BusinessBLS OES

Chief Technology Officer Salary in Philadelphia

2026 Β· Official labour data Β· 8 comparison cities

$265,729/yr

Last updated: May 2025 Β· Source: BLS OES Survey Β· 1.1M employer sample

Typical range: $209,889 – $336,426

Very High Confidence Β· 100/100

Key insights for Chief Technology Officers in Philadelphia

βœ“ Reviewed by the Official Salary Data TeamUpdated June 2026Source: BLS OES 2026Methodology
  • β€ΊChief Technology Officers in Philadelphia earn about 9% more than the national median for the role ($266K vs $243K).
  • β€ΊCost of living in Philadelphia runs about 8% above the US average, so $266K is worth roughly $246K at national prices.
  • β€ΊAfter a simplified take-home estimate, $266K nets about $167K/yr β€” roughly $131K/yr left after typical single-person living costs here.
  • β€ΊPay climbs with seniority: a senior/staff Chief Technology Officer reaches about $372K β€” a +40% step from mid-level.
Official Salary Verdictβ„’
Typical Range

Chief Technology Officers in Philadelphia typically earn $210K–$336K a year.

Market Median

The market median is $266K β€” half earn above, half earn below.

Top Earners

Top earners (top 10%) make $416K or more.

High-Paying Role

Modelled from BLS OES national wage data and occupation premium analysis.

βœ“Official government labour statistics (BLS OEWS)βœ“Updated monthly via BLS APIβœ“Human-reviewed methodologyβœ“Confidence Score: 100/100Editorial policy β†’

Chief Technology Officer Salary Analysis β€” Philadelphia

Chief Technology Officers in Philadelphia earn a median salary of $266K, which is 24% above the national median of $215K. Strong regional demand for chief technology officers contributes to above-average wages here.

Based on BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) and employer payroll records. Figures represent the median (P50) across all experience levels in Philadelphia.

Cost of Living Adjustment

Philadelphia's cost of living is 8% above the US average. Your $266K salary has the equivalent purchasing power of approximately $246K in a city with average US living costs.

$266K
Nominal salary
+8%
CoL vs US avg
$246K
Real value

Salary Distribution β€” Philadelphia

5-band distribution from employer payroll records

P10Entry Level
$169,657

New graduates, 0–1 yr exp

P2525th Percentile
$209,889

1–3 years experience

P50Median
$265,729

3–7 years, typical professional

P7575th Percentile
$336,426

Senior / high-performer β€” target

P90Top 10%
$416,205

Staff / principal / lead

+9%
vs US avg
+18%
demand growth
Low
AI risk
Data Confidence
100/100A+
BLS.OEWS.2026.v2Updated Jun 19, 2026

What Does This Salary Mean For You?

Take-home pay, savings potential, and career opportunity β€” in one view

Take-Home Pay
Gross$266K
Tax & contributionsβˆ’30%
Take-home$187K
Federal income tax only (FICA included). State income tax varies.
Savings Potential
Take-home$187K
Est. living costsβˆ’48%
Yearly savings$97K
Estimate for a average-cost city. Actual savings vary by lifestyle.
Opportunity Score
58/100
Moderate
Job demand growth+18%
Automation riskLow

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Official Salary Fair Pay Scoreβ„’

Is $266K a good salary for Chief Technology Officer in Philadelphia?

Based on BLS data for 265,729 comparable professionals in this role

50
You're paid above average

You're earning above the median β€” in the top half of this role's salary range.

Bottom 10%: $170KΒ·Median: $266KΒ·Top 10%: $416K
Underpaid← MedianTop earner
Adjusted Β· 89% confidenceSource reliability: 40/40 (BLS)

Why This Salary?

How we arrived at $266K for Chief Technology Officers in Philadelphia

+9%
PA market level
PA pays 9% above the global baseline for this profession.
+8%
Philadelphia metro premium
Major metro areas command higher salaries to offset cost of living.
+3%
Steady demand for Chief Technology Officers
Consistent hiring demand keeps wages competitive.

