A new international salary report reveals that professionals working in privacy, artificial intelligence (AI) governance and digital responsibility are earning significantly higher salaries than ever before – with those in government roles falling behind their private sector counterparts.
The International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP) Salary and Jobs Report 2025–26 highlights major compensation trends across the global digital governance workforce.
Professionals working in both privacy and AI governance earn the highest salaries, with median pay reaching £133,000 (USD converted to GBP). By comparison, professionals working solely in privacy earn £96,000, while those focused solely on AI governance earn £119,000.
Legal and compliance specialists within AI governance roles top the charts, earning median base salaries of £143,000, and even higher in the technology sector at £161,000.
The report also shows that professionals who manage multiple domains – such as data governance, cybersecurity, and ethics – earn on average £24,000 more than those in narrower roles. Those with two or more digital governance responsibilities are 25 percent more likely to earn over £158,000.
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This trend is particularly relevant to government teams increasingly required to stretch across policy, compliance, and technology. However, budget constraints mean many public bodies are unable to compete with the broader financial packages on offer elsewhere.
Government salaries lowest across all sectors
Despite the growing demand for public sector expertise in AI and digital ethics, salaries in government remain the lowest across all sectors. The average salary in the government and education sector stands at £95,000, with a median of £81,000.
That compares unfavourably with private sector areas such as healthcare (average £129,000 based on the global report) and defence, energy and manufacturing, where average salaries exceed £160,000. Cybersecurity professionals in the technology industry earn £145,000 on average – more than 50 percent higher than their counterparts in government.
The IAPP report also reinforces the value of professional certifications. Respondents with qualifications in privacy, AI governance or cybersecurity reported significantly higher salaries – a trend especially important for public bodies where career progression and skill development are key retention tools.
