iapp_salary_jobs_report_2025
Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26
Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | ii
Contents
What's inside?
Key findings iii
Executive summary iv
Introduction vi
I. The impact of digital governance 1
II. Role-specific salary ranges 5
III. Total financial compensation package 19
IV. Nonfinancial benefits 24
V. Impact of certification 26
VI. Movers and shakers 28
VII. What's next? 31
Contacts 34
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | iii
Key findings
$200,000 The global average total compensation reported across privacy,
AI governance and cybersecurity roles
$280,000 The average base salary for CPOs
$190,000 The average base salary for AI governance legal and compliance professionals
$190,000 The average salary in the highest paying region is the U.S.,
paying 52% higher than Oceania and 69% higher than Europe
17% The average bonus is 17% of base salary.
80% Salary increases were secured by 80% over the past 12 months.
16% Those that added additional digital governance responsibilities earned 16%
more than those that hadn’t added any digital governance responsibilities.
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Transparency over pay continues
to be vitally important
The financial wellbeing of employees is currently in flux.
Global salaries and job security are directly impacted by
interconnected political and economic factors.
The current geopolitical climate and evolving economic
policies have been exerting significant influence on salary
budgets and onward compensation available to employees.
The era of post-COVID-19 pandemic salary growth may be
slowing with labor costs now potentially inflated due to
persistent inflationary pressures and a competitive talent
market. Geoeconomic fragmentation and geopolitical tensions
are likely to translate into business models transforming to
account for trade restrictions, supply chain disruptions and
broader policy uncertainty.
This highlights why now, more than ever, it is vital for
professionals to make smart career choices. Salary and
compensation are crucially important. However, talking about
pay remains tricky. A variety of reasons persist — whether
it’s the social stigma around salary discussions, barriers to
trustworthy dialogue, regulations preventing collusion, the
desire for confidentiality over pay or strategic ambiguity by
organizations to maintain competitiveness.
Executive
summary
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A survey conducted by recruitment website
Glassdoor identified that 70% of surveyed
employees across seven countries believe
salary transparency is beneficial for employee
satisfaction; on the other hand, only 36%
identified that their organization internally
discloses salaries. This despite 62% of
employees willing to be transparent about salary
information if they could do so anonymously.
This year’s salary report presents data for
those working on privacy only, artificial
intelligence governance only, both privacy and
AI governance and those with additional digital
governance responsibilities. This data offers the
opportunity to hold informed and transparent
discussions over pay through using the data in
this report to benchmark individual pay and
organizational pay structures.
Reading the report
The impact of
digital governance
To what extent have
salaries kept pace
with the increasingly
complex risk
environment and
digital governance
required to
address this?
Role-specific
salary ranges
How do salaries
vary by an
individual’s role?
Total financial com-
pensation package
What does
the average
compensation
package look like?
Nonfinancial
benefits
What additional
benefits are offered
to employees?
Impact of
certification
To what extent
does additional
certification impact
salaries?
Movers and
shakers
How does job
satisfaction
vary amongst
respondents? What
would cause them
to move roles?
What’s next?
What are some
potential next steps
you could take after
reading the report?
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | vi
Introduction
Benchmarking the evolving profession
Since 2003, the IAPP has conducted a salary survey to help
privacy professionals benchmark their salaries. This year’s
report continues the tradition of providing insights that help
professionals and organizations benchmark salaries and
total compensation, recognize the value of certifications,
obtain a temperature check in the form of job satisfaction and
likelihood of finding another job, and more.
We asked our global community to complete a 27-question
salary survey. Over the course of six weeks from March to
April 2025, more than 1,600 people from over 60 countries
responded. This is the largest and most globally diverse
response yet.
New to this year’s report is the inclusion of AI governance
professional salaries as well as insights and analysis on the
impact to salary of working on other digital governance
domains, such as cybersecurity law. The expanded scope of
the report, consistent with the IAPP’s mission, now serves a
broader array of professions, all of which are critical to the
governance of digital technology.
In this report, base salary refers to regular salary or wages, not
including bonuses or other types of additional compensation.
Total financial compensation refers to the base salary plus
bonuses and other types of extra compensation. Neither
base salary nor total compensation include the value of other
employee benefits, such as health insurance policies.
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Reading the data
This year’s report provides data in a ranged format
for ease of comparison. The type of data included
in the report and how it was obtained is described
below.
→ Quartile 1: Also known as the lower quartile
(Q1), it represents the salary level below which
25% of the reported salaries for a specific
job role fall. It defines the upper limit of the
lowest quarter of the salary distribution.
→ Median: The median salary is the midpoint
of the salary distribution for a particular job
role. When all reported salaries are arranged
in ascending order, 50% of salaries are below
the median and 50% are above. It serves as a
robust measure of central tendency and is less
sensitive to extreme salary values.
→ Quartile 3: Also known as the upper quartile
(Q3), it represents the salary threshold below
which 75% of reported salaries for a given job
role fall. It defines the starting point of the
highest quarter of the salary distribution.
→ Interquartile range: The difference
(Q3-Q1) between the third quartile and the
first quartile to quantify the spread of the
middle 50% of salaries for a given job role.
This provides a measure of the variability of
typical salaries that is resistant to the influence
of outliers.
→ Mean: The mean salary is the arithmetic
average of all reported salaries for a specific
job role. In this report, it is calculated as an
adjusted mean by summing all individual
salaries, excluding extreme outliers and
dividing by the total number of remaining
responses. The mean is a common measure of
central tendency, though it can be affected by
the highest and lowest salary values at
the extremes.
The reporting on this data is as granular as possible
while balancing issues around reidentification
and small sample bias. Data from small samples
is excluded to reduce the risk of identification and
appears as grey in the tables.
New to this year’s report
is the inclusion of AI
governance professional
salaries as well as insights
and analysis on the impact
to salary of working on other
digital governance domains,
such as cybersecurity law.
The expanded scope of the
report, consistent with the
IAPP’s mission, now serves a
broader array of professions,
all of which are critical to
the governance of digital
technology.
Median
(Interquartile range) Mean
Overall, across all roles $139.0
($94.0 - $192.0) $158.8
Median
Quartile 3 (Q3) Quartile 1 (Q1)
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Privacy &
The privacy profession is undergoing
significant transformation; its already
complex nature has been deeply impacted
by the influence of artificial intelligence and
the pressing need for strong AI governance.
The IAPP Privacy Governance Report 2024
identified how privacy professionals are
increasingly being tasked with tackling
AI governance.
The 2024 report identified that approximately
68% of respondents said they had acquired
additional responsibility for AI governance,
60% reported further responsibilities for
data governance, 40% for cybersecurity and
37% for data ethics. Privacy professionals
continue to deal with a surge in privacy
regulations, evolving case law, increasing
complexities of international data transfers
in the global data economy and a steady
stream of complex and sometimes
conflicting regulatory guidance.
Layered on top of this is the need to
understand and address the unique challenges
presented by AI technologies. The complexity
of this field requires its own specialisms
and specialists that can navigate the ethical
implications of AI, ensure responsible use of
data within AI systems and understand the
impact of AI on individual rights.
This year’s salary report focuses on
those working on privacy only, on AI
governance only, working on both and
those with additional digital governance
responsibilities. Approximately 36%
of this year's respondents had defined
responsibilities for AI governance, while 98%
of respondents had a formal privacy role. Of
those respondents with AI governance roles,
almost 1 in 2 worked in the legal/compliance
domains, 1 in 5 in governance-focused roles
and 10% on risk within AI governance.
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Approximately 36% of
this year's respondents
had defined
responsibilities for AI
governance, while 98%
of respondents had a
formal privacy role. Of
those respondents with
AI governance roles,
almost 1 in 2 worked in
the legal/compliance
domains, 1 in 5 in
governance focused
roles and 10% on risk
within AI governance.
The varied role continues when considering
broader digital governance. More than half
of all respondents had some responsibility
for AI governance, 51% had responsibility
for data governance and almost 1 in 3 were
responsible for data ethics or cybersecurity
as a regulatory compliance matter.
Internal privacylawyer
Privacy manager
Privacy office risk andcompliance manager
Global chief privacyofficer
Data protectionofficer
Privacy analyst
External privacyconsultant
External privacylawyer
Other
17%
15%
13%
10%
9%
6%
6%
5%
18%
Any
privacy role
98%
Legal /compliance
Governance
Risk
Policy
Technical
Ethics, 2%
Product, 2%
Other 48%
20%
10%
9%
4%
5%
Any AI
governance role
36%
Privacy
only
64%
Both privacy
and
AI governance
34%
AI governance
only
2%
Breakdown of core responsibilities of respondents
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I. The impact
of digital
governance
Are evolving roles with increasingly
diverse responsibilities paid more?
