CIA certification salary: How much can you earn as a CIA?

Being a Certified Internal Auditor^® (CIA^®) comes with innumerable perks, from new job opportunities to more recognition to higher earning potential. If your career goals include advancement within the internal auditing profession and a handsome annual income, there’s no better choice than becoming a Certified Internal Auditor. 

But just how much can you make as a CIA? Learn about the CIA certification salary, national averages, factors that determine income, and what to expect as you grow your career. 

What is the CIA certification? 

The Institute of Internal Auditors ® (The IIA®) awards the CIA certification to professionals who demonstrate a deep understanding of updated internal audit standards, by passing the three-part CIA Exam and meeting experience, education, and ethics requirements. 

Becoming a CIA certifies you as an expert in the practice of internal auditing and equips you with unlimited growth potential and job opportunities within the field. You will provide your company’s leadership with independent and objective audits of its processes and systems, ensuring that the organization remains compliant, mitigates risks, and improves efficiency to reach its financial goals. 

Factors that influence CIA certification salary 

As a CIA, your salary may range based on multiple factors. 

• Your experience in the field, geographical location, industry, and company all play a big role in deciding your income. 

For example, working as a CIA in healthcare will likely offer higher income than the CIA salary in non-profit. Likewise, you’ll earn a higher annual salary if you work in New York City, as opposed to a rural town in Nebraska, where the cost of living is much lower. And ultimately, the most influential factor to your salary is almost certainly your level of experience; you will increasingly earn more and have the chance to apply for higher-paying positions as you gain years of experience after CIA certification. 

CIA certification salary statistics 

The average annual CIA certification salary in the US is currently around $100,000.¹ 

However, as we already covered, this average can fluctuate greatly. You can get a more accurate picture of your salary as a Certified Internal Auditor by classifying according to experience: 

• Entry-level CIA salary (no experience): $50,000-$70,000 annually
• Mid-level CIA salary (1-3 years of experience): $70,000 - $100,000 annually
• Senior-level CIA salary (10+ years of experience): $130,000 - $200,000+ annually² 

It’s also important to know the internal audit profession is rapidly growing, bringing with it ample job opportunities. Likewise, companies are expanding their internal audit budgets to offer competitive wages for qualified talent. In essence, this means that CIAs have a good chance at quickly finding a well-paying position.³ 

CIA certification salary vs non-certified auditors 

Certified CIAs earn on average 37-50% more than their non-certified internal audit colleagues—about $26,000-$38,000 more in their annual salaries.² So while becoming a credentialed CIA does require your investment, it more than makes up for it in your career advancement opportunities and earning potential after certification. 

Become a CIA to boost your earning potential 

Start working toward a CIA certification salary and get closer to reaching your career goals by becoming a Certified Internal Auditor. Becker partners with The IIA team who wrote the CIA Exam to offer the most robust CIA Exam Review to help you pass the exam the first time! 

Get started by downloading our free CIA Exam Guide eBook to learn more about being a CIA, the CIA Exam, and how to successfully plan your journey to certification.