"Tech Talent Market: Most Demanded IT Positions and Salary Ranges 2026"

Editorial: La Tercera

"According to an IT Hunters study, the four most in-demand areas are cybersecurity, data governance, cloud development, AI, and data science."

"For businesses, IT executives have become increasingly critical. According to a survey conducted by IT Hunters—a headhunting firm specializing in IT recruitment across Chile and Latin America—technology leaders have transitioned from technical support roles to becoming fundamental to core business operations.

"The 13th edition of IT Hunters includes the evolution of IT executive salaries, organizational structures, and new regulations shaping the industry. The data was collected specifically from the Chilean market, with salary classifications for both small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)."

"More and more companies in Chile now include a technology expert on their board of directors. According to the report, 62% of CIOs (Chief Information Officers) actively participate in business decisions—not just technical execution. Additionally, 53% of IT leaders in Chile report directly to the CEO.

"Similarly, a report by MagmaComms and CIO Investigación (2024–2025), involving 100 senior technology executives from prominent organizations across 10+ countries—including Chile—revealed that by 2025, 64% of Latin American companies would increase their IT spending.

"The four most in-demand areas remain: cybersecurity, data governance, cloud development, AI, and data science. Key focus areas include: protection, compliance, and resilience for cybersecurity; compliance, quality, and traceability for data governance; digitalization, automation, and scalability for cloud development; and analytics, generative AI, and automation for AI and data science.

"Regarding specific high-demand roles: SOC Analyst, CISO, Cloud Security Engineer, and Ethical Hacker; Data Steward, Data Governance Specialist, and CDAO; Full Stack Developer, DevOps Engineer, and Cloud Engineer; Data Scientist, ML Engineer, and AI Lead, respectively."

"More and more companies in Chile now include a technology expert on their board of directors. According to the report, 62% of CIOs (Chief Information Officers) actively participate in business decisions—not just technical execution. Additionally, 53% of IT leaders in Chile report directly to the CEO.

IT Executive Salaries

C-Level Executives

In the C-Level group, the CEO (Chief Executive Officer) ranks first in large IT companies, with a net monthly salary ranging from $10 million to $18 million CLP. The CIO follows—a role that now actively participates in business decisions, not just technical execution—with a minimum salary of $9.5 million and a maximum of $17 million CLP. The CTO (Chief Technology Officer) leads innovative and technical strategies, as well as software development and infrastructure. Their salary ranges between $7 million and $14 million CLP.

In medium-sized companies, CEO salaries fall between $7 and $10 million; CIO salaries range from $6.5 to $9 million; and CTO salaries sit between $6 and $9 million CLP.

The CISO (Chief Information Security Officer), responsible for executing and defining an organization's cybersecurity strategy while protecting digital assets, data, and systems against threats, earns a minimum of $6.5 million and a maximum of $10 million CLP.

For the CDO (Chief Digital Officer), the salary is similar, ranging from $6.5 to $11 million CLP, with the function of leading digital transformation by integrating technology across all business areas. Similarly, the CDO (Chief Data Officer) is tasked with converting large volumes of data into strategic assets, with a minimum salary of $5.5 million and a maximum of $9 million CLP. These last three roles are only counted in large companies within the study.

Management Level (Large Companies)

In the management group of large enterprises, the IT Operations Manager is responsible for overseeing daily technological infrastructure and earns between $6 and $9.5 million CLP. The Enterprise Architecture Manager, who aligns technology with business objectives, earns between $5.5 and $9 million. For the Services Manager, the range is $4.5 to $8 million CLP.

For the IT Director (Education/Institutes), in a large company, the salary ranges from $6 to $14 million CLP; in a medium-sized company, it falls between $4 and $8 million CLP.

Market Threats and Weaknesses

A 2025 Microsoft survey revealed that 63% of Chilean companies apply artificial intelligence at high or moderate levels to address threats, while in the cybersecurity field, 61% already employ AI agents and another 35% are evaluating adoption.

Similarly, the landscape remains complex. According to IT Hunters, only 34% of CIOs in Chile consider their cybersecurity budget adequate for the level of risk they face.

These percentages remain concerning for most organizations. In Chile, 65% of companies lack a defined Data Governance model, generating decisions based on inconsistent information, per IT Hunters.

The regulatory framework is advancing, but not at the pace of technology. In June 2024, the Cybersecurity Framework Law was published, which "requires companies of vital importance and essential services to raise their protection standards, but many medium-sized organizations are still not prepared to comply," according to the report. Meanwhile, the future Personal Data Law will require organizations to strengthen their data management and protection structures.

---

Fuente: La Tercera. (2026, 10 de febrero). Estos son los cargos de tecnología de la información más demandados y cuánto ganan. https://www.latercera.com/pulso/noticia/estos-son-los-cargos-de-tecnologia-de-la-informacion-mas-demandados-y-cuanto-ganan/