To what extent have salaries kept pace with the increasing
complexity and expectations placed upon professionals? Long
gone are the days when professionals working in this field
could focus solely on a single regulation, only poring over
the articles of the EU General Data Protection Regulation and
accompanying regulatory guidance.
In 2025, professionals must contend with privacy,
cybersecurity, AI governance, content moderation, product
liability, intellectual property, accessibility, competition
and online safety. Digital governance encompasses any
combination of these domains and has increased in
prominence. The need for coordination among these topics
is clear, especially in an environment where there is greater
geopolitical flux, increased pressure to tighten budgets and
rapid developments in internal and external environments.
The first comparison we can make is comparing like-for-like
data from previous salary surveys with this year’s data. In
2025, the average adjusted base salary for a privacy pro in
an internal role has seen a 1% increase from 2023 and an 8%
increase from 2021. However, greater increases can be seen for
roles with privacy and AI governance responsibilities.
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The graph below compares the average salaries for professionals in
privacy only, AI governance only, and privacy and AI governance
roles. When looking at the overall data, respondents with privacy
and AI governance responsibilities earn more on average than those
focusing solely on privacy or AI governance, respectively.
Compensating evolving roles
Half of all respondents working in privacy and AI governance earn
more than USD169,700 while half of respondents solely working
in a single domain of privacy or AI governance earn less than
USD123,000 and USD151,800, respectively. We note that the spread
of the middle 50% of salaries for those working only in privacy is
smaller, USD84,000, when compared to the largest spread among AI
governance professionals, USD130,000.
Half of all respondents
working in privacy and
AI governance
earn more than USD169,700
while half of respondents
solely working in a single domain
of privacy or AI governance
earn less than USD123,000
and USD151,800, respectively.
Overall salaries for professionals
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
AI governance only Privacy only Overall, across all roles Privacy and
AI governance
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall roles
$139
$192
$94
50
100
150
200
250
Privacy only
$123
$170
$86
50
100
150
200
250
AI governanceonly
$152
$245
$115
50
100
150
200
250
Privacy and AIgovernance
$170
$224
$120
The figures in these tables are base salary, with total compensation included on page 20. All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
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DOMAIN OF RESPONSIBILITY
Percentage of
respondents
Privacy 96%
AI governance 54%
Data governance/data use/data as an asset 51%
Cybersecurity as a regulatory compliance matter 34%
Data ethics 27%
Consumer protection 17%
Platform liability 13%
Intellectual property 9%
Digital architecture and infrastructure 8%
Content moderation and online safety 6%
Human rights 6%
Product liability 5%
Competition/antitrust 3%
Proportion of respondents that have responsibilities
for additional domains
The chart below identifies how respondents have added additional
responsibilities to their role. Of those respondents with AI governance
responsibilities, a significant number (96%) also have privacy
responsibilities with 63% having data governance and 45% having
cybersecurity as a regulatory compliance matter as additional
responsibilities. Multiskilled employees with expertise and ability to
perform across multiple domains are becoming the norm rather than
the exception.
To what extent are employers compensating employees for taking on
additional responsibilities? The graph below identifies the reported
salaries of those who have added other digital governance domains to
their portfolio, such as data ethics, data governance and intellectual
property.
The impact of digital governance responsibilities on salary
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
$139
$123
$152
$170
$192
$170
$245
$224
$94$86
$115$120
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
$124 $120
$155$149
$163$155
$248
$185
$82 $82
$115 $116
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
$133$124
$135$144
$179 $175
$230
$200
$90 $88
$114
$102
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
$144
$124
$181$175
$200
$178
$247
$226
$96$87
$125 $127
AI governance only Privacy only Overall, across all roles Privacy and
AI governance
Overall, across all role
Two or more digital governance responsibilities
One additional digital governance responsibility
No additional digital governance responsibilities
Overall base salary
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As identified in the 2024 Organizational Digital
Governance report, digital governance domains
include a number of interrelated topics.
The data identifies that respondents with at least
two additional digital governance responsibilities
can expect to earn more than those with one
additional responsibility. On average, salaries
were USD30,000 higher for those with two or more
digital governance responsibilities, while 25% of
respondents with two or more digital governance
responsibilities earned over USD200,000.
The matrix of digital governance domains
Privacy
and data
protection
AI governance Cybersecurity
Online safety
E-commerce
Product
liability
Competition/
antitrust
Intellectual
property
Accessibility
Content
moderation
National
security
and law
enforcement
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II. Role-specific
salary ranges In order to capture AI governance as well as broader digital
governance responsibilities, this year’s survey sought to
expand the scope beyond focusing solely on privacy roles.
The definitions of the roles included in this year's survey are
outlined on the next page.
Defining the roles that deliver
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PRIVACY
INTERNAL ROLES
• Global chief privacy officer: CPO for a global or multinational organization and may carry ultimate organizational responsibly
for privacy
• Chief privacy officer, country: CPO for an organization with operations in one country
• Regional privacy officer: Supports the CPO delivering privacy across a region/geographic area, such as Europe, the Middle East
and Africa
• Data protection officer: DPO for an organization
• Privacy office risk and compliance manager: Works on the privacy team delivering day-to-day privacy risk, operations and
compliance activities
• Privacy manager: Works in the privacy team to deliver and/or manage delivery of day-to-day privacy activities
• Privacy analyst: Works in the privacy team to deliver day-to-day privacy activities
• Internal privacy lawyer: Provides internal support to organizations on the technical legal aspect of privacy regulations
• Privacy champion or guru: Individual assigned a percentage of their time — less than 25% to support an aspect of privacy,
such as compliance officer in a market who is given some privacy responsibilities
• Privacy engineer: Covers engineers with responsibilities for areas such as privacy enablement, product ownership/design,
coding and/or analytics
• Cybersecurity professional: Designs, develops and delivers on security for privacy
EXTERNAL ROLES
• External privacy consultant: Supports clients, design, develop, implement and outsourcing of operational privacy activities
• External privacy lawyer: Provides external support to organizations on the technical legal aspect of privacy regulations,
such as breach, transfers or contracts
AI GOVERNANCE
For the purposes of this survey, AI roles were identified by theme rather than focusing on specific job titles. As job title nomenclature
is still in early stages, it may be more helpful for organizations and individuals to compare to AI governance role categories rather than
specific titles. The following domains were included:
• Legal/compliance: Supports compliance within the organization and ensures reporting requirements are fulfilled
• Policy: Designs policy changes and works to integrate regulatory requirements into internal policy and governance guidelines
• Governance: Operates AI governance framework within the organization
• Ethics: Conducts internal ethics assessments and ensures AI use complies with internal ethics codes
• Risk: Identifies and manages risks associated with AI systems
• Technical: Supports compliance with AI policy and governance requirements within data, model and IT infrastructure
• Product: Integrates AI governance and policy requirements into products offered by the organization
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Privacy
The table to the left outlines the median
salary and interquartile ranges of salary for
surveyed roles.
The following highlights were identified:
Global CPOs, followed by internal privacy
lawyers, are the highest paid roles. The
median salary for both roles is higher than
any other role. Over three quarters of global
CPO respondents earned above USD156,000
while 75% of internal privacy lawyers earned
above USD135,000.
CPOs with a global role earn more than
those with a more country specific role. The
median salary of a global CPO is USD66,000
higher than a country specific CPO and at
least 50% of country specific CPOs earn less
than 75% of global CPOs.
An external privacy lawyer’s median salary
continues to be higher than an internal
privacy lawyer by approximately USD7,000.
The spread of salaries for external privacy
lawyers is USD123,000, USD33,000 higher than
the spread for internal privacy lawyers
at USD90,000.
Cybersecurity professionals earned a median
salary of USD152,000, with a USD63,000 range
for the middle 50% of respondents.
ROLE Median (Q3 - Q1)
Global chief privacy officer $215.0
($156.0 - $291.0)
Chief privacy officer (country) $149.0
($109.0 - $196.0)
Regional privacy officer $142.0
($91.0 - $193.0)
Privacy office risk and compliance manager $120.0
($87.0 - $170.0)
Internal privacy lawyer $176.0
($135.0 - $225.0)
Privacy champion/guru $137.0
($105.0 - $163.0)
Privacy engineer $145.0
($110.0 - $200.0)
Data protection officer $108.0
($81.0 - $152.0)
Privacy manager $105.0
($78.0 - $145.0)
Privacy analyst $92.0
($63.0 - $107.0)
External privacy consultant $121.0
($79.0 - $174.0)
External privacy lawyer $183.0
($127.0 - $250.0)
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Overall
Cybersecurity professional $152.0
($127.0 - $190.0)
Base salary for privacy professionals by role
Base salary for cybersecurity professionals
The median salary of a global CPO is
USD66,000 higher than a country specific CPO
and at least 50% of country specific
CPOs earn less than 75% of global CPOs.
