CIA Salary in India & Abroad: Scope, Industries, and Growth

By IIC Lakshya

29 Nov 2025

Others

CIA Salary in India & Abroad: Scope, Industries, and Growth

The role of Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is a globally known designation, which is a great opportunity. The Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) administers the CIA coursework and the examinations at all levels. Here is detailed information on CIA-certified salaries and job opportunities. Explore the credentials, the approximate salary of CIA-certified professionals based on their experience, and available industries.

What is a CIA Credential?

A globally recognised designation, the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) is a credential that has high potential. Individuals pursuing this career have a huge job opportunity, as their career growth is skyrocketing.

With the detailed and deep knowledge and understanding of financial risks, internal auditing, evaluation of business risks and management, CIA professionals can aim for several jobs in a wide range of industries.

CIA Salary in India and Abroad

The CIA-certified professional has a wide variety of industries and professional positions. Professionals can apply for Big-4, small firms, Multinational companies, outsourcing and shared service-based companies. With CIA-certified professionals being well recognised, their salary hike can be 30 to 40% higher.

Based on the market evaluation, below is a tabular form of the salaries of CIA professionals in India and abroad based on different experience levels. The Financial Reporting Standard is quite necessary for CIA-certified professionals with deep insights.

Depending on the experience gained by CIA-certified professionals, the salary is established. The following table reflects an approximate number of CIA course fees, and it is also influenced by location, specialisation and the company.

Experience Level	Approximate Salary in India	Approximate Salary in Other Countries
Freshers/ Entry Level	INR 5 LPA - 8 LPA	INR 53 LPA - INR 62 LPA
Experienced/ Mid Level	INR 8 LPA - 14 LPA	INR 62 LPA - INR 80 LPA
Manager/ Leadership	INR 24 LPA and above	INR 80 LPA - INR 10,74,25,200 and above

Career Scope of CIA Certification

There are several career scopes of CIA certification, as it is a well-recognised and worldwide designation. There are several jobs which the students can apply for once they attain the CIA courses.

Risk Analyst

With the CIA's knowledge, the auditor can become a risk analyst for a company, highlighting the potential business risks, evaluating them and helping them develop effective strategies and decisions. Risk analysts can also help organisations to reduce the financial, compliance and operational risks.

Internal Auditor

The CIA-certified individuals will conduct audits, help strengthen governance and detect control gaps as internal auditors. They also assess the auditing processes and compliance systems to ensure integrity and efficiency in the financial discipline.

Audit Manager or Supervisor

The CIA expertise of a certified individual can be applied for the position of audit manager or supervisor. As an audit manager, individuals will plan audit engagements, make sure that the organisation meet professional standards, evaluate the internal controls and oversee the audit teams.

Compliance Officer

A company needs a compliance officer who ensures that organisations comply with the legal, policy and regulatory requirements across all departments. CIA-certified professionals learn about various aspects and the scope of financial management. The CIA-certified professionals implement their CIA skills to monitor adherence, prevent regulatory violations, and design compliance frameworks.

Fraud Examiner

A CIA-certified individual can apply for the fraud examiner position, who investigates the fraud schemes, misconduct in the organisations and financial irregularities. The certified examiners analyse weaknesses of the company, along with taking preventive measures, so that the company's assets can be protected.

Chief Audit Executive (with experience)

This job position contributes to an organisation as it advises senior management on governance and risk management. The certified professional sets the audit strategy, along with performing an internal audit of the company.

Industries Hiring CIA Professionals

The CIA knowledge helps in detecting any gaps in the control, thus strengthening the status of the company in the financial market. Hence, there are several industries where companies will hire CIA-certified professionals to implement the services. The following is a list of the industries:

Government and Public Sector
Banking and Financial Services
IT and Consulting Firms
Manufacturing and FMCG
Insurance

Wrapping Up!

In conclusion, the CIA, being a well-recognised designation worldwide, offers a high salary with wide job opportunities for professionals. The professionals gain respect, trust and growth with their contribution to the organisation’s risk mitigation and audit the internal financial situations.

Frequently Asked Questions on CIA Salary and Scope

What is the CIA exam pass rate?

The students must score 41% in part 1, 44% in part 2, and 50% in part 3. To qualify for this examination, the overall rate of passing this course is 45%.

How many hours is the CIA exam?

The time allotted for the CIA exam is as follows: Part 1 - 2.5 hours, Part 2 - 2 hours and Part 3 - 2 hours.

What happens if you fail the CIA exam?

Students have 3 years to complete the CIA program, hence, after they register for the exam. The students who fail the exam can retake it after a period of 30 days.

How many papers are in the CIA?

There are three parts exams or papers in the Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) exam, administered by the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA).

What is the best way to study for the CIA exam?

There are some significant ways to study for the CIA exam, such as becoming familiar with the exam, studying based on a schedule, creating a system which implements notes, along preparing for multiple exams.