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Hourly Wage for Chief Technology Officer Salary in the United States

What is the highest and lowest hourly pay for Chief Technology Officer?

As of September 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for a Chief Technology Officer in the United States is $149, which translates to an annual salary of about $309,806.

However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $183 per hour
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $136 to $167 per hour
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $124 per hour
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Chief Technology Officer Salaries

A Chief Technology Officer's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Chief Technology Officer Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Chief Technology Officer's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • VP of Knowledge Management (0-0 years): $217,829
  • SVP of Technology (0-0 years): $267,730
  • Chief Technology Officer (0-0 years): $309,806
Job Role Years of Experience Average Salary
VP of Knowledge Management0-0 years$217,829
SVP of Technology0-0 years$267,730
Chief Technology Officer0-0 years$309,806
View as Graph

How Do Chief Technology Officer Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Chief Technology Officers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $343,017.
  • California: $341,716.
  • Massachusetts: $337,162.

Top Paying Cities for Chief Technology Officers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $390,758
  • San Francisco: $386,480
  • Oakland: $378,335

What Skills Can Increase a Chief Technology Officer's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Leadership (Mentioned in 13.88% Job Postings): Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.
  • Software Engineering (Mentioned in 1.63% Job Postings): Software engineering is the application of engineering to the development of software in a systematic method. Notable definitions of software engineering include: "the systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the design, implementation, testing, and documentation of software"—The Bureau of Labor Statistics—IEEE Systems and software engineering - Vocabulary "The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software"—IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology "an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production"—Ian Sommerville "the establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to economically obtain software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines"—Fritz Bauer
  • Business Continuity (Mentioned in 1.25% Job Postings): Developing and executing innovative plans to ensure interoperability of business systems in the event of an emergency.
Skills Demand Percentage
Leadership 13.88%
Software Engineering 1.63%
Business Continuity 1.25%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Chief Technology Officer's salary.

  • DevOps: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Coaching: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • IT Operations: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
DevOps $328,394
6%
Coaching $328,394
6%
IT Operations $328,394
6%
Get Latest Data

Chief Technology Officer Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Chief Technology Officer salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $346,221. While startup companies pay approximate $292,868.

Chief Technology Officer Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $292,868
Growth Stage 51~500 $309,737
Established 501~5000 $334,321
Enterprise 5000+ $346,221

Chief Technology Officer Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Chief Technology Officer roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 50% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 20% above the average. In contrast, Chief Technology Officer positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Chief Technology Officer as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Chief Technology Officer

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$371,767$179.020%
Software & Networking$371,767$179.020%
Insurance$356,277$171.015%
Pharmaceuticals$356,277$171.015%
Aerospace & Defense$340,787$164.010%

How Education impacts a Chief Technology Officer's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Chief Technology Officer enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Chief Technology Officer with a Bachelor's Degree is between $286,547 and $307,428.

Chief Technology Officer Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Chief Technology Officer
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 1.6%
High School 5.6%
Associates 6.7%
Bachelors 39.3%
Masters 32.9%
Doctorate 13.9%
View as Graph

Chief Technology Officer Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Chief Technology Officer's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$282,153
Average $309,806/year
$347,201
$23,513
Average $25,817/month
$28,933
$5,426
Average $5,958/week
$6,677
$136
Average $149/hour
$167
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $347,201 $28,933 $6,677 $167
Average $309,806 $25,817 $5,958 $149
25th Percentile $282,153 $23,513 $5,426 $136

Most common benefits for Chief Technology Officer

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Chief Technology Officer

Here are companies hiring for Chief Technology Officer and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Chief Technology Officer

1. What are the responsibilities of Chief Technology Officer?

Plans, develops, and leads the organization's technology strategy to align with business objectives and market trends. Oversees the research, development, and implementation of innovative technologies to enhance products, services, and business efficiencies. Monitors emerging technology trends and competitor activity to identify new opportunities for growth and competitive advantage. Provides technical oversight for integrating technology into business operations and establishes the long-term direction for technological improvements. Ensures an organization's utilization of technology adheres to all internal and external standards, requirements, laws, and regulations. Typically requires an advanced degree. Typically reports to Chief Executive Officer (CEO). C-Suite level management. Develops functional or business unit strategy for an organization. Executes multiple high impact initiatives to achieve organizational goals. Defines vision, strategy, and focus for a major functional or business unit. Substantial experience with setting key metrics like KPIs or OKRs and shaping plans to meet objectives. Typically requires progressive leadership experience in senior management roles. Has expert level knowledge of the overall departmental function. Demonstrated experience in developing and executing long term business strategies.

2. What are the skills of Chief Technology Officer

Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.

1.)

Leadership: Knowledge of and ability to employ effective strategies that motivate and guide other members within our business to achieve optimum results.

2.)

Software Engineering: Software engineering is the application of engineering to the development of software in a systematic method. Notable definitions of software engineering include: "the systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, methods, and experience to the design, implementation, testing, and documentation of software"—The Bureau of Labor Statistics—IEEE Systems and software engineering - Vocabulary "The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software"—IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering Terminology "an engineering discipline that is concerned with all aspects of software production"—Ian Sommerville "the establishment and use of sound engineering principles in order to economically obtain software that is reliable and works efficiently on real machines"—Fritz Bauer

3.)

Business Continuity: Developing and executing innovative plans to ensure interoperability of business systems in the event of an emergency.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.

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