The figures in these tables are base salary, with total compensation included on
page 20. All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
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Industry differences in base salary
The following aggregated view groups industries to show a
median salary, interquartile range and average salary
by industry.
The defense, energy, manufacturing and logistics sectors,
made up of aerospace and defense, agriculture and
natural resources, chemicals, mining and materials,
construction and engineering, manufacturing, oil and gas
and transportation and logistics, had the highest average
salary at USD203,000. The health care sector followed
with an average salary of USD164,000. The government
and education sector had the lowest average salary at
USD120,000 and the lowest median salary at USD102,000.
The sector with the greatest spread in salaries were
health care at USD120,000, technology at USD108,000 and
finance at USD97,000, which suggests greater variability
in the salaries of respondents working in these industries.
Government and education had the narrowest spread
in data with the middle 50% of salaries falling within a
USD64,000 spread.
This can be broken down further by roles within each
industry where possible. Data is excluded in small samples
to reduce risk of identification.
Overall Technology Finance Health care
Retail, media and
leisure
Defense, energy,
manufacturing and
logistics
Government and
education
Business services,
consulting and
legal Other
Median
(interquartile range)
$139.0
($95.0 - $190.0)
$150.0
($101.0 - $209.0
$131.0
($90.0 - $187.0)
$149.0
($102.0 - $222.0)
$146.0
($106.0 - $200.0)
$145.0
($95.0 - $185.0)
$102.0
($81.0 - $145.0)
$136.0
($100.0 - $183.0)
$127.0
($85.0 - $164.0)
Mean $156.0 $159.0 $142.0 $164.0 $163.0 $203.0 $120.0 $148.0 $128.0
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Average salary by industry
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Overall Technology Finance Health care
Retail, media
and leisure
Defense, energy,
manufacturing and
logistics
Government and
education
Business services,
consulting and
legal Other
Global chief privacy officer $215.0
($156.0 - $291.0)
$202.0
($150.0 - $283.0)
$220.0
($169.0 - $300.0)
$268.0
($230.0 - $355.0)
$245.0
($133.0 - $300.0)
$183.0.0
($140.0.0- $262.0)
$220.0
($155.0 - $256.0)
$198.0
($139.0 - $330.0)
Chief privacy officer (country) $149.0
($109.0 - $196.0)
$121.0
($90.0 - $275.0)
$155.0
($114.0 - $217.0)
$150.0
($102.0 - $206.0)
$179.0
($134.0 - $238.0)
$160.0
($89.0 - $217.0)
$122.0
($106.0 - $164.0)
Regional privacy officer $142.0
($91.0 - $193.0)
$100.0
($72.0 - $164.0)
$147.0
($98.0 - $184.0)
$151.0
($120.0 - $247.0)
$139.0
($103.0 - $144.0)
$150.0
($106.0 - $194.0)
$164.0
($79.0 - $221.0)
Privacy office risk and
compliance manager
$120.0
($87.0 - $170.0)
$128.0
($86.0 - $178.0)
$114.0
($84.0 - $160.0)
$154.0
($106.0 - $222.0)
$120.0
($89.0 - $179.0)
$128.0
($79.0 - $170.0)
$92.0
($70.0 - $139.0)
$105.0
($82.0 - $132.0)
$147.0
($100.0 - $164.0)
Internal privacy lawyer $176.0
($135.0 - $225.0)
$180.0
($139.0 - $235.0)
$183.0
($127.0 - $217.0)
$160.0
($140.0 - $227.0)
$190.0
($148.0 - $223.0)
$170.0
($91.0 - $220.0)
$140.0
($100.0 - $208.0)
$170.0
($102.0 - $205.0)
$174.0
($146.0 - $190.0)
Privacy champion/guru $137.0
($105.0 - $163.0)
$141.0
($106.0 - $181.0)
Privacy engineer $145.0
($110.0 - $200.0)
$170.0
($69.0 - $194.0)
$154.0
($111.0 - $273.0)
$145.0
($120.0 - $216.0)
Data protection officer $108.0
($81.0 - $152.0)
$125.0
($102.0 - $159.0)
$106.0
($85.0 - $158.0)
$107.0
($78.0 - $116.0)
$127.0
($100.0 - $170.0)
$88.0
($85.0 - $113.0)
$81.0
($62.0 - $90.0)
$132.0
($90.0 - $152.0)
$82.0
($63.0 - $86.0)
Privacy manager $105.0
($78.0 - $145.0)
$106.0
($67.0 - $154.0)
$101.0
($59.0 - $136.0)
$110.0
($92.0 - $145.0)
$111.0
($84.0 - $145.0)
$137.0
($100.0 - $162.0)
$84.0
($71.0 - $100.0)
$142.0
($103.0 - $151.0)
$102.0
($85.0 - $111.0)
Privacy analyst $92.0
($63.0 - $107.0)
$78.0
($51.0 - $111.0)
$93.0
($68.0 - $106.0)
$88.0
($57.0 - $93.0)
$103.0
($66.0 - $121.0)
$95.0
($71.0 - $105.0)
$93.0
($76.0 - $113.0)
$103.0
($77.0 - $128.0)
External privacy lawyer $183.0
($127.0 - $250.0)
$161.0
($82.0 - $234.0)
Base salary for privacy professionals by industry
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
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Overall Technology Finance Health care
Retail, media and
leisure
Defense, energy,
manufacturing and
logistics
Government and
education
Business services,
consulting and
legal Other
Cybersecurity professional $152.0
($127.0 - $190.0)
$184.0
($145.0 - $205.0)
$149.0
($140.0 - $200.0)
$127.0
($96.0 - $182.0)
$110.0
($100.0 - $162.0)
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Base salary for cybersecurity professionals by industry
For cybersecurity professionals, the
technology sector was the most lucrative.
Half of respondents working in the
technology sector earned more than
75% of those working in the government
and education sectors.
A number of trends can be highlighted from these results.
Global CPOs working in the health care, finance and retail
industries were among the most well-paid professionals with
higher median salaries — 25% of respondents in each of these
industries reported earning more than USD300,000. One
industry grouping did not tend to rank highest for median
pay across all roles. Across most industries, with government
and education being the exception, privacy analysts could
expect to get a healthy bump in salary on promotion to privacy
manager. For instance, median salaries of those analysts
working in the technology industry jumped from USD78,000
to USD106,000.
For cybersecurity professionals, the technology sector was the
most lucrative. Half of respondents working in the technology
sector earned more than 75% of those working in the
government and education sectors.
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Small —
less than $100 M
Medium —
$101 M to $999 M
Large —
greater than $1 B
Overall $105.0
($79.0 - $155.0)
$129.0
($89.0 - $185.0)
$150.0
($106.0 - $205.0)
Global chief privacy officer $186.0
($96.0 - $196.0)
$208.0
($139.0 - $255.0)
$238.0
($159.0 - $300.0)
Chief privacy officer (country) $110.0
($88.0 - $153.0)
$140.0
($96.0 - $214.0)
$161.0
($131.0 - $198.0)
Regional privacy officer $96.0
($72.0 - $150.0)
$149.0
($101.0 - $209.0)
Privacy office risk and
compliance manager
$88.0
($69.0 - $128.0)
$106.0
($87.0 - $154.0)
$132.0
($94.0 - $178.0)
Internal privacy lawyer $138.0
($102.0 - $180.0)
$176.0
($130.0 - $226.0)
$183.0
($144.0 - $230.0)
Privacy champion/guru $106.0
($50.0 - $115.0)
$136.0
($120.0 - $139.0)
$158.0
($137.0 - $181.0)
Privacy engineer $162.0
($120.0 - $216.0)
Data protection officer $75.0
($59.0 - $99.0)
$99.0
($82.0 - $143.0)
$134.0
($106.0 - $164.0)
Privacy manager $90.0
($78.0 - $105.0)
$100.0
($65.0 - $135.0)
$115.0
($81.0 - $149.0)
Privacy analyst $90.0
($60.0 - $94.0)
$91.0
($55.0 - $110.0)
$93.0
($71.0 - $111.0)
External privacy consultant $111.0
($73.0 - $170.0)
$106.0
($80.0 - $159.0)
$126.0
($103.0 - $200.0)
External privacy lawyer $140.0
($82.0 - $210.0)
$190.0
($138.0 - $250.0)
$275.0
($186.0 - $420.0)
Base salary across privacy roles by organization size (annual revenue)
Operational demographics
The following aggregated revenue view
groups responses into small, (those working
in organizations with less than USD100
million in revenue), medium organizations
(USD101 to 999 million), and large (greater
than USD1 billion in annual revenue)
The trend identified in previous salary
surveys persists: respondents working in
larger organizations tend to have higher
salaries. More than 50% of respondents
working in organizations with greater than
USD1 billion in annual revenue earned
more than USD150,000 while only 25% of
those working in organizations with less
than USD100 million in annual revenue
earned more than USD155,000.
