Diversity Professional Profiles

This section offers research data and a series of interviews with diversity officers and organizational leaders that champion diversity.

The following is a summary of Diversity Best Practices six month study of 170 diversity officers at Fortune 500 companies.*

1. Compensation:

Average salary of $225,000.

• 23% make $300,000
• 46% make $200,000 to $300,000
• 30% make $100,000 to $200,000
• Bonuses range from $50,000.00 to $100,000.00

2. $2,800,000.00 average annual office budget

3. The title for a diversity officer’s position varies:

• Vice President (65%)
• Chief Diversity Officer (24%)
• Senior Vice President (9%)
• Director (17%)

Many chief diversity officers are also have the title of vice president or senior vice president.

4. The diversity officer has an average staff size of about 8 employees

• 58% with 4 to 20 employees
• 30% with more than 20

5. Average tenure

• 10 years with the company
• 4 years in the position

6. Board reporting

• 75 percent of diversity officers report to corporate boards on a regular basis

* Only relevant to the United States. The data do not apply to higher education and other non-business sectors