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CISO Cost Calculator

Hiring a full-time CISO involves more than just salary. This calculator helps you understand the true cost including hiring expenses, benefits, replacement risks, and opportunity costs—and compares it to the cost-effective alternative of a vCISO (virtual CISO or fractional CISO).

For most growth-stage companies, a vCISO provides strategic leadership and expertise at a fraction of the cost, serving as an ideal bridge to full-time leadership as your company scales.

Learn more about when hiring a full-time CISO is too much

Different companies have different timelines, cultures, tech stacks, risk tolerances, and budgets. This calculator provides a general framework for estimating costs and comparing options.

When to Hire a Full-Time CISO vs. vCISO

Consider a Full-Time CISO When:

  • Large enterprise scale: You have 500+ employees and require dedicated, full-time security leadership with deep organizational integration
  • High regulatory requirements: You operate in heavily regulated industries (finance, healthcare, government) requiring constant compliance oversight
  • Complex security operations: You have multiple business units, geographies, or complex security infrastructure requiring daily hands-on management
  • Budget allows: You can afford $300K-$500K+ annually for security leadership without impacting other critical security investments
  • Long-term commitment: You need someone deeply embedded in company culture, strategy, and operations for the long term

Consider a Fractional CISO When:

  • Growth stage company: You're in startup to growth phase (1-500 employees) and need strategic leadership without full-time commitment
  • Building your first program: You're building your first security program or restarting an atrophied program and need experienced leadership to establish the foundation
  • Budget optimization: You want to maximize security investment by allocating more budget to tools, engineers, and technology rather than a single executive salary
  • Establishing foundation: You need to establish the foundation your future full-time CISO will need to succeed before committing to full-time leadership
  • Flexibility needed: Your security needs vary by quarter or project, requiring scalable engagement
  • Expertise access: You need senior-level security expertise but can't justify a full-time executive salary
  • Bridge to full-time: You're building toward a full-time CISO role but need leadership now while you scale
  • Multiple priorities: You need to balance security leadership with other critical investments (engineering, sales, product)
  • Risk mitigation: You want to avoid the high cost and disruption of hiring and replacing full-time executives

The Bottom Line

For most growth-stage companies, a fractional CISO provides the strategic leadership, expertise, and flexibility you need at a fraction of the cost. You get access to experienced security executives who've built programs at scale, without the overhead, hiring risks, and opportunity costs of a full-time hire.

As your company matures and security needs become more complex and constant, you can transition to a full-time CISO. Many companies use fractional CISOs as a bridge, building their security program and team while they scale to the point where full-time leadership makes sense.

Data Sources & Methodology

This calculator is based on industry data from 2024 CISO compensation surveys and reports:

  • Salary Data: Based on 2024 CISO compensation surveys including Heidrick & Struggles Global CISO Survey, SANS Security Leadership Survey, and industry compensation reports. Salary ranges vary by company size, industry, and geographic location.
  • Benefits: Standard industry assumption of 30% of base salary for benefits (health, dental, 401k, life insurance, etc.).
  • Hiring Costs: Executive search fees typically range from 20-30% of annual salary. This includes recruiter fees, interview time, background checks, and onboarding.
  • Replacement Costs: CISO average tenure is 2-3 years. Replacement costs mirror hiring costs, plus productivity loss during transition (estimated at 33% annual risk).
  • Opportunity Cost: High CISO salaries reduce available budget for security tools and engineering talent. This calculator assumes a 15% reduction in tool and engineering budgets when allocating for a full-time CISO.
  • vCISO Cost: Based on industry averages for vCISO/fractional CISO services, typically ranging from $12K-$20K per month depending on engagement level.

Note: Actual costs may vary based on your specific situation, location, industry, and requirements. This calculator provides estimates for comparison purposes.