The trend also holds true that larger
organizations pay more across almost
every role. Privacy analysts working in
large organizations earn USD3,000 more
at the median salary than those working
in small organizations. The salary spread
of the middle 50% is much broader at
larger organization; there is a USD34,000
spread for privacy analysts in small
organizations and a USD40,000 spread for
privacy analysts in large organizations. At
the global CPO level, 50% of respondents
working in large organizations earned
more than USD238,000, while only 25%
of those working in small organizations
earned more than USD196,000.
Small —
less than $100 M
Medium —
$101 M to $999 M
Large —
greater than $1 B
Median
(interquartile range)
$105.0
($79.0 - $155.0)
$129.0
($89.0 - $185.0)
$150.0
($106.0 - $205.0)
Mean $128.0 $142.0 $174.0
Base salary by organization size (annual revenue)
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Small —
less than $100 M
Medium —
$101 M to $999 M
Large —
greater than $1 B
Overall $105.0
($79.0 - $155.0)
$129.0
($89.0 - $185.0)
$150.0
($106.0 - $205.0)
Cybersecurity professional $160.0
($135.0 - $175.0)
$152.0
($96.0 - $190.0)
$149.0
($128.0 - $198.0)
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Base salary across cybersecurity roles by organization size (annual revenue)
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
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North America Europe Asia and Oceania
Global chief privacy officer $256.0
($192.0 - $300.0)
$158.0
($121.0 - $202.0)
$189.0
($130.0 - $283.0)
Chief privacy officer (country) $161.0
($127.0 - $206.0)
$85.0
($66.0 - $109.0)
Regional privacy officer $156.0
($124.0 - $200.0)
$103.0
($79.0 - $164.0)
Privacy office risk and
compliance manager
$141.0
($102.0 - $178.0)
$79.0
($59.0 - $117.0)
$100.0
($58.0 - $119.0)
Internal privacy lawyer $190.0
($145.0 - $229.0)
$127.0
($87.0 - $175.0)
$155.0
($123.0 - $271.0)
Privacy champion/guru $138.0
($110.0 - $165.0)
Privacy engineer $155.0
($112.0 - $212.0)
Data protection officer $149.0
($114.0 - $170.0)
$96.0
($79.0 - $122.0)
$164.0
($110.0 - $184.0)
Privacy manager $124.0
($99.0 - $151.0)
$74.0
($58.0 - $95.0)
$89.0
($69.0 - $144.0)
Privacy analyst $95.0
($76.0 - $113.0)
$52.0
($48.0 - $67.0)
$63.0
($50.0 - $77.0)
External privacy consultant $140.0
($110.0 - $186.0)
$91.0
($67.0 - $136.0)
$110.0
($91.0 - $197.0)
External privacy lawyer $227.0
($180.0 - $300.0)
$119.0
($84.0 - $170.0)
Base salary for privacy professionals by continent
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
North America Europe Asia and Oceania
Overall $165.0
($123.0 - $221.0)
$101.0
($74.0 - $138.0)
$118.0
($62.0 - $174.0)
Cybersecurity professional $175.0
($145.0 - $196.0)
$128.0
($100.0 - $149.0)
Base salary for cybersecurity professionals by continent
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Location
When considering the location of work, average
salary breaks down as follows:
Across most roles, respondents based in
North America tended to earn more than their
counterparts based in Europe, Asia and Oceania.
However, it is notable that 50% of global CPOs,
internal privacy lawyers and DPO respondents
based in Asia and Oceania earned more than their
counterparts in Europe. Global CPOs earning
the median salary of USD189,000 in Asia earned
20% more than their European colleagues at the
median rate. Global CPOs based in North America
earned 62% more based on the same measure.
The spread of the middle 50% of salaries among
CPOs based in Asia (USD153,000) was much larger
than the comparative spreads in North America
(USD108,000) and Europe (USD81,000).
North
America
Mean $190.0
Oceania
Mean $125.0
Europe
Mean $112.0
Other
Mean $76.0
Asia
Mean $115.0
50
100
150
200
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
50
100
150
200
Overall, acrossall roles
$101
$138
$74
50
100
150
200
Overall, acrossall roles
$113
$156
$89
50
100
150
200
Overall, acrossall roles
$33
$100
$5150
100
150
200
$165
$221
$123
50
100
150
200
Overall, acrossall roles
$84
$150
$35
North
America Europe Asia Oceania Other
Global base salaries
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AI governance
The following section focuses on those
respondents that identified that they have
responsibility for AI governance.
Respondents with legal or compliance AI
governance responsibilities — those that
support compliance within the organization
and ensure reporting requirements are
fulfilled — earned the highest median salary of
USD182,000, compared to the overall median
salary,USD158,000.
DOMAIN OF RESPONSIBILITY
ANY PRIVACY OR AI GOVERNANCE ROLE Overall Technology Finance Health care
Retail, media
and leisure
Defense, energy,
manufacturing and
logistics
Government and
education
Business services,
consulting and
legal Other
Legal/compliance $182.0
($130.0 - $245.0)
$205.0
($141.0 - $260.0)
$159.0
($116.0 - $215.0)
$187.0
($125.0 - $297.0)
$198.0
($158.0 - $250.0)
$189.0
($147.0 - $245.0)
$142.0
($134.0 - $220.0)
$167.0
($125.0 - $240.0)
$126.0
($86.0 - $217.0)
Policy $153.0
($113.0 - $225.0)
$133.0
($81.0 - $175.0)
$153.0
($93.0 - $230.0)
$173.0
($145.0 - $300.0)
$116.0
($87.0 - $235.0)
Governance $158.0
($122.0 - $206.0)
$139.0
($117.0 - $205.0)
$160.0
($139.0 - $200.0)
$149.0
($137.0 - $210.0)
$164.0
($117.0 - $210.0)
$170.0
($134.0 - $213.0)
$127.0
($117.0 - $176.0)
Risk $150.0
($103.0 - $185.0)
$107.0
($64.0 - $176.0)
$134.0
($95.0 - $190.0)
$163.0
($152.0 - $223.0)
$130.0
($88.0 - $162.0)
Selected AI governance base salaries by domain and industry
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Legal /compliance Policy Governance Ethics Risk Technical Product
Other AI
governance roles
Overall salary $182.0
($130.0 - $245.0
$153.0
($113.0 - $225.0
$158.0
($122.0 - $206.0)
$117.0
($80.0 - $137.0)
$150.0
($103.0 - $185.0)
$175.0
($145.0 - $216.0)
$155.0
($89.0 - $205.0)
$158.0
($96.0 - $219.0)
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
AI governance base salaries by domain
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The following trends were noted for those
working in AI governance, either as a singular
domain or with other responsibilities.
Respondents working across several industries
identified their salaries were higher than the
overall median salary across all respondents.
Those working in the technology sector, either
in legal and compliance roles or in technical
AI governance roles, earned the highest
median salaries relative to other respondents at
USD205,000 and USD221,000 respectively.
AI governance base salaries for selected themes by region
50
100
150
200
250
Overall, acrossall rolesPrivacy only AI governanceonlyPrivacy and AIgovernance
50
100
150
200
250
Legal/Compliance Policy Governance Risk
$147
$127
$117
$149
$197$188
$149
$192
$86$81
$100
$65
50
100
150
200
250
Legal/Compliance Policy Governance Risk
$147
$160
$94
$273
$215
$200
$120
$130
$63
Governance Policy Legal/compliance Risk
Asia and Oceania Europe North America
50
100
150
200
250
Legal/Compliance Policy Governance Risk
$193
$164
$188
$153
$250
$230$237
$185
$140
$125
$138
$118
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
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Small —
less than $100 M
Medium —
$101 M to $999 M
Large —
greater than $1 B
Legal/compliance $170.0
($123.0 - $260.0)
$166.0
($106.0 - $225.0)
$188.0
($136.0 - $250.0)
Policy $110.0
($82.0 - $152.)
