The board is asking about cybersecurity. Your insurance carrier wants evidence of a security program. A big customer just sent a 200-question security questionnaire. It feels like you need a Chief Information Security Officer.

But do you actually need a full-time one?

For most companies under 200 employees, the honest answer is: probably not. Here's how to think about it.

The Full-Time CISO Math

A qualified CISO with 10+ years of experience commands a salary of $200,000-$280,000 in most markets. Add benefits, bonuses, and employer costs, and you're looking at $250,000-$350,000 in total compensation.

That's a senior hire. That's headcount that impacts your runway. That's a significant commitment before you've even validated that you need that level of in-house expertise.

And here's the uncomfortable truth: many companies hire a full-time CISO, then discover that the person spends 60% of their time on work that doesn't require a CISO: managing vendors, sitting in IT meetings, reviewing low-risk policy documents.

What a Fractional CISO Actually Does

A fractional (or virtual) CISO gives you senior security leadership on a part-time basis, typically 10-20 hours per month. The work includes:

  • Risk assessments and gap analysis — Understanding where you stand and what's most urgent
  • Security strategy and roadmap — Prioritizing investments for maximum risk reduction
  • Policy development — Creating the documentation you need for compliance and customer requirements
  • Vendor security reviews — Evaluating third-party risk before you sign contracts
  • Incident response planning — Building playbooks before something happens
  • Board and leadership reporting — Translating security posture into business terms
  • Compliance guidance — Navigating SOC 2, HIPAA, PCI, CMMC requirements
  • Customer security questionnaire support — Helping you win enterprise deals

A fractional CISO typically costs $1,500-$5,000 per month depending on scope and seniority. That's $18,000-$60,000 per year, a fraction of the full-time cost, with access to the same level of expertise.

Cost Comparison

Full-Time CISO Fractional CISO
Annual Cost $250,000-$350,000 $18,000-$60,000
Hours/Month 160+ hours 10-20 hours
Hiring Timeline 3-6 months 1-2 weeks
Commitment Full employment Month-to-month
Best For 200+ employees, regulated industry, dedicated security team Under 200 employees, need strategic guidance, limited budget

When to Go Fractional

A fractional CISO makes sense when:

  • You have 25-200 employees
  • You don't have (or don't want) a dedicated security team
  • You need senior guidance but not full-time bandwidth
  • You're facing compliance requirements or customer security demands
  • You want to build a security program without the overhead of a full-time executive

When to Go Full-Time

Consider a full-time CISO when:

  • You have 200+ employees with complex IT environments
  • You're in a heavily regulated industry (healthcare, financial services, defense)
  • You have or plan to build a dedicated security team that needs daily leadership
  • Security is core to your product or business model
  • You need someone in-house for rapid incident response

The real question isn't "full-time or fractional." It's "what level of security leadership do we need right now, and how can we get it without overcommitting?"

The Value Proposition

A fractional CISO gives you real security leadership — the same expertise that Fortune 500 companies pay $350K for, at a price point that makes sense for your stage and scale.

You get strategic guidance. You get someone who can talk to your board, your auditors, and your enterprise customers. You get an advocate for security at the leadership level. And you keep the flexibility to scale up (or down) as your needs evolve.

Most importantly, you stop flying blind on security without betting the company on a single hire.

Our Approach

CyberReadyLabs offers fractional vCISO services through our CyberReady Guard retainer at $7,500/month, month-to-month, cancel anytime. You get senior security leadership without the full-time commitment, and you can start with a one-time assessment to understand your current state before committing to ongoing advisory.