The Foushée Security & Compliance Compensation Survey has been produced annually for the last 23 years by the Foushée Group. In 2024 ScottMadden, Inc.,a management consulting firm that has been in business since 1983, purchased the survey and produced the 2024 annual Security & Compliance survey.

ScottMadden, with a thriving survey and benchmarking business dating back more than 25 years, serves clients across North America and globally. ScottMadden regularly consults with clients regarding their security functions and practices and has deep expertise in human resources among many other areas.

The survey is designed to provide accurate and timely compensation benchmarks on 78 security and compliance positions to companies seeking to market price their positions to the national market. Survey input in not based on self-reporting, rather the survey questionnaire is sent to human resources professionals who review the job descriptions and match their company jobs to the survey position descriptions. All data reported is aligned with the Department of Justice safe harbor guidelines for reporting compensation information. No individual company data is identifiable; the data is reported in aggregate weighted averages, medians, percentile distributions, and other pertinent data. Participating companies range in annual revenue from less than $500 million to more than $250 billion.

Compensation surveys typically survey the market at a defined point in time reflecting the effective date of the information. For the 2024 survey, participants were instructed to submit data with an effective date of February 1, 2024. This means that all the company data submitted was accurate as of February 1, 2024, and the data has not been trended to reflect the current date of this article.

Looking back at the state of the economy at the beginning of 2024, there were significant challenges. Inflation, though trending lower, was still a challenge. Monetary tightening from the Federal Reserve Board was the norm through most of 2024. We saw companies from several industries reducing headcount or “right sizing,” while many other industries were still facing headwinds to attract employees. Merit increases were starting to flatten as compared to years prior, and security and compliance positions surveyed showed an average 3.7 percent annual base salary overall increase.

The past five years have profoundly transformed the security landscape, driven by a convergence of complex global forces. The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically accelerated digital transformation, creating unprecedented cybersecurity challenges while simultaneously shifting workforce dynamics toward remote work. Geopolitical tensions, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict and escalating U.S.-China technology rivalries, have intensified state-sponsored cyber warfare and heightened global security risks. Technological disruptions, characterized by rapid AI adoption and evolving cloud security infrastructures, have fundamentally reshaped cybersecurity requirements and skill demands. The concurrent surge in sophisticated cybercrime — particularly ransomware attacks — has exponentially increased the financial and strategic importance of robust security personnel. These dynamics have been further complicated by stringent regulatory compliance frameworks like GDPR and CCPA, which mandate more comprehensive security protocols. Consequently, the market has responded with increasingly competitive compensation packages, reflecting both the critical shortage of specialized security talent and the escalating economic consequences of potential security breaches. This intricate ecosystem has transformed security from a technical and operational function to a strategic imperative, driving unprecedented investment in human capital and technological capabilities.

In light of this transformation, Security Magazine has asked ScottMadden to provide trend data from surveys from 2019 to 2024, highlighting five jobs:

• Top Global Security Executive (Chief Security Officer)
• Director, Computer, Network & Information Security 
• Manager Corporate Investigations
• Senior Regional Manager Domestic Security
• Manager, Protective Forces Armed

ScottMadden analyzed data from 2019 and 2024 and all data points (weighted average, aggregate), including base salary, total compensation (base plus bonus), and annual long-term incentive target.

Top Global Security Executive (Chief Security Officer)

When comparing reported data from the 2019 survey to the 2024 survey, the CSO positions base pay weighted average in the aggregate increased by 1.1% over the reporting period to $342,750 annually. Base salary plus bonus increased by 8.1% to $469,354 annually. Bonuses are pay at risk and tend to vary based on company goals, profitability, and employee performance and are designed to recognize company and employee performance for the past year. Most CSO positions are eligible for a Long-Term Incentive (LTI), usually paid in company stock over a set number of years, typically a rolling plan of three to five years. The LTI annual target increased significantly by 56.5% over the reporting period to $196,729 annually. In this comparison, companies have awarded a fairly moderate base pay increase for the CSO and significantly increased pay at risk, or LTI, focusing the executive on long-term company goals with the possibility of a significantly greater upside spread across future years. The CSO’s skillset has increased significantly — cybersecurity, global operations, threat management, crisis management, and talent acquisition have all become critical skills required for the top job.

The CSO’s skillset has increased significantly — cybersecurity, global operations, threat management, crisis management, and talent acquisition have all become critical skills required for the top job.

