The executive who sets an organization's artificial intelligence strategy, governance and investment, from internal tools to AI-powered products. Equilar 2025 Top 50 Survey puts typical pay at $1,560,700 a year (2025). BLS does not publish separate figures for computer and information systems managers; it counts them within it manager (SOC 11-3021), whose median pay is $175,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 11-3021
- Management
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Chief AI Officer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $175,140a year, or $84.20/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $108KTop 10% $298K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +15.8%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+15.8%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +15.8% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 53,500685,800 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 2025685.8K
- Projected 2035793.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 685.8K Projected 2035 793.9K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Certificate5.8%
- Some college26%
- Associate's2.2%
- Bachelor's47.7%
- Post-bacc certificate2.8%
- Master's14.4%
Highest education held by computer and information systems managers Segment Value Certificate 5.8% Some college 26% Associate's 2.2% Bachelor's 47.7% Post-bacc certificate 2.8% Master's 14.4%
Also advertised as: CAIO, Head of AI, VP of Artificial Intelligence, Chief Artificial Intelligence Officer, Head of Applied AI.
Pay
How much do Computer and Information Systems Managers make?
Industry-reported pay
$1,560,700
Median total direct compensation of AI executives among the top 50 highest-paid executives at large companies that disclose AI executive pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. Does not cover government or smaller-company heads of AI.
- Entry level
- $567,235
- Top earners
- $3,477,500
Source: Equilar 2025 Top 50 Survey, 2025 (published compensation survey). This is not a BLS figure: BLS counts computer and information systems managers within it manager, whose pay is shown below. Equilar: AI Executives Pay
Every chief ai officer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$175,140
Middle half earn $138,060 to $220,730
- 10th
- $107,550
- 25th
- $138,060
- 75th
- $220,730
- 90th
- $297,510
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $107,550 |
| 25th | $138,060 |
| Median | $175,140 |
| 75th | $220,730 |
| 90th | $297,510 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $175,140
- Median hourly wage
- $84.20/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $192,160
- People employed
- 670,570
Versus all US occupations
At $175,140, Computer and Information Systems Managers earn 244% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $124,160 a year.
Versus management occupations
Inside the Management group, where the middle occupation pays $126,060, this is 39% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $297,510 or more while the bottom 10% earn $107,550, a gap of 2.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 96% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($218,290), but once local prices are taken into account Massachusetts leads at $203,258 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Computer and Information Systems Managers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $218,290 | $197,155 | 94,720 |
| 2Massachusetts | $214,960 | $203,258 | 24,910 |
| 3New York | $214,300 | $198,571 | 48,050 |
| 4Washington | $209,370 | $195,649 | 16,960 |
| 5New Jersey | $203,460 | $186,995 | 34,470 |
| 6Virginia | $201,490 | $199,290 | 17,550 |
| 7Colorado | $199,420 | $193,514 | 11,510 |
| 8District of Columbia | $195,190 | $177,605 | 5,690 |
| 9New Hampshire | $176,540 | $169,481 | 3,810 |
| 10Minnesota | $176,380 | $178,846 | 10,970 |
Job outlook
Is Chief AI Officer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +15.8% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | +15.8% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Computer and Information Systems Managers to change 15.8% over 2025–2035, roughly 4.5× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 108,100 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 53,500 openings are projected each year, 7.8% of the 685,800 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Chief AI Officer
Most chief AI officers have a technical background, often a master's degree or doctorate in computer science, statistics or a related field, plus years leading data science or machine learning teams. Others come from technology strategy or product leadership and build a strong AI team beneath them.
The usual route is to lead a successful AI program, such as a recommendation system, a fraud model or a generative AI product, then take on enterprise-wide responsibility. Familiarity with governance frameworks such as the NIST AI Risk Management Framework is increasingly expected. Executive search firms recruit for many corporate openings, while federal agencies designate existing senior executives.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
5 years or more
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as computer and information systems managers.
- Bachelor's Degree47.7%
- Some College Courses26%
- Master's Degree14.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate5.8%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate2.8%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 47.7% |
| Some College Courses | 26% |
| Master's Degree | 14.4% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 5.8% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 2.8% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Chief AI Officer do?
Chief AI officers, often titled head of AI at smaller companies, decide how an organization uses artificial intelligence. They identify where AI can improve products or operations, choose which projects get funded, and decide whether to build models in-house, buy tools from vendors or partner with AI labs. They usually lead teams of machine learning engineers, data scientists and AI product managers.
