In Pictures: CIO payday - who took home the big money

CIOs and senior IT leaders have ascended the ranks of corporate America, and in some cases, they rate among the most highly paid executives at the largest U.S. companies. Network World examined the proxy statements of the Fortune 500 and found 2011 compensation data for 27 senior IT executives at public companies including Aetna, FedEx, Home Depot, UPS and Walgreens. Read on for a snapshot of what each senior IT leader’s pay packages is worth, once the salaries, bonuses, stock options and perks are tallied.

Disclaimer: Our feature provides details on pay packages for 27 senior IT executives at Fortune 500 companies, but it's not a ranking of the highest paid CIOs and IT executives.