Key findings

The global median salary for IR heads is $200,000, an increase from the median pay range of $150,000-$159,999 found in the 2020 report.

The global median salary range for IROs is $75,000-$99,999, the same as two years ago.

Regionally, North American IR practitioners have the highest salaries, Asian IR professionals the lowest.

Bonus size as a proportion of salary has increased for both IR heads and IROs in the past two years.

North American and European IR heads received the biggest bonuses in 2021.

Salaries for both IR heads and IR officers generally increase with cap size.

Bonuses for IR heads increase with cap size. IROs at smaller companies have higher bonuses than those at larger firms.

The majority of IR practitioners come from a corporate background, with three in 10 coming from corporate finance.

Just under a third of IR heads worked in capital markets before switching to IR, compared with just over one in 10 IROs.

Approaching half of IR professionals globally have corporate communications responsibilities included in their role, while just under a third have no additional responsibilities outside of investor relations.

Fewer than four in 10 IR professionals have undertaken training with an IR association, while 43 percent have no formal professional training or qualifications.

The median salary for both male IR heads and IROs is a pay bracket higher than their female counterparts but the gender pay gap has narrowed considerably for IROs and increased for IR heads.

Female IR professionals are more likely to have additional responsibilities for corporate communications and PR, and to have professional qualifications or training.

Men working in IR are more likely to have additional responsibility for corporate strategy or to have no additional responsibilities outside of IR.