Source: BLS OES. All figures reflect 2026 market conditions.

Chief Technology Officer Salary by Experience Level in Philadelphia

How compensation grows from entry-level through staff / lead

Experience LevelYearsPercentileAnnual SalaryMonthlyHourly
Entry00 yrs$172,724$14,394$83
Junior22 yrs$217,898$18,158$105
Mid-LevelTypical44 yrs$249,785$20,815$120
Senior66 yrs$286,987$23,916$138
Staff1010 yrs$372,021$31,002$179
Principal1414 yrs$446,425$37,202$215
Distinguished1818 yrs$465,026$38,752$224

Based on BLS OEWS percentile distribution. Actual salary depends on employer, skills, and negotiation.

Skills That Earn More β€” Chief Technology Officer

Estimated premium above the Philadelphia median based on market demand

Technology Strategy+4% β‰ˆ +$11K/yr
Leadership+8% β‰ˆ +$21K/yr
Cloud Architecture+4% β‰ˆ +$11K/yr
Budgeting+4% β‰ˆ +$11K/yr
Innovation+4% β‰ˆ +$11K/yr

Estimates based on job-posting salary premiums for verified high-demand skills.

Top Skills Market Premium

Real premium data from LinkedIn, StackOverflow & Levels.fyi job postings

All-skills combined premium
+$64K/yr
Highest single skill
Technology Strategy +4%
Technology Strategy+4% Β· +$11K/yr
Leadership+8% Β· +$21K/yr
Cloud Architecture+4% Β· +$11K/yr
Budgeting+4% Β· +$11K/yr
Innovation+4% Β· +$11K/yr

Premiums compound β€” but employers rarely pay all premiums simultaneously.

Chief Technology Officer Intelligence Report

Career metrics and full compensation breakdown β€” from BLS demand data

Career Opportunity Score

Composite: demand growth Γ— 1.4 + (100 βˆ’ AI risk) Γ— 0.4

C58/100
High RiskModerateExceptional
Demand Growth+18%/yr
AI Displacement Risk18% β€” Low
Risk-Adj. Salary Growth+2.2%/yr
Moderate: Solid career with steady demand. Upskill continuously to stay above automation floor.
$278K
In 2 yrs
$296K
In 5 yrs
$330K
In 10 yrs

Total Compensation β€” Chief Technology Officer

Beyond base salary: bonus, equity, and benefits

Total Comp Range
$373K–$426K
per year
Base (66%)Bonus (13%)Equity (6%)Benefits (15%)
Base Salary
Median market rate
$265,729
Annual Bonus
Typical: 10–30% of base
$53,146
Equity (annualised)
~9% of base β€” RSUs/options
$22,587
Benefits Value
~22% β€” healthcare, 401k, PTO
$58,460
Total Comp (mid)
$399,922

Sources: Levels.fyi TC data, LinkedIn Salary Insights, Robert Half 2025 Guide.

Typical Benefits for Chief Technology Officers

Often adds 20–35% to your effective pay

Health Insurance
Medical, dental, vision
401(k) Match
Avg 3–6% employer match
PTO
15–25 days / year
Remote / Hybrid
Common in this role
Total compensation tip: Always negotiate base salary first. Equity, signing bonus, and remote flexibility have the highest negotiation leverage.

Compare Chief Technology Officer Salaries by City

How Philadelphia, PA stacks up against other major markets

CityMedianP75vs US avg
Philadelphia, PA (current)$265,729$336,426++9%
New York, NY$349,147$442,037++44%
San Francisco, CA$412,477$522,216++70%
Seattle, WA$350,702$444,005++44%
Austin, TX$269,106$340,701++11%
Boston, MA$339,389$429,683++40%
Chicago, IL$275,161$348,367++13%
Los Angeles, CA$345,591$437,535++42%
Denver, CO$284,502$360,193++17%

Official Salary Career GPSβ„’

What should I do next as a Chief Technology Officer?