Governance is half the job. Chief AI officers set policies for safe and legal use of AI, work with legal, security and privacy teams on risk, and report to the chief executive and board on progress. In US federal agencies the role is formally required by White House guidance, and these officers inventory AI use cases and manage risk across their agency.
Day-to-day tasks
- Set the organization's AI strategy and investment priorities
- Lead machine learning, data science and AI product teams
- Write policies for responsible and compliant use of AI
- Evaluate AI vendors, models and partnership opportunities
- Report AI progress and risks to executives and the board
- Maintain an inventory of AI use cases and their risk reviews
- Work with legal, security and privacy leaders on AI risk
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Chief AI officers work at large corporations, banks, healthcare systems, technology companies and government agencies. The role is office or hybrid, with heavy schedules of executive meetings, vendor discussions and project reviews. Travel for conferences, board meetings and partner visits is common. Pressure comes from high expectations and fast-moving technology and regulation.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Writing3.8
- Active Learning3.4
- Learning Strategies3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Writing | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.4 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Complex Problem Solving3.8
- Social Perceptiveness3.6
- Systems Analysis3.6
- Systems Evaluation3.6
- Management of Personnel Resources3.6
- Time Management3.4
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.8 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.6 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.6 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | 3.6 |
| Time Management | 3.4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Application server software · in demand
- Business intelligence and data analysis software · in demand
- Cloud-based management software · in demand
- Configuration management software · in demand
- Content workflow software · in demand
- Data base management system software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Data mining software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Document management software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Chief AI Officer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code EIC) built on O*NET's IT Manager profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Chief AI Officer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 1 |
| Social | 2 |
| Enterprising | 5 |
| Conventional | 6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around organising, following procedures and working precisely with data, combined with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions.
- Conventional5.9
- Enterprising5.4
- Investigative4.8
- Realistic2.7
- Social2.4
- Artistic1.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Chief AI Officer
O*NET related occupations
- Management
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
- Computer and Mathematical
- Computer and Mathematical
- Business and Financial Operations
More management careers
Median annual pay, with computer and information systems managers highlighted
- IT Manager$175,140
- Chief AI Officer$175,140
- Marketing Manager$166,790
- Financial Manager$166,570
- Human Resources Manager$149,280
- Sales Manager$148,270
- Construction Manager$114,990
- Supply Chain Manager$107,230
- Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager$69,990
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| IT Manager | $175,140 |
| Chief AI Officer | $175,140 |
| Marketing Manager | $166,790 |
| Financial Manager | $166,570 |
| Human Resources Manager | $149,280 |
| Sales Manager | $148,270 |
| Construction Manager | $114,990 |
| Supply Chain Manager | $107,230 |
| Property, Real Estate, and Community Association Manager | $69,990 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Chief AI Officer appears on
Questions
Chief AI Officer: frequently asked questions
How much do Computer and Information Systems Managers make?
Equilar 2025 Top 50 Survey reports $1,560,700 (median total direct compensation of AI executives among the top 50 highest-paid executives at large companies that disclose AI executive pay; low and high are the 10th and 90th percentiles. Does not cover government or smaller-company heads of AI, 2025), with top earners around $3,477,500. BLS does not publish a separate wage for computer and information systems managers. It counts them within it manager, whose median pay is $175,140 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $138,060 and $220,730, and the top 10% earn $297,510 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Chief AI Officer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Computer and Information Systems Managers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. Employers typically expect 5 years or more of related work experience first. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 47.7% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Chief AI Officer a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 15.8% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 53,500 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Chief AI Officer do?
Chief AI officers, often titled head of AI at smaller companies, decide how an organization uses artificial intelligence. A typical task: set the organization's AI strategy and investment priorities. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Application server software, Business intelligence and data analysis software.
Which states pay Computer and Information Systems Managers the most?
The highest state medians for Computer and Information Systems Managers are California ($218,290), Massachusetts ($214,960), New York ($214,300) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Massachusetts moves to the top at $203,258.
What personality type suits a Chief AI Officer?
O*NET scores Computer and Information Systems Managers highest on the Conventional, Enterprising and Investigative interest areas, so the work mixes organising, following procedures and working precisely with data with leading, persuading, selling and making decisions. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESTJ, ISTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.