more companies move to create internal and external apps, the need for a vice president of engineering has increased, and so has the average salary.

Data from Mondo shows that the average salary for the role of vice president of engineering has increased four percent over the last year. The data shows that for the past year, the average salary range for this role starts at $141,000 per year and goes up to $183,000 per year. Location can also play a role in how well you are paid as a vice president of engineering, According to PayScale; the highest paid engineering vice president report living in San Jose and Irvine, Calif.; those in Philadelphia, Houston, San Francisco and Boston also report higher salaries than the national average.

The vice president of information technology is generally responsible for ensuring the business’ technology initiatives are on track and constantly evolving with the company. It’s a crucial position in any company as technology becomes vital in the workplace — and the importance of this role is reflected in the average annual salary for the vice president of IT.

Mondo found that the role of vice president of IT saw a 3 percent increase in the average salary compared to the previous year. The average salary for this job title starts at $141,000 and goes up to $183,000 per year. According to PayScale, skills associated with higher pay in this role include strategic planning, leadership, software architecture, people management, software development, budget management and Java. Some of the companies that pay the highest salaries for vice of information technology are State Street Bank, Barclays Capital Inc., The Bank of New York Mellon, Morgan Stanley and Deutsche Bank, according to data collected by PayScale.

Sometimes also referred to as vice president of operations, the vice president of infrastructure in technology is focused on the networks and systems that keep the business running. This executive is generally focused on the day-to-day operations of technology, ensuring that it runs smoothly and allows employees to be productive. As more technology finds its way into the workplace, this role has become vital in implementing process and procedures for technology.

Mondo found that the average salary for this role increased three percent over last year, with a salary range of $137,000 per year up to $178,000. According to PayScale, employees with a similar report the highest salaries in San Francisco, Boston, Philadelphia, Houston, Washington, DC, Los Angeles, San Diego, New York and Atlanta.