$180.0
($113.0 - $270.0)
$179.0
($138.0 - $225.0)
Governance $135.0
($96.0 - $144.0)
$152.0
($102.0 - $215.0)
$170.0
($132.0 - $210.0)
Ethics $117.0
($95.0 - $159.0)
Risk $136.0
($71.0 - $210.0)
$151.0
($118.0 - $184.0)
Technical $180.0
($145.0 - $231.0)
Product $185.0
($150.0 - $205.0)
Other AI governance roles $95.0
($80.0 - $145.0)
$173.0
($156.0 - $206.0)
$181.0
($99.0 - $253.0)
AI governance base salaries by domain and size of organization
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Individuals in AI governance roles followed a similar
trend — respondents in North America earned
more than their counterparts in Europe and Asia.
Professionals with legal or compliance AI governance
roles were among the highest earners across AI
governance roles.
In the majority of cases, the trend holds true for AI
governance professionals too: respondents that work
for larger organizations get paid more than those that
work for smaller organizations. Legal and compliance
professionals again enjoyed the highest median salary
at USD188,000.
Those working in the
technology sector, either
in legal and compliance
roles or in technical
AI governance roles,
earned the highest
median salaries relative
to other respondents
at USD205,000 and
USD221,000 respectively.
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Jobs case study: AI governance lead
This report identifies salary ranges based on the earnings data provided by respondents. Alongside this, it is worth considering the job descriptions and salary ranges of advertised AI governance job vacancies. The following table summarizes
relevant information from 100 job openings for roles in AI governance and the corresponding requirements outlined by recruiting organizations. Salary ranges are based on the salaries indicated by those organizations that chose to publicize
such data. It should be noted that this is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all compulsory requirements but an illustration of the different types of experience and skills highlighted across sampled job descriptions.
Example titles
Advertised
salary
ranges
Example
experience
requirements Examples of subject matter experience Examples of soft skills
Examples of
qualifications
◽ Director/head of
AI governance
◽ AI/ML director
◽ AI transformation lead
◽ AI practice lead
◽ Head of AI enablement
◽ Head of privacy and
AI governance
◽ AI governance lead
◽ AI risk lead
◽ Data governance
risk lead
◽ Privacy and AI compliance
enablement leader
◽ Director of
responsible AI
USD120,000
to
USD365,000
Ten or more
years' experience
with progressive
technology
exposure across
areas such as
machine learning,
natural language
processing,
deep learning,
robotics, product
development,
business
intelligence
and digital
transformation.
◽ Deep expertise in AI governance principles, ethical AI frameworks and related
regulatory compliance, including privacy laws, such as the EU General Data
Protection Regulations and the California Consumer Privacy Act, and AI regulation
and frameworks, like the EU AI Act and NIST AI Risk Management Framework
◽ Proven track record in leading and managing technical, governance and/or
compliance teams with experience in AI governance program leadership within
highly regulated industries
◽ Strong understanding of AI/machine learning development and
implementation, including experience building products with large language
models/AI technologies and proficiency in machine learning tools, platforms
and frameworks, such as TensorFlow, PyTorch and AWS AI, and programming
languages like Python
◽ Demonstrable experience of working with regulatory agencies, such as the
Europea Data Protection Board, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the
Federal Reserve and state agencies
◽ Expertise in data governance, data privacy and cybersecurity alongside
knowledge of data analytics, cloud computing and data management skills,
like SQL, ETL processes, and data modeling
◽ Ability to audit AI/ML systems for bias, fairness and compliance with global
standards, including designing explainable AI systems and deploying tools to
address ethical challenges
◽ Familiarity with ethical AI principles, bias detection, mitigation techniques
and privacy-enhancing technologies, such as differential privacy and
federated learning
◽ Strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and industry standards related
to model risk management with the ability to scale to support other global
regulations
◽ Experience leading AI transformation and change management projects,
demonstrating the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams and
coordinate risk management activities within complex organizational structures
◽ Strategic leadership: The ability to define and drive AI strategy aligned
with business objectives and to drive initiatives from concept to
implementation
◽ Team leadership and development: Proven track record of leading,
mentoring and developing high-performing, cross-functional teams in
complex business environments
◽ Exceptional communication: Excellent written, verbal and presentation
skills with the ability to communicate complex issues clearly to senior
management, internal/external stakeholders, customers and regulators
◽ Cross-functional collaboration: Demonstrated ability to work effectively
with diverse teams, such as engineering, product, compliance, risk, data
science, user experience and go-to-market functions to bring complex
products to life
◽ Strong business acumen and decision-making: Solid understanding of
business principles coupled with strong problem-solving and decision-
making skills to evaluate options with speed and a risk-based approach
◽ Executive presence and influence: The ability to recognize and escalate
complex or controversial issues, possessing strong interpersonal skills
and the capacity to influence stakeholders at all levels
◽ Adaptability and resilience: High tolerance for ambiguity and the ability
to thrive in complex environments
◽ Innovation and impact: Proven success in leading large-scale AI or data-
driven product initiatives with a focus on measurable business and user
impact, including experience building foundational AI systems from the
ground up
◽ Bachelor’s or master’s
degree in computer
science or engineering
◽ Master's degree in
computer science, AI, ML
or data science
◽ Advanced degree (JD,
master’s or Ph.D.)
◽ Certified Information
Privacy Professional or
similar certifications
◽ Certifications in AI, data
privacy or governance,
e.g., certified information
privacy manager
◽ IAPP AIGP certification,
similar certification, or
willingness to obtain the
certification
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Example titles
Advertised
salary
ranges
Example
experience
requirements Examples of subject matter experience Examples of soft skills
Examples of
qualifications
◽ AI governance manager
◽ AI program manager
◽ Responsible AI assurance
◽ Compliance and security
manager
◽ Responsible AI risk
manager
◽ AI automation specialist
◽ AI/machine learning
engineer
◽ Generative AI workflow
automation developer
◽ Senior counsel -
AI technology
◽ Senior AI Risk oversight
manager
USD90,000 to
USD360,000
Approximately
five years of
experience
◽ Strong technical foundation in ML/AI with experience in the development of
various machine learning techniques, including classical models, transformer-
based models, computer vision and large language models, using Python with
libraries like PyTorch or TensorFlow
◽ Possess extensive knowledge and experience with generative AI
technologies, including LLMs, diffusion models and multi-modal models, such
as vision language models
◽ Show a deep understanding of AI/ML development pipelines along with a
working knowledge of cloud architectures, AWS, GCP, Azure and DevOps
practices
◽ Contribute to or have played a senior role in governance of AI projects, with a
strong understanding of responsible, safe, reliable, and robust AI principles
◽ Demonstrate a strong grasp of emerging AI regulations, such as the EU AI
Act, legal frameworks for AI governance and the ability to implement legal
requirements in AI systems
◽ Possess experience in privacy, security, compliance, and risk management,
including knowledge of standards like SOC 2, ISO 42001 and GDPR, with
experience in AI risk assessments and cloud security
◽ Understand IP considerations in AI development, including training data
rights, model ownership and output licensing
◽ Experience in technical program management, specifically focused on AI/
ML initiatives, coupled with an understanding of the challenges in building
production-worthy AI systems
◽ Strong leadership and management: Demonstrated progressive
experience in management and leadership, including the ability to
influence others without direct authority, lead teams and drive change in
dynamic environments
◽ Expert project and change management: Proven project management
skills with experience leading cross-functional initiatives, coordinating
rollouts and implementing change management for new processes,
alongside strong problem-solving abilities
◽ Stakeholder management and collaboration: Ability to effectively
manage senior and junior stakeholders and client needs, build
relationships, facilitate alignment across multiple stakeholders and lead
meetings with diverse groups
◽ Strategic thinking and regulatory translation: Capacity to think
strategically and creatively, translating complex regulatory concepts into
practical implications
◽ Interdepartmental partnership: Experience collaborating with or
partnering with legal, compliance, internal audit, enterprise risk or other
corporate governance functions
◽ Effective communication and influence: Strong written and verbal
communication skills, including the ability to manage time and
schedules to meet deadlines and influence through persuasive
communication
◽ Business acumen and risk management: Solid business acumen, critical
thinking, and decision-making skills, coupled with proven leadership
experience in model risk, AI governance or technology risk
◽ Attention to detail and process orientation: Diligent mindfulness,
strong technical intuition and experience developing thorough process
documentation
◽ A bachelor’s degree from
an accredited educational
institution
◽ An MBA, other advanced
degree or equivalent
practical experience
◽ Ph.D. in computer science,
AI/ML or a related
field with a focus on
responsible, safe and
reliable AI
◽ Certified Information
Privacy Professional,
Certified AI Ethics
Professional, Project
Management
Professional, Governance
and/or Risk and
Compliance certifications
◽ Degree in a quantitative
or engineering discipline,
such as computer
science, computational
biology, bioinformatics,
engineering among
others, or equivalent
work experience in AI
governance
Jobs case study: AI governance manager
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Example titles
Advertised
salary
ranges
Example
experience
requirements Examples of subject matter experience Examples of soft skills
Examples of
qualifications
◽ AI governance analyst
◽ AI and automation
governance analyst
◽ Change management
analyst
◽ Senior analyst AI
governance
◽ Senior AI data analyst
◽ Governance, risk and
compliance analyst
◽ AI governance
administrator
◽ AI governance and
compliance specialist
USD87,000 to
USD180,000
Up to five years
of experience
or equivalent
combination of
education and/or
experience.
