What is a CIO | 2025 Guide to Skills, Responsibilities, Salaries, & More
A CIO provides IT systems leadership and management to help businesses meet their goals. Learn more about a CIO’s responsibilities and how to hire a CIO.
May 9th, 2025
A CIO is a high-ranking executive responsible for managing and implementing technology systems within an organization. Their main responsibility is usually to streamline and optimize those systems to meet business goals. That might involve anything from implementing new software and hardware platforms to updating existing ones for improved security and productivity.
What does CIO stand for?
CIO stands for "Chief Information Officer."
What does a CIO do, exactly?
Not too surprisingly, the role of CIO has evolved over time to meet business' vast and varied IT needs. While they might've been purely technical managers at one point, they've grown to become strategic leaders who other executives rely on. Basically, they're essential to keeping IT systems---those things that keep many of today's businesses functional---aligned and running smoothly.
What services does a CIO provide?
For many organizations, CIOs are the executives who steer their IT strategies and ensure teams have the tools they need to meet their goals.
While these strategies and goals can change from business to business, here's a breakdown of general services that CIOs offer:
- Strategic IT leadership: CIOs can develop and implement long-term IT strategies that align with business objectives.
- Infrastructure management: As technical leaders, CIOs can oversee and optimize an organization's entire infrastructure including hardware, software, networks, and data centers.
- IT governance and security: CIOs create policies to improve cybersecurity and compliance, and mitigate risks of compromised data.
- Resource optimization: CIOs help manage the IT department's budget and approve new technology investments.
- Leadership and team development: As seasoned managers, CIOs can hire, train, and mentor new IT team members to increase productivity.
What skills do CIOs need to succeed?
Technical know-how is crucial for CIO success, of course. But beyond just evaluating systems and technologies, these executives also need the leadership and communication skills to build productive teams and strategies with fellow C-suite members.
Diving in further, let's unpack several top skills that CIOs should have in their tool belts:
- Strategic thinking skills: More than just technical experts, CIOs have to see the big picture and develop next-level IT strategies to support business objectives..
- Team leadership skills: CIOs should be able to build and motivate teams of IT staff, project managers, developers to meet key goals.
- Change management skills: Since IT tools and processes are constantly shifting, CIOs must be able to quickly adapt and help teams implement new technologies.
- Financial skills: CIOs often lead the charge in managing IT budgets and optimizing resources to streamline costs.
- Communication skills: CIOs have the tough job of breaking down complex IT concepts for managers, executives, and stakeholders.
What's the difference between a CIO and a CTO?
While CIO and CTO (chief technology officer) often go hand-in-hand, they're not always interchangeable. Why? Because one has "information" in their title and the other has "technology"! But really, semantics aside, there are key differences between how and why these two executives operate within an organization.
To help you cross your i's and dot your t's (pun intended), here's a closer look at how they differ:
- What they focus on: CIOs focus internally on managing IT infrastructure and systems, while CTOs focus externally on product development and innovation.
- Who they manage: CIOs manage the IT department, while CTOs lead development, engineering, and R&D teams.
- Who they serve: CIOs drive efficiency and productivity among IT teams, while CTOs leverage new technologies to improve customer satisfaction.
Who does a CIO report to?
Every organization's CIO reporting structure might be different. Typically, however, the CIO reports directly to the CEO, making sure their strategies adhere to the overall company vision. Branching out to other C-suite members, the CIO might also report to chief operating officer (COO) or chief finance officer (CFO), especially when it comes to tracking IT investments.
Who reports to a CIO?
Since CIOs oversee all internal IT strategies, they might have a long chain of direct reports across teams. For example, CIOs might help support engineering managers, DevOps leaders, data analysts, and IT staff, and information security teams.Up in the C-suite, CTOs might also report directly to CIOs, depending on each organization's priorities and structure.
How does someone build a career as a CIO?
Getting to the C-suite can take many years of academic preparation and on-the-job experience. Especially since the IT landscape is constantly changing, it's crucial for CIOs to be armed with the latest industry knowledge and skills.
To that end, an aspiring CIO's career path might include:
- Educational achievements: CIOs usually earn at minimum a bachelor's degree in computer science, software engineering, information technology, or a related field. From there, some execs pursue advanced degrees like an MBA or master's in information technology to enhance their skills.
- Real-world experience: While education provides a foundation for their careers, CIOs prove their real worth in the workforce, climbing their way up from entry-level IT jobs to leadership positions. That's why they should have 10-15 years of experience in roles like IT director, technology manager, or VP of engineering.
- Technical certifications: CIOs might earn certifications to build their technical knowledge and boost their resumes. For instance, they might consider completing the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) program or Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) certification.
What is the difference between a CIO and a fractional CIO?
If you're not ready to hire your first---or next---IT executive, there's no reason to unplug your CIO and plug them back in again. You can take an easier and more affordable route by hiring a fractional CIO.
What is that? A fractional CIO is a seasoned IT leader who provides the same services as a full-time CIO, just on a contractual basis. So if you need to develop an underperforming IT team, implement a new AI tool, or optimize your technology investments, a fractional CIO can step in to help. That means you can scale their involvement as you see fit and avoid shelling out big bucks for an entire compensation package.
How do I hire a full-time CIO?
While the IT landscape might evolve rapidly, the hiring process, unfortunately, does not. Hiring a new CIO, like any full-time executive, takes a great deal of planning and patience. In fact, it can often take 3-6 months, depending on your approach and the availability of your candidates.
Think about it. To bring an entirely new C-suite leader on board, you usually have to complete these steps:
- Set clear goals: Determine what you need specifically from your CIO, be it team leadership and development or infrastructure optimization.
- Write a strong job description: Create a compelling post that outlines what you require from your new hire and what they can expect from your company.
- Source top talent: Use every resource at your disposal, like your internal talent pipeline, network recommendations, and executive recruitment platforms to find high-quality candidates.
- Interview, interview, interview: Schedule meetings with your best options and bring in key team members and stakeholders to evaluate their fit.
- Run technical evaluations: Assess each candidate's skills with rigorous evaluations and scenario-based exercises.
- Present your offer: Remember, even if you've finally picked your top candidate, they might not have picked you yet. So entice them with a competitive offer and compensation package.
- Finally, bring them onboard: Now, the real work begins. Start the lengthy onboarding process so your new hire can get acclimated and finally become part of your organization.
How much does it cost to hire a CIO?
A full-time CIO salary typically ranges from $269,000 to $492,000, with the average coming in at $370,000. While salaries can fluctuate across industries, skill levels, and work locations, businesses should generally be ready to pay top-dollar for their IT leaders. This includes a base salary, benefits, profit sharing, bonuses, and potential relocation expenses.
Why should I hire a fractional CIO?
Many businesses stretch their hiring budgets to bring new executives on board. The hope is, of course, that the right talent will provide a return on their investment. But what if you could tap into this executive leadership without breaking the bank---or trudging through a lengthy onboarding process?
That's where fractional CIOs come in. These executives can be sourced and onboarded within days---not months---and start tackling any IT projects you need.
Here's a closer look at the biggest benefits of going fractional:
- Cost savings: Pay your fractional CIO by hour, project, or retainer, and skip the executive compensation package.
- Flexibility: Access on-demand leadership that you can scale up or down based on your business needs.
- Fresh perspectives: Fractional CIOs bring unbiased insights free from internal politics, helping you unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth.
Ready to see for yourself? Learn more about how to hire a fractional IT talent for your business.
