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Chief Information Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a chief information officer is $172,100 per annum, before tax, up $35,800 since 2018.
- Pay at this level is negotiated individually, so the size of the employer and the scale of its IT budget move the figure more than the job title does.
- Packages often include a short-term bonus or equity, which can widen the gap between base salary and total earnings.
- Public sector and listed company roles tend to follow formal bands, while private firms set their own.
The median salary rose by $35,800 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than chief information officer
The largest typical pay rise is $28,100 a year, moving into Chief Technology Officer.
- Chief Technology Officer+$28,100/yr
- Chief Information Security Officer+$28,100/yr
- Chief Executive Officer+$9,900/yr
How to negotiate a higher chief information officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time chief information officer salary is $172,100; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Strategy development and Risk and internal controls tend to command a premium over general chief information officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Chief Technology Officer pays a typical $28,100 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Chief Information Officer salary questions
How much do chief information officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a chief information officer is $172,100 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is chief information officer pay rising or falling?
The median chief information officer salary is up $35,800 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than chief information officer?
Chief Technology Officer pays a typical $28,100 a year more and draws on similar skills to chief information officer.
Related salaries
- Chief Executive Officer salary
- Chief Technology Officer salary
- Chief Information Security Officer salary
- IT Project Manager salary
- Program Manager salary
- IT Operations Manager salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.