◽ Knowledge of AI technologies and their potential ethical and
legal implications
◽ An understanding of AI governance principles and industry best practices
◽ Experience developing and implementing governance frameworks
◽ Understanding of responsible AI and/or AI ethics with an understanding of
AI technologies and frameworks
◽ Understanding of industry standards and ability to translate emerging global
AI regulations into practical, actionable updates
◽ Industry specific governance experience not limited to AI governance
◽ Working within AI governance, risk, compliance or data governance functions
in a financially regulated environment
◽ Working with regulatory agencies, such as the EDPB, CFPB, the Federal
Reserve and state agencies
◽ Analytics development
◽ Experience with data, decks and dashboards in at least one major
business domain
◽ Python, SQL, ETLs, Teradata, Pipelines and Power BI
◽ GRC experience and experience of audit preparations for SOC2, PCI, Health
Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and similar standards
◽ Understanding and experience of GDPR, CCPA, the California Privacy
Rights Act and other privacy regulations with experience implementing and
monitoring compliance processes
◽ Strong commitment to cross-functional collaboration: Able to work
effectively with IT, security, sales and engineering to drive the
implementation of responsible AI practices, support company success
and build customer trust
◽ Self-motivated and organized: Driven individual with a creative
approach to project completion
◽ Effective communicator: Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal
communication skills with strong communication, presentation and
stakeholder management skills
◽ Strong communication: both oral and written and
problem-solving skills
◽ Strong analytical and problem-solving skills: An ability to apply these
skills to solve a multitude of problems
◽ Bachelor’s degree,
equivalent relevant work
or military experience in
a financially regulated
environment
◽ Bachelor’s or master’s
degree in law, ethics,
information technology,
business administration or
a related field
Jobs case study: AI governance analyst
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 19
III. Total
financial
compensation
package
What is the overall
compensation package?
The overall compensation package is the total financial
package an employee receives. By grouping the answers to
questions on base salary, hourly pay for those on contracts and
renumeration values for additional compensation, we are able
to build a view of the average compensation package.
Average total compensation
$202,000
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ↑
Overall
Global chief
privacy
officer
Chief privacy
officer
(country)
Regional
privacy
officer
Privacy
office
risk and
compliance
manager
Internal
privacy
lawyer
Privacy
champion/
guru
Privacy
engineer
Cybersecurity
professional
Data
protection
officer
Privacy
manager
Privacy
analyst
External
privacy
consultant
External
privacy
lawyer
Base Salary $150.0 $226.0 $154.0 $145.0 $130.0 $178.0 $134.0 $155.0 $159.0 $112.0 $89.0 $117.0 $130.0 $196.0
Overall additional compensation $52.0 $150.0 $36.0 $47.0 $31.0 $62.0 $39.0 $59.0 $24.0 $25.0 $8.0 $52.0 $34.0 $26.0
Bonus $23.0 $62.0 $18.0 $26.0 $15.0 $27.0 $16.0 $30.0 $14.0 $10.0 $4.0 $15.0 $14.0 $20.0
Stock/equity long-term incentive $16.0 $67.0 $5.0 $8.0 $9.0 $19.0 $16.0 $12.0 $5.0 $4.0 $0.0 $27.0 $0.0 $0.0
Cash LTI $2.0 $3.0 $9.0 $4.0 $1.0 $3.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $2.0 $2.0 $0.0
Cost of living bonus/payment $1.0 $2.0 $0.0 $1.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $1.0 $2.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $1.0 $0.0
Commission $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $1.0 $0.0
Employer pension $4.0 $7.0 $3.0 $4.0 $3.0 $4.0 $6.0 $4.0 $3.0 $4.0 $2.0 $5.0 $5.0 $2.0
Other monetary $6.0 $9.0 $1.0 $3.0 $2.0 $9.0 $1.0 $12.0 $0.0 $6.0 $1.0 $3.0 $11.0 $3.0
Total Compensation $202.0 $376.0 $190.0 $192.0 $161.0 $239.0 $173.0 $214.0 $184.0 $137.0 $97.0 $169.0 $164.0 $222.0
Summary of average total and additional compensation by privacy job title compared to the overall average
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Global CPOs earn the highest average
base salaries at USD226,000 and the
highest overall compensation packages,
at USD376,000 annually.
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Overall
Legal/
compliance Policy Governance Ethics Risk Technical Product Other
Base Salary $176.0 $190.0 $169.0 $168.0 $118.0 $145.0 $180.0 $158.0 $168.0
Overall additional compensation $73.0 $91.0 $45.0 $67.0 $21.0 $45.0 $81.0 $38.0 $44.0
Bonus $32.0 $37.0 $25.0 $32.0 $16.0 $20.0 $25.0 $26.0 $24.0
Stock/equity long-term incentive $25.0 $37.0 $10.0 $16.0 $3.0 $9.0 $39.0 $1.0 $12.0
Cash LTI $4.0 $3.0 $4.0 $4.0 $0.0 $11.0 $1.0 $3.0 $1.0
Cost of living bonus/payment $1.0 $2.0 $1.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $1.0 $0.0 $0.0
Commission $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $0.0 $4.0 $0.0 $0.0
Employer pension $4.0 $4.0 $4.0 $5.0 $2.0 $4.0 $3.0 $2.0 $6.0
Other monetary $7.0 $8.0 $3.0 $12.0 $0.0 $1.0 $8.0 $5.0 $0.0
Total Compensation $249.0 $281.0 $214.0 $235.0 $138.0 $190.0 $260.0 $195.0 $212.0
Summary of average total and additional compensation for AI governance professionals
by job title compared to the overall average
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
Privacy
It's important to consider that the average base salary
calculations incorporate figures from contract workers
reporting hourly rates, which may overall differ in structure
from permanent employee salaries. Additionally, the various
additional compensation categories listed may not be
applicable to all employees, and individuals should not expect
to receive every type of additional compensation presented.
The role-specific breakdowns and information in the
table below offer professionals a valuable resource for
benchmarking their base salaries and understanding the
prevalence of different additional compensation components
within the field. This allows for a comparison against specific
compensation categories relevant to individual circumstances.
In looking at overall compensation packages, the following
can be noted. Global CPOs earn the highest average base
salaries at USD226,000 and the highest overall compensation
packages, at USD376,000 annually. On average, respondents
in this role earned an additional 66% of their average base
salaries through additional compensation. In 2023, global
CPOs earned an additional 103% of their average base
salaries through additional compensation, suggesting that
this proportion is lower in 2025.
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 22
TABLE OF CONTENTS ↑
In external roles, privacy lawyers earn the highest
average base salaries at USD196,000 annually and
the highest overall compensation packages at
USD222,000 annually. On average, respondents in
this role earned an additional 26% of average base
salary through additional compensation.
Privacy analysts earned average base salaries
of USD117,000 with an average of USD52,000 of
additional compensation annually. On average,
respondents in this role earned 45% of their average
base salaries through additional compensation.
AI governance
Of those respondents with AI governance
responsibilities, those respondents working
within legal or compliance had the highest
total compensation package at USD281,000.
These respondents earned 48% of their average
base salary through additional compensation.
Those respondents working on AI ethics had
the smallest total compensation packages with
an average base salary of USD118,000, earning
an additional 18% of their average base salary
through additional compensation.
The tables on the previous pages identify how the
specific types of additional compensation available
to an employee can vary widely depending on the
role, organizational demographics, as well as skills,
expertise and experience.
Bonuses
Long-term
incentives
Any cost of living
one-off bonuses or
payments, 6%
Pensions/retirement
contributions
Any other monetary
compensation
Commissions, 1%
Insurance
contributions
69%
22%
34%
14%
25%
Types of additional compensation received
(% denotes proportion of respondents receiving each type)
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Almost 7 in 10 professionals received a bonus,
making this the most popular form of additional
compensation among respondents. This
figure rose to 72% of respondents when only
considering those based in North America,
but this number fell to 67% of respondents in
Europe. The majority of respondents received
a bonus based on both personal and company
performance (74%), with 11% having a bonus only
awarded based on personal performance and 13%
having a bonus only awarded based on company
performance.