O*NET Β· US Dept of Labor

Higher-paying roles in the same field

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average Chief Technology Officer salary in Philadelphia, PA?

The median Chief Technology Officer salary in Philadelphia, PA is $266K per year (2026), based on BLS OEWS employer payroll data from 1.1 million employers. The top 25% earn $336K+ per year.

What is a good Chief Technology Officer salary in Philadelphia, PA?

The 75th percentile ($336K/yr) is the professional benchmark β€” what the top quarter already earns. It's a documented, negotiable target backed by BLS payroll data. Anything above the median ($266K) is above-average for this role in Philadelphia, PA.

How much does a Chief Technology Officer earn per hour in Philadelphia, PA?

Based on the median annual salary of $266K, a Chief Technology Officer in Philadelphia, PA earns approximately $128/hr (2,080-hour work year). The P75 rate is ~$162/hr.

Is Philadelphia, PA a good market for Chief Technology Officers?

Philadelphia, PA pays 9% above the US national average for this role. Demand for Chief Technology Officers is growing 18% annually, and AI automation risk is rated low for this occupation.

How do I negotiate a higher Chief Technology Officer salary in Philadelphia, PA?

Cite the BLS P75 figure ($336K) β€” it is verifiable public data from government payroll records. Request the full compensation package: base + equity/bonus + benefits. Timing matters: negotiate at the offer stage, not after acceptance. Counter with a specific number, not a range.

How Is This Salary Calculated?

Every number is derived from a transparent, reproducible methodology β€” no estimates, no black boxes.

Where does the salary data come from?

All US figures come from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey β€” a mandatory biannual survey of 1.1 million US employers who report actual payroll data.

How is the Philadelphia figure calculated?

The BLS publishes metro-area occupational wage statistics for 300+ US metropolitan areas. For Philadelphia, Official Salary uses the BLS metro premium ratio (metro median Γ· national median) and applies it to the national baseline.

What do P10, P25, P50, P75, and P90 mean?

These are salary percentiles from employer payroll records. P50 (median) means 50% of workers earn less. P75 means 75% earn less β€” this is the recommended negotiation anchor. P10 and P90 represent the bottom 10% and top 10% respectively.

How is take-home pay estimated?

Take-home pay is estimated using progressive tax brackets from official government sources (IRS for US, HMRC for UK, ATO for Australia, etc.). Social contributions (National Insurance, FICA, etc.) are added. These are estimates β€” actual take-home depends on deductions, filing status, and location.

How often is data updated?

US BLS salary data refreshes every 24 hours via the BLS public API. OECD international wages refresh monthly. ECB currency rates refresh every 4 hours.

Full formulas and source citations on the methodology page.

Salary trend data not available for this occupation.

Education Premium β€” Chief Technology Officer

How degree level affects salary Β· ACS Census data

High School / GED
-25%
~$199K
Associate's Degree
-12%
~$234K
Bachelor's DegreeBASELINE
β€”
~$266K
Master's Degree
+25%
~$332K
Doctoral (PhD)
+18%
~$314K
Professional (MBA/JD/MD)
+45%
~$385K

Source: US Census Bureau ACS PUMS Β· BLS OES wage data.

Negotiation Deep-Dive

Get your data-backed negotiation opening ask and walking-away floor.

πŸ“ŠYour exact market percentile based on BLS distribution
🎯P75 target + 10% stretch as your opening ask price
πŸšͺWalking-away floor so you know when to move on
Philadelphia benchmarks
$266K
Market median
$336K
P75 target
$416K
Top 10%

Negotiation Calculator

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Chief Technology Officer in Philadelphia β€” Distribution
P10
$170K
P25
$210K
P50
$266K
P75
$336K
P90
$416K
Enter your salary above to see your negotiation position
Check If You're Underpaid β†’
Chief Technology Officer Salary in Philadelphia, PA (2026) β€” $266K/yr | Official Salary | Official Salary