Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$48,220
- 25th Percentile — Junior$61,280
- 50th Percentile — Median$80,730
- 75th Percentile — Senior$109,010
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$133,720
The top 10% of Compliance Officers earn $133,720 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $48,220, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $113,410 | +28.3% |
| Massachusetts | $108,310 | +22.5% |
| New Jersey | $103,950 | +17.6% |
| California | $102,490 | +15.9% |
| Washington | $96,870 | +9.6% |
| Connecticut | $96,120 | +8.7% |
| New York | $96,120 | +8.7% |
| Rhode Island | $93,810 | +6.1% |
| Pennsylvania | $93,230 | +5.5% |
| Colorado | $92,360 | +4.5% |
| Delaware | $92,020 | +4.1% |
| Minnesota | $91,820 | +3.9% |
| Maryland | $91,660 | +3.7% |
| Vermont | $88,490 | +0.1% |
| Illinois | $87,900 | -0.6% |
| Virginia | $87,230 | -1.3% |
| Maine | $86,600 | -2.0% |
| Oregon | $86,570 | -2.1% |
| New Hampshire | $86,540 | -2.1% |
| Wyoming | $85,940 | -2.8% |
| Michigan | $85,810 | -2.9% |
| Indiana | $85,720 | -3.0% |
| Hawaii | $84,920 | -3.9% |
| North Carolina | $84,660 | -4.2% |
| Wisconsin | $84,320 | -4.6% |
| North Dakota | $83,830 | -5.2% |
| Alaska | $83,430 | -5.6% |
| South Carolina | $83,140 | -6.0% |
| Idaho | $82,690 | -6.5% |
| Nevada | $82,690 | -6.5% |
| Arizona | $82,240 | -7.0% |
| Texas | $81,400 | -7.9% |
| Florida | $81,070 | -8.3% |
| Ohio | $80,320 | -9.1% |
| South Dakota | $80,090 | -9.4% |
| Iowa | $79,990 | -9.5% |
| Georgia | $79,860 | -9.7% |
| Alabama | $78,330 | -11.4% |
| Nebraska | $77,850 | -11.9% |
| New Mexico | $76,920 | -13.0% |
| Kansas | $76,420 | -13.6% |
| Arkansas | $75,510 | -14.6% |
| Louisiana | $75,450 | -14.6% |
| Montana | $75,270 | -14.9% |
| Utah | $75,160 | -15.0% |
| Missouri | $74,910 | -15.3% |
| West Virginia | $74,330 | -15.9% |
| Tennessee | $73,980 | -16.3% |
| Kentucky | $72,580 | -17.9% |
| Mississippi | $71,430 | -19.2% |
| Oklahoma | $70,410 | -20.4% |
What Factors Affect Compliance Officers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Compliance Officers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: District of Columbia pays an average of $113,410, while Oklahoma pays $70,410 — a gap of $43,000 per year.
The middle half of Compliance Officers earn between $61,280 and $109,010 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $48,220, while the top 10% earn more than $133,720.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Compliance Officers?
The average salary for Compliance Officers in the United States is $88,400 per year, with a median of $80,730.
What is the starting salary for Compliance Officers?
Entry-level Compliance Officers typically earn between $48,220 and $61,280 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Compliance Officers the most?
District of Columbia pays Compliance Officers the most at $113,410 per year on average, followed by Massachusetts ($108,310) and New Jersey ($103,950).
How much do Compliance Officers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $88,400, Compliance Officers earn approximately $42.5 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Compliance Officers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 417,070 Compliance Officers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $88,400 and a median of $80,730 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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