The types of bonuses varied based on
organizational size. Those in smaller
organizations — either fewer than 100 employees
or under USD100 million in annual revenue —
were less likely to receive a bonus solely based on
company performance. Bonuses with no attached
performance metric were more likely to be
awarded in smaller organizations.
When breaking this down by role, global CPOs,
regional privacy officers and legal or compliance-
focused AI governance professionals were
most likely to receive a bonus. External privacy
consultants were the least likely with only 56%
receiving a bonus. Long-term incentives, usually
awarded to more senior staff members, were
more likely to be awarded to global CPOs —
almost half of respondents in this role received
this type of renumeration.
The second most popular form of additional
compensation was employer pension
contributions, received by 3 in 10 respondents.
A respondent’s location appears to impact the
amount of the expected pension contribution. A
pension contribution of greater than 8% was only
available to 1 in 5 respondents in North America;
in the European market, this was amount was
received by almost half of respondents. The most
generous employer contributions — more than
20% — were again more likely to be received by
those working in Europe rather than in North
America.
EMPLOYER PENSION
CONTRIBUTION
REGION
North America Europe Asia Oceania Rest of world*
Average 7% 9% 8% 8% 9%
Average employer pension contribution by region
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars. *Note: Small sample size, interpret results with caution.
Almost 7 in 10 professionals
received a bonus, making this the
most popular form of additional
compensation among respondents.
This figure rose to 72% of
respondents when only considering
those based in North America,
but this number fell to 67% of
respondents in Europe.
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 24
IV. Nonfinancial
benefits
Nonfinancial benefits play an
important role in offering employees a
complete compensation package
Alongside regular financial compensation, employers
often provide nonfinancial compensation in the form of
benefits packages. Benefits packages provide employees
with additional support and protection, while good benefits
packages may have the added bonus of attracting talent,
retaining existing employees and rewarding employees who
meet or exceed goals. Employees may be more inclined
to remain with an organization that offers a strong benefit
package; others might be drawn to companies with higher
salaries, more extensive vacation time, enhanced retirement
plans or greater flexibility in work arrangements. A growing
emphasis on work-life balance has prompted organizations to
adopt practices like flextime, unlimited vacation and four-day
work weeks.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ↑
In this year’s survey, we explored the nonfinancial benefits
enjoyed by respondents.
When considering organization size, respondents working in
smaller organizations were given fewer benefits across the
key categories included in this survey. Health benefits were
enjoyed by at least 88% of those working in medium and large
organizations while 77% of those working in small organizations
received this benefit.
Vacation allowance plays another key role in how employees
are compensated. By region, 76% of Europeans have at least five
weeks of vacation allowance. Unlimited vacation allowances
were also popular among privacy pros, particularly in North
America; this benefit was available to 19% of respondents. This
is in stark contrast to the 57% of those in North America with
less than four weeks of vacation time, highlighting the divide
between vacation allowances available in this market
Differences in global vacation allowances
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
61%
Currently work
from home more
than they work
from the office
Four weeks or
less vacation
Unlimited
vacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
61%
Currently work
from home more
than they work
from the office
U.S. employees with four weeks
or less vacation allowance vs. U.K.
55%
46%
Currently work fully remote
in North America vs. Europe
24%
Four weeks or
less vacation
Unlimited
vacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
61%
Currently work
from home more
than they work
from the office
U.S. employees with four weeks
or less vacation allowance vs. U.K.
55%
46%
Currently work fully remote
in North America vs. Europe
24%
Four weeks or
less vacation
Unlimited
vacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
Differences in location of work globally
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
61%
Currently work
from home more
than they work
from the office
Four weeks or
less vacation
Unlimited
vacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
61%
Currently work
from home more
than they work
from the office
U.S. employees with four weeks
or less vacation allowance vs. U.K.
55%
46%
Currently work fully remote
24%
Four weeks or
less vacation
Unlimited
vacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
Four weeks orless vacationUnlimitedvacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
Third
Full remote work was
third most popular
job search motivator
after pay raise and
career progression
1 in 5
U.S. employees
have an unlimited
vacation allowance
61%
Currently work
from home more
than they work
from the office
U.S. employees with four weeks
or less vacation allowance vs. U.K.
55%
46%
Currently work fully remote
in North America vs. Europe
24%
Four weeks or
less vacation
Unlimited
vacation
49%
12%Fully remote Fully office-based
36%
8%
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 26
V. Impact of
certification
Do certifications increase salary?
Further education, training and certification can serve
as a significant professional accelerator; they support
professionals, expand their knowledge base and, in turn,
improve organizational governance. Training and certification
can act as an effective differentiator in a crowded job market.
Those that complete further education and certification can
demonstrate that they have specialized knowledge, show
commitment to the field and maintain relevance with amongst
constant technological evolution and regulatory changes.
In turn, these professionals may be able to obtain a larger
compensation package, justify business cases for promotion
and secure better career opportunities.
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No IAPP
qualification
Any one IAPP
qualification
Multiple IAPP
qualifications
Global chief privacy officer $200.0
($112.0 - $250.0)
$202.0
($150.0 - $280.0)
$261.0
($190.0 - $300.0)
Chief privacy officer (country) $131.0
($95.0 - $180.0)
$148.0
($105.0 - $196.0)
$168.0
($160.0 - $238.0)
Regional privacy officer $151.0
($73.0 - $220.0)
$127.0
($90.0 - $161.0)
$175.0
($127.0 - $223.0)
Privacy office risk and
compliance manager
$116.0
($80.0 - $154.0)
$117.0
($79.0 - $170.0)
$160.0
($116.0 - $190.0)
Internal privacy lawyer $151.0
($116.0 - $195.0)
$173.0
($114.0 - $225.0)
$200.0
($165.0 - $235.0)
Privacy champion/guru $108.0
($59.0 - $137.0)
$142.0
($137.0 - $163.0)
Privacy engineer $136.0
($95.0 - $176.0)
$165.0
($110.0 - $265.0)
Cybersecurity professional $156.0
($121.0 - $190.0)
$149.0
($127.0 - $184.0)
Data protection officer $95.0
($67.0 - $140.0)
$110.0
($82.0 - $152.0)
$116.0
($91.0 - $159.0)
Privacy manager $115.0
($82.0 - $145.0)
$92.0
($68.0 - $124.0)
$150.0
($102.0 - $164.0)
Privacy analyst $92.0
($68.0 - $107.0)
$91.0
($56.0 - $105.0)
$107.0
($73.0 - $130.0)
External privacy consultant $121.0
($51.0 - $138.0)
$121.0
($81.0 - $196.0)
$127.0
($88.0 - $186.0)
External privacy lawyer $183.0
($119.0 - $227.0)
$186.0
($135.0 - $270.0)
$190.0
($140.0 - $310.0)
Base salary by number of qualifications held
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
As with the 2023 salary survey, a trend persists in
the respondent’s highest level of education. An
undergraduate degree is the highest level of education
for 19% of respondents. A total of 41% of respondents
have a law degree. A postgraduate degree, such as
a master’s or doctorate, was reported as the highest
level of education for 1 in 3 respondents. Overall, 95%
of respondents reported having some degree-level
qualifications.
Respondents continue to add and maintain
professional certifications. This year’s data identified
that at least 77% of surveyed respondents held at least
one IAPP certification, while 39% of respondents
held multiple IAPP certifications. The pursuit of the
Fellow of Information Privacy designation is a unique
opportunity for individuals looking to differentiate
themselves. A FIP requires a CIPP certification, either
a certified information privacy manager or certified
information privacy technologist role and three years
of experience. The designation was only held by 16% of
surveyed respondents — 18% of global CPOs and 6% of
surveyed privacy managers hold the designation.
In general, median salary was higher for respondents
with any one IAPP qualification. Those holding
multiple qualifications yielded further increases in
median salary. While these results are not necessarily
meant to prove a direct cause-and-effect correlation,
it is reasonable to draw a general conclusion that
employees with additional qualifications tend to be
more valuable to their organizations.
This year’s data
identified that
at least 77%
of surveyed
respondents held
at least one IAPP
certification, while
39% of respondents
held multiple IAPP
certifications.
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 28
VI. Movers
and shakers
To leave or not to leave,
that is the question.
The relationship between how content employees are in
their current roles, the key drivers that entice individuals
to seek new opportunities and the prevalence of active job
hunting can reveal several insights into the dynamics at play
in the workforce. Understanding this relationship is key to
organizations proactively addressing dissatisfaction and the
ability to tailor their employee value proposition to align with
what truly motivates the workforce.