Director, Computer, Network & Information Security

Cybersecurity remains a critical and evolving challenge for security organizations in maintaining a robust, secure information technology environment. The information security role must provide cloud security, network monitoring, third-party security, and threat response to name a few objectives. Providing a secure environment is one of the most challenging objectives for the company and information security specialists. Comparing data from the 2019 survey to the 2024 survey, the Director, Computer, Network & Information Security base pay weighted average in the aggregate increased by approximately 8.8% to $230,117 annually. Base salary plus bonus increased by 10.2% to $278,178. For those positions eligible for LTI, the target increased by 6.7% to $75,163. Information, network, and cybersecurity continues to have a significant impact on company operations and risk, and these positions will continue to be in short supply and high demand. Position requirements are constantly changing due to expanding technological complexities and increased global threats to companies’ infrastructure and business operations. Compensation for these positions continues to increase at a higher-than-normal market rate, and that trend is expected to continue into the future.

Manager Corporate Investigations

Comparing data from the 2019 survey to the 2024 survey, the Manager Corporate Investigations base pay weighted average in the aggregate increased by approximately 22.3% to $177,182 annually. Base salary plus bonus increased by 22.6% to $198.989. For those positions eligible for LTI, the target decreased by 58.2% to $22,575 when comparing the 2019 survey numbers to 2024 reported numbers. The corporate investigations team serves as a specialized security operations unit responsible for conducting sophisticated internal investigations. This group’s critical mandate encompasses addressing complex organizational risks, including potential corporate espionage, fraud, asset protection, ethical compliance, and highly sensitive investigative matters.

Senior Regional Manager Domestic Security

Across the six-year period, the Senior Regional Manager Domestic Security base pay weighted average in the aggregate increased by approximately 21.5% to $205,499 annually. Base salary plus bonus increased significantly by 26.2% to $252,727, while those positions eligible for LTI had targets that increased significantly by 93.4% to $59,726. This position manages the organization’s largest geographic security function reflected by the company’s operations in a particular area. The position must manage and implement the company’s security posture at the regional level as it pertains to company manufacturing, data center, offices, or any company-related facility. Security domains — including data, human resources, cybersecurity, threat intelligence, crisis management, incident response, and physical security — must be strategically integrated and aligned with regional operational requirements.

Manager, Protective Forces Armed

The Manager, Protective Forces Armed base pay weighted average in the aggregate increased 12% to $140,232 annually from 2019 to 2024. Base salary plus bonus increased by 15.5% to $154,912, while most of those surveyed reported the positions ineligible for LTI. Some of the challenges for this position are increasing technology integration, threat assessment and emergency response protocols, and global operation center technology.

Based on the data reported from 2019 to 2024, many security positions have increased base pay, bonuses, and LTIs as companies try to maintain a competitive market position. While market conditions changed over the reporting period, current market compensation trends show that many companies continue to emphasize “pay at risk,” offering the employee significant upside potential with bonus and LTI programs. Bonus program eligibility continues to be “pushed down” within the organizational ranks. These programs are designed to align employees to company and personal goals while maintaining competitive base pay. Pay at risk is very attractive to employers because the company can keep fixed costs, such as base pay, to a manageable level while incentivizing employees to align with company and personal goals. Employees typically embrace a well-designed pay-at-risk program because of the potential upside they may earn.

Many factors influence the reporting numbers, such as company participation, market timing, the company’s ability to pay, compensation philosophy, and value of the position to the company. Security leaders are wise to participate in a compensation survey typically managed by their human resources group. The first question leadership should ask human resources is “are my jobs market priced annually?” and if not, why? In today’s market, a company that does not have mechanisms to gauge position value in this competitive human capital market may find it difficult to attract and retain excellent talent and maintain its competitive position.

The Foushée Security & Compliance Survey

The survey solicits data and the competitive practices of 78 management, professional, and technical positions in the security and compliance field. Current security and compliance job families include: 

• Classified Materials/Material Controls
• Corporate Investigation
• Console Operator
• Computer & Information Security
• Cybersecurity
• Domestic Security
• Emergency Preparedness
• Executive Protection
• Global Compliance & Ethics
• Global Security
• International Security
• Network Security
• Nuclear Accountability
• Physical Security Unarmed
• Protective Forces Armed
• Regional/Bus. Unit Security
• Regulatory Compliance
• Security Clearance
• Security Programs
• Security Systems & Training
• Threat Analysis

The survey launches in early February with participant data due back the first week in April. Results of the survey are published in June.

ScottMadden also conducts and publishes annually an Environmental, Health, & Safety compensation survey, currently on the 38th edition.

If you would like further information about participating in, or purchasing the survey, please email us at foushee@scottmadden.com or visit the website at https://www.fousheesurvey.com/.