How much does a full-time CISO earn in the UK

Full-time CISO salaries range from 110000-270000 GBP with London and global roles at the higher end.

What qualifications do CISOs need

CISOs typically have CISSP CISM or equivalent plus 15 plus years security experience including board reporting.

Which industries pay CISOs the most

Financial services and technology pay highest due to regulatory requirements and threat complexity.

What is the difference between CSO and CISO

CSO typically covers physical and cyber security while CISO focuses specifically on information security.

How much does a full-time CISO earn in the UK

Full-time CISO salaries range from 110000-270000 GBP with London and global roles at the higher end.

What qualifications do CISOs need

CISOs typically have CISSP CISM or equivalent plus 15 plus years security experience including board reporting.

Which industries pay CISOs the most

Financial services and technology pay highest due to regulatory requirements and threat complexity.

What is the difference between CSO and CISO

CSO typically covers physical and cyber security while CISO focuses specifically on information security.

Salary

Fractional CSO Salary UK

Chief Security Officer and CISO compensation benchmarks from Morgan McKinley 2026

£800-2,000

Day Rate

2-6 weeks

Time to Hire

50-70%

Cost Savings

↓

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Quick Cost Calculator

See your potential savings

Days per week

Monthly Cost£8,000

vs Full-Time£22,000

You Save£14,000 (64%)

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📖1 min read

📅Updated 1 Feb 2026

📝148 words

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£800-1500

Day Rate

📅

1-3

Days/Week

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50-70%

Cost Savings

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500+

UK Placements

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Key Takeaways

1Fractional CFOs work 1-3 days per week, providing senior expertise without full-time costs
2UK day rates range from £800 to £1500, depending on experience and sector
3Typical engagements save 50-70% compared to full-time executive hires
4Ideal for startups, scale-ups, and SMEs needing strategic leadership
5No employment overhead: no pension, NI, benefits, or notice periods

Latest Fractional Jobs

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Department

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What is a Chief Security Officer

Quick Definition

A Chief Security Officer leads enterprise security strategy including physical security cybersecurity and risk management. CSOs and CISOs protect organizational assets data and personnel from threats.

CSO Security Salary Overview 2026

According to Morgan McKinley London CISOs earn 130000-160000 GBP with top earners reaching 270000 GBP. Secure Recruitment reports UK CISO salaries at 110000-140000 GBP and Global EMEA scope at 185000 GBP plus. Chief AI Officer security roles can reach 250000 GBP plus as AI security becomes critical.

Security Leadership Day Rates

Role Scope	Day Rate	Annual FTE
Global EMEA CISO	1500-2500 GBP	185000-300000 GBP
UK National CISO	1200-1800 GBP	130000-180000 GBP
Sector CISO	1000-1500 GBP	110000-150000 GBP

CSO vs Related Security Roles

Role	FTE Salary	Day Rate
CISO Global	185000-300000 GBP	1500-2500 GBP
CISO UK	130000-160000 GBP	1200-1800 GBP
Head of Security	90000-120000 GBP	800-1200 GBP

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Cost Comparison

Fractional vs Full-Time Executive

Full-Time Executive£286k/year

Salary + Benefits + Overhead

Fractional Executive£106k/year

1-2 days/week average

Your Potential Savings

£180k+

63%

saved

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Time Allocation

How fractional executives spend their time

Strategy30%

Operations25%

Leadership20%

Governance15%

Technology10%

Fractional CSO (Chief Security Officer) Salary Guide UK

Fractional Chief Security Officers command top-tier rates as cyber threats escalate and regulatory requirements (NIS2, DORA) intensify. Security leaders with breach response and regulatory experience are highly valued.

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CSO [Day Rates](/fractional-executive-day-rates "Fractional Executive Day Rates") by Sector

Sector	Day Rate	Annual Equivalent
Financial Services	£1,100-£1,500/day	£220-300k
Enterprise	£1,000-£1,400/day	£200-280k
Tech/Scale-Up	£900-£1,200/day	£180-240k

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Factors Affecting Security Officer Rates

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Certifications: CISSP, CISM, CEH add 10-25% to rates

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Regulatory compliance: ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI-DSS expertise

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Breach response: Incident handling track record commands premiums

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Cloud security: AWS/Azure/GCP security architecture experience

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Fractional CSO Jobs UK

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Interim CSO Jobs

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Part-Time CSO Jobs

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Hire a Fractional CSO

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Fractional CTO Jobs UK

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Fractional Recruitment Agency

UK Fractional Executive Day Rates

Compare day rates across C-suite roles

CFOThis Role£800 - £1500/day

£1100

CTO£900 - £1600/day

£1200

CMO£750 - £1400/day

£1000

COO£800 - £1400/day

£1050

CDO£900 - £1450/day

£1150

CISO£900 - £1550/day

£1200

Rate Range

Average

Source: UK Market Data 2025

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Fractional vs Interim vs Full-Time

Choose the right engagement model

Aspect	Fractional	Interim	Full-Time
Time Commitment	1-3 days/week	4-5 days/week	5 days/week
Duration	Ongoing/flexible	3-12 months	Permanent
Annual Cost	£50-150k	£150-300k	£200-400k+
Best For	SMEs, startups, scale-ups	Crisis, transitions	Large enterprises
Flexibility	★★★ High	★★☆ Medium	★☆☆ Low

Costs are indicative UK market rates. Actual costs vary by role, experience, and sector.

Calculate Your Day Rate

Fractional CFO Earnings

Calculate Your Potential Income

Your Day Rate

£1,000

£750Avg: £1000£1500

Days Per Client/Week

2.5 days

1 day5 days

Number of Clients

2 clients

Weekly

£5,000

Monthly

£21,650

Annual

£240,000

Based on 2.5 days/week x 2 clients x 48 working weeks. CFO UK average day rate: £1000.

BetaThis calculator provides rough estimates for illustration only. Actual rates and salaries vary based on location, experience, industry, and market conditions.

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