Median Salary
$80,730
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$38.81
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$133,720
entry level starts ~$48,220
Pay Grade
B+
strong pay · 417,000 employed
How much does a Compliance Officer make?
Compliance Officers in the United States bring home a median salary of $80,730 a year, or around $38.81 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $48,220, while the top 10% earn $133,720.
That is $19,340 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Compliance Officer salary range by percentile
Half of all Compliance Officers earn between $61,280 and $109,010 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $48,220 | $23.18 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $61,280 | $29.46 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $80,730 | $38.81 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $109,010 | $52.41 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $133,720 | $64.29 |
|
Highest-paying states for Compliance Officer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. District of Columbia leads the country for Compliance Officer pay at $111,030 a year, followed by Massachusetts ($102,060) and New Jersey ($100,000). At the other end, Oklahoma posts the lowest median at $63,000 — a gap of $48,030 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Compliance Officer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
District of Columbia $111,030Massachusetts $102,060New Jersey $100,000California $96,980Connecticut $91,810Delaware $91,050Vermont $90,420New York $90,080Washington $88,790Rhode Island $87,620Minnesota $85,920Pennsylvania $85,580Maryland $84,720Maine $83,740Oregon $82,990New Hampshire $82,800Hawaii $82,590Colorado $82,450Illinois $80,550Virginia $80,380Wyoming $79,890North Dakota $79,440Wisconsin $78,800Indiana $78,770North Carolina $78,500Nevada $78,290Michigan $77,390Alaska $76,430Iowa $75,620South Carolina $75,460Idaho $75,450Texas $75,370Ohio $75,030Arizona $74,920Florida $74,920Nebraska $73,920Alabama $72,990South Dakota $72,630Louisiana $70,290Georgia $70,200Kansas $69,740Kentucky $69,240New Mexico $67,990Mississippi $67,450Utah $67,370Missouri $67,270Montana $66,660Arkansas $64,680West Virginia $64,270Tennessee $63,960Oklahoma $63,000
Workforce and education
About 417,000 people work as Compliance Officers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $88,400 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Compliance Officer make in the United States?
The median Compliance Officer salary in the United States is $80,730 per year, or about $38.81 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $48,220, while the top 10% of earners make $133,720 or more.
How does Compliance Officer pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B+ (strong pay), the Compliance Officer median of $80,730 is above the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Compliance Officers the most?
District of Columbia is the highest-paying state for Compliance Officers, with a median salary of $111,030 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Compliance Officer?
Becoming a Compliance Officer typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Compliance Officers work in the United States?
About 417,000 people were employed as Compliance Officers in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.