Full-time CISO vs. Virtual CISO
Three questions, and an estimate of what a full-time hire really costs against the Summit engagement level that fits. Nothing you enter is stored or sent anywhere.
01 CalculatorEstimates · Illustrative · Figures reviewed September 2026
Your estimate
IllustrativeFull-time CISO, per year plus benefits and overhead; typically to recruit.
Matching Summit level ·
Virtual CISO, per yearEstimated annual difference:
Every figure is an estimate. Summit engagements are scoped from an initial call and confirmed in writing; the tier ranges above are illustrative, not a rate card.
How this is calculated
- Full-time CISO salary is placed inside the $200,000–$400,000 range stated on the Virtual CISO page, moving toward the high end with company size and regulatory exposure.
- Benefits, payroll taxes, equity, and tooling add 25–35% on top of salary. Recruiting a CISO typically takes 3–6 months; that delay is noted, not priced.
- The Summit level is the one implied by the hours you need, raised to the minimum level a regulated or multi-framework environment calls for. Annual Virtual CISO cost is the level’s monthly range × 12.
- Tier figures: Advisory Retainer $2,500–$4,000/month · Core Virtual CISO $5,500–$8,500/month · Executive Virtual CISO from $10,000/month (illustrative; reviewed September 2026).
- The difference is shown as a range: the low end compares the cheapest full-time estimate with the dearest Virtual CISO figure; the high end the reverse.
The engagement levels
The same three levels described on the Virtual CISO page.
| Level | Hours | Monthly (illustrative) | For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advisory Retainer | 5–10 hours per month | $2,500–$4,000 | Executive oversight for a first dedicated security hire. |
| Core Virtual CISO | 15–25 hours per month | $5,500–$8,500 | Full program ownership, monthly reporting, quarterly board briefing. |
| Executive Virtual CISO | 30+ hours per month | From $10,000 | Near-continuous executive presence for regulated, multi-entity, or PE-backed companies. |
Full detail, including what each level includes: Virtual CISO engagement levels.