The short version. The BLS national median for computer and information systems managers (SOC 11-3021) is $169,510. The 75th percentile sits at $215,900 and the 90th above $267,300. Those numbers reflect base salary only — bonus and equity add 15–45% at mid-market and 40–120% at FAANG. Engineering managers (running software teams) sit at the top: FAANG EMs at L7 total $500,000–$800,000; IT managers (running internal IT and infra) sit lower at $150,000–$260,000 total. Level is the most under-negotiated lever — Senior Manager instead of Manager moves base, bonus target, and equity band in one motion. Analyze your specific offer.
National salary picture
The Bureau of Labor Statistics groups this role under SOC 11-3021 (Computer and Information Systems Managers) and estimates roughly 570,000 people in the workforce. The most recent Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics release puts the national median annual base wage at $169,510. That reflects the midpoint of a broad profession that includes engineering managers, IT operations managers, infosec managers, ERP managers, and help-desk managers.
BLS OEWS national annual median for SOC 11-3021. 25th percentile $128,000, 75th percentile $215,900, 90th percentile $267,300. Bonus and equity add 15–45% at mid-market, 40–120% at FAANG. BLS projects 17% employment growth through 2033 — much faster than average — with roughly 46,900 openings per year.
Engineering manager vs. IT manager
The single most important comp distinction inside SOC 11-3021 is the split between engineering managers (running software product teams) and IT managers (running internal IT, infrastructure, help desk, ERP). Both share the SOC code and job titles overlap in reality, but pay diverges sharply at large tech employers.
| Role | Base | Total comp (with equity) |
|---|---|---|
| IT manager (mid-market) | $130,000–$175,000 | $155,000–$220,000 |
| Senior IT manager | $165,000–$215,000 | $195,000–$285,000 |
| Engineering manager (mid-market SaaS) | $175,000–$225,000 | $260,000–$385,000 |
| Engineering manager (FAANG, L6) | $225,000–$275,000 | $425,000–$650,000 |
| Senior EM / Director (FAANG, L7) | $275,000–$340,000 | $500,000–$800,000+ |
By industry
| Industry | Base range | Total (incl. bonus/equity) |
|---|---|---|
| FAANG & top tech (product EM) | $195,000–$340,000 | $380,000–$800,000+ |
| Mid-market SaaS (EM) | $175,000–$240,000 | $260,000–$425,000 |
| Cybersecurity (CrowdStrike, Palo Alto) | $175,000–$235,000 | $285,000–$465,000 |
| Financial services (banking IT) | $175,000–$230,000 | $255,000–$450,000 |
| Financial services (quant trading, HFT) | $195,000–$285,000 | $400,000–$900,000+ |
| Management consulting (Big Four) | $155,000–$215,000 | $210,000–$340,000 |
| Healthcare-system IT | $130,000–$185,000 | $155,000–$215,000 |
| Higher education IT | $115,000–$170,000 | $130,000–$185,000 |
| Federal (GS-14 / GS-15) | $135,000–$195,000 | $150,000–$210,000 |
| Insurance / mid-market corporate | $140,000–$195,000 | $170,000–$255,000 |
| Nonprofit | $115,000–$160,000 | $125,000–$180,000 |
By span of control
| Direct reports | Base range | Typical title |
|---|---|---|
| 3–5 | $150,000–$185,000 | Manager |
| 6–10 | $175,000–$220,000 | Manager / Senior Manager |
| 11–20 (senior manager scope) | $205,000–$255,000 | Senior Manager |
| 20+ (director scope) | $235,000–$300,000 | Director |
| Managing managers (40+ headcount) | $275,000–$345,000 | Senior Director |
| 80+ headcount, multi-org | $310,000–$420,000 | VP |
By city: top 15 metros
| Metro | Median base | vs. national |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco Bay Area | $228,000 | +35% |
| Seattle | $214,000 | +26% |
| New York City | $208,000 | +23% |
| Boston | $195,000 | +15% |
| Washington DC / Northern VA | $188,000 | +11% |
| Los Angeles | $182,000 | +7% |
| Austin | $175,000 | +3% |
| Denver | $172,000 | +1% |
| Chicago | $168,000 | flat |
| Atlanta | $162,000 | −4% |
| Dallas–Fort Worth | $160,000 | −6% |
| Minneapolis | $158,000 | −7% |
| Philadelphia | $156,000 | −8% |
| Phoenix | $150,000 | −12% |
| National median | $169,510 | — |
Certification premium
| Certification | Median premium | Best-fit path |
|---|---|---|
| CISM (Certified Information Security Manager) | +10–15% | Infosec-track manager |
| CGEIT (Governance of Enterprise IT) | +8–14% | IT governance and audit |
| AWS Solutions Architect Pro | +8–14% | Cloud infra manager |
| Azure Solutions Architect Expert | +8–12% | Cloud infra manager |
| GCP Professional Architect | +7–12% | Cloud infra manager |
| CISSP | +8–15% (security) | Security-track manager and above |
| PMP | +5–10% | Enterprise IT PM manager |
| ITIL v4 | Table stakes at enterprise IT | ITSM manager and up |
The four negotiation levers
1. Base salary (moderate flexibility). Base moves 6–15% with a defensible market comparable. Bring BLS OEWS 75th percentile for your metro plus a Levels.fyi comparable at the same title, level, and company size.
2. Sign-on bonus (high flexibility). $25,000–$75,000 typical at senior manager, $50,000–$150,000 at director. Anchor on unvested equity walking away from your current role or a competing offer.
3. Equity (initial RSU grant, high at tech). Initial RSU moves 15–40% at tech with a competing offer or an unusual profile. At non-tech employers, initial LTIP rarely moves at hire.
4. Level (highest leverage). Senior Manager instead of Manager, or Director instead of Senior Manager, moves base, bonus target, and equity band together. Push for the higher level at hire — you can't casually re-level once in the door.
Director → VP → CIO / CTO
| Level | Base range | Total (with equity) |
|---|---|---|
| Director | $200,000–$280,000 | $285,000–$450,000 |
| Senior Director | $245,000–$340,000 | $395,000–$620,000 |
| VP | $285,000–$420,000 | $500,000–$1,200,000+ |
| SVP / GM | $355,000–$525,000 | $700,000–$2,500,000+ |
| CIO (Fortune 1000) | $450,000–$1,200,000 | $800,000–$3,500,000+ |
| CTO (public tech company) | $500,000–$1,500,000 | $5M–$50M with equity |
Related guides
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See pricingFrequently asked questions
Average IT manager salary?
BLS national median base for SOC 11-3021 is $169,510. 75th percentile $215,900. 90th percentile $267,300.
Highest-paying industries?
FAANG engineering managers top the market at $380K–$800K total. Financial services (banking IT and quant trading) and cybersecurity follow.
Engineering manager vs. IT manager?
Both are SOC 11-3021, but EMs at tech companies earn 60–120% above same-title IT managers due to RSU grants.
Effect of span of control?
3–5 reports: $150K–$185K base. 20+ (director scope): $235K–$300K. Managing managers (40+): $275K–$345K.
Highest-ROI certification?
CISM (+10–15%) and cloud architect credentials (+8–14%) for infra managers. PMP moderate (+5–10%). ITIL is table stakes.
How to negotiate?
Four levers: base (moderate), sign-on (high), equity (high at tech), level (highest leverage).
CIO / CTO comp?
Fortune 1000 CIO base $450K–$1.2M plus $500K–$5M long-term incentives. Public-company CTO $500K–$1.5M plus $5M–$50M equity.