Employee motivation, the crucial skill of boosting and
sustaining high morale, is often central to an organization's
achievements. Without it, decreased engagement, commitment,
and job performance can hinder organizational goals and
diminish the potential for a thriving work environment. This
year's survey underscores compensation as a significant driver
of employee satisfaction. Fair and competitive pay demonstrates
an organization's value of its workforce, directly influencing
morale and the desire to excel. Beyond basic satisfaction,
attractive compensation packages can enhance recruitment
efforts, improve employee retention rates and foster a more
dedicated and productive team — ultimately contributing to a
more successful and positive workplace.
As with prior years, this year’s survey shows that compensation
and career development are critical factors in employees’
satisfaction.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS ↑
Job satisfaction was generally high among
respondents, with 81% rating their satisfaction in
their current role above six out of ten, including
31% who indicated the highest levels of satisfaction,
scoring between nine and ten.
AI governance ethics professionals and global
CPOs were happiest in their role with 54% and
41% respectively reporting a satisfaction level
between nine and ten. This included two in five
AI governance ethics professionals and one in
five global CPOs that gave a perfect score for job
satisfaction. Conversely, respondents with the job
titles privacy champion/guru and AI governance
product professionals were the least satisfied in
their roles, with 32% and 33% respectively selecting
a score between zero and five.
The average and median salary of those that reported
the highest satisfaction were higher than those that
reported that they were not as satisfied with their
role. However, with overlapping salary bands, the
direct connection between higher job satisfaction
and salary is not clear.
JOB SATISFACTION
0-5 6-8 9-10
Median
(Q1 to Q3)
$134.0
($89.0 - $188.0)
$138.0
($94.0 - $190.0)
$141.0
($96.0 - $204.0)
Mean $142.0 $164.0 $161.0
Impact of job satisfaction on base salary
All figures are in thousands of U.S. dollars.
SATISFACTION Frequency
0-5 19%
6-8 50%
9-10 31%
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Instead, we can consider the factors identified by
respondents that would cause them to move jobs.
The combination of pay raise and career
progression was chosen by almost half of all
respondents, highlighting the importance of these
factors. One in four respondents that chose both
pay rise and career progression also selected the
possibility of an improved role with responsibilities
as the third factor that would motivate them
to move jobs. A further one in four chose the
opportunity for fully remote work as the third
motivating factor alongside pay rise and career
progression. In terms of retention, employers and
managers should consider the extent to which each
of these factors are being met for team members in
their current roles.
We can also consider the extent to which
respondents are actively seeking a new role.
As the pie chart on the left shows, one in four
respondents actively seeking a new role, it’s clear
that a significant proportion of the workforce are
seeking a new role. Somewhat unsurprisingly,
67% of those who said that they were not satisfied
with their current role also identified that they
are actively looking for a new role. The active job-
seeking efforts of one in four respondents highlight
the intensity of the job market and the level of
competition applicants may face for any given role.
I am not actively
looking for a new job.
I neither agree nor
disagree that I am
looking for a new job.
I am actively looking
for a new job.
44%
31%
26%
The extent to which respondents are actively looking for a new job
Top three motivating factors causing respondents to seek new jobs
71%
71% would move jobs
for a pay raise
43%
43% would move jobs for
career progression reasons
27%
27% would move jobs for fully
remote work opportunities
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Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 31
VII. What's
next?
How can organizations and
professionals respond to the
findings of this report?
With financial wellbeing of employees in flux and ongoing
pressures on salary budgets and onward compensation,
organizations and professionals may be left considering how
they can respond. For organizations setting accurate pay can
be the enable its compensation strategy to support overall
business objectives. For professionals, reviewing pay offers to
opportunity to question whether pay is fair, prepare for salary
negotiation discussions, support future career planning, and
understand the market more broadly. This section highlights
potential actions that individuals and organizations may
consider taking.
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Personal
Compare your positioning within a salary band by looking at
adjusted salary penetration.
Review your salary against the most relevant pay band, taking
into account the lower bound (Q1 or the 25th percentile value)
and the higher bound (Q3 or the 75th percentile value). Use the
following formula:
𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 𝑝𝑝𝐴𝐴𝑝𝑝𝐴𝐴𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝐴𝐴𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 = (𝑌𝑌𝑝𝑝𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠 𝐴𝐴𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠𝑠 − 𝑄𝑄1)
(𝑄𝑄3 − 𝑄𝑄1)
The result is expressed as a percentage, showing where your
salary falls within the selected salary range. Please note that
only limited conclusions should be drawn from these results as
these ranges are based on the 75% and 25% percentiles rather
than precise boundaries.
Consider the impact of certifications.
Identify certifications relevant to your role that align with
your goals, consider industry demand and, potentially most
importantly, align with personal development interests.
Evaluate the costs of undertaking additional certifications
against the benefits, considering both financial costs and time
commitments. Consider discussing the needs for additional
certifications with internal and external stakeholders who
can share insights into the impact of pursuing additional
qualifications.
Compare your likelihood of searching for a new role vs. peers
to give an indication of job search intensity.
Data in this report identified that one in four respondents are
actively seeking a new role and 67% of those who said that they
were not satisfied with their current role also identified that
they are actively looking for a new role. Considering the likely
competition faced when applying and interviewing for a role is
a crucial part of strategically positioning yourself to obtain the
best role. Whilst it may not be possible to gather formal metrics
accurately on job search intensity, industry reports, professional
communities and popularity of job adverts can give some
insight into potential volume of competition.
Consider integrating salary band information from this report
and other sources into negotiations.
Salary reports can provide transparency over compensation
in the market and play a vital role in establishing a realistic
salary range for a role. The specific job title, industry, location,
company size and experience, amongst many other factors,
can all impact the salary ranges available. However, data can
be a crucial tool in providing quantitative evidence to support
requests for compensation commensurate with the role. It’s
worth noting that salary and other financial compensation
is only one component of total compensation and therefore
important to also weigh up nonfinancial benefits on offer too.
Identify where a promotion, change in role, increases in
seniority and/or increase in tenure may further salary
prospects.
Whilst a change in role may be likely to lead to an increase in
compensation, it’s important to consider whether existing roles
may also provide further opportunities. The data supports this
with 80% of respondents securing a rise in base salary over the
previous 12 months.
Compare the salary survey data against job advertisements
without salary information to estimate potential
compensation.
The salary ranges included in this report may provide a useful
benchmark for roles that do not advertise any pay information.
The data included in this report can form a useful benchmark,
although care should be taken as the data includes submissions
from those new in role and those that have much longer
tenures.
Salary reports can
provide transparency
over compensation in
the market and play a
vital role in establishing
a realistic salary range
for a role. The specific
job title, industry,
location, company
size and experience,
amongst many other
factors, can all impact
the salary ranges
available.
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→ VII. What's next?
Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26: Privacy, AI Governance and Digital Responsibility | 33
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Organizational
Benchmark your organization’s salary bands
vs. those in the report.
Reviewing salary report data can be a useful tool in
identifying whether existing internal pay structures
are fit for purpose. This can support organizations in
maintaining salary parity with competitors in order to
attract and retain talent, support internal equity and
consistency in pay, avoid under/overpaying for roles,
meeting legal requirements around pay and maintaining
resilience in workforce planning.
Compare this to desired talent acquisition
and retention strategies.
A core part of future workforce planning is likely the
need to understand overall strategy, growth plans and
corresponding future skill requirements. These likely
impact current workforce planning and succession
management. For example, an organization that is
seeking to invest heavily in AI development may need a
corresponding AI governance function, for which it may
be important to offer comparatively leading salaries in
order to attract top talent. Conversely organizations
may choose to follow a lagging pay strategy should
future plans include a more streamlined second line
function.
Identify whether pay scale remediation is
required and work with HR to amend.
A pay scale remediation exercise, either retroactive
or forward looking, may be required to address
pay fairness and issues of equity. Should digital
governance professionals suspect this to be the case
within their teams it may be pertinent to work with
HR to identify discrepancies, conduct further internal
and external benchmarking activities, and implement
changes as needed.
Understand how to leverage existing expertise and
workforce for broader digital governance domains
and approach hiring and training staff.
Redeploying and using existing expertise within
organizations may likely form a critical part of
how organizations respond to digital governance
challenges. Organizations may be able to achieve time
and cost savings by doing so, with the opportunity to
leverage existing skills and knowledge whilst offering
employees the opportunity to learn new skills possibly
benefiting all involved parties.
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Saz Kanthasamy
Principal Researcher,
Privacy Management, IAPP
skanthasamy@iapp.org
Joe Jones
Research and Insights
Director, IAPP
jjones@iapp.org
Follow the IAPP on social media
D C Q E
Published August 2025.
IAPP disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to
the contents of this document, including any warranties of accuracy,
merchantability, or fitness for a particular purpose. Nothing herein
should be construed as legal advice.
© 2025 IAPP. All rights reserved.
Contacts
Connect with the team
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