Compliance Officers Salary

SOC Code: 13-1041 • Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024

Median Salary
$78,420
Mean Salary
$84,980
Employment
397,770
Entry Level (10th %ile)
$46,230
Top Earners (90th %ile)
$130,030

Pay Range Distribution

10th percentile
$46,230 25th percentile
$59,130 Median (50th)
$78,420 75th percentile
$104,800 90th percentile
$130,030

Compliance Officers Salary by State

StateMedianMeanEmploymentEntry (10th)Top (90th)
District of Columbia$103,010$108,0304,200$63,350$152,920
New Jersey$93,520$96,97012,000$54,900$137,680
Massachusetts$92,890$96,88011,460$58,710$140,390
California$92,350$98,97047,420$53,990$149,040
Alaska$88,730$91,500770$58,880$127,690
Vermont$88,550$86,3301,920$49,920$115,840
Delaware$88,450$91,0302,370$50,230$134,460
Maryland$87,580$94,0308,860$55,590$133,810
Connecticut$87,210$93,7103,290$55,220$135,500
Maine$86,940$86,6901,890$49,230$124,110
New York$86,880$92,31023,690$51,190$133,800
Washington$86,200$93,56010,820$56,670$138,840
Minnesota$85,220$91,4206,460$54,960$133,190
Oregon$84,210$86,5904,960$53,090$120,640
Rhode Island$83,200$88,880970$58,120$129,640
New Hampshire$82,530$85,7401,770$53,010$124,430
Virginia$80,990$85,78015,120$47,430$125,900
Hawaii$80,930$83,5101,290$53,210$117,840
Colorado$80,590$89,0207,470$54,310$130,080
Wyoming$80,150$84,510600$47,690$129,010
Illinois$79,350$85,04010,190$49,210$126,980
Nevada$78,940$84,7203,810$47,410$132,600
North Dakota$78,450$81,750890$54,290$111,160
South Carolina$76,200$83,3504,650$43,200$137,080
Wisconsin$75,780$80,1805,200$51,010$114,900
Michigan$75,300$90,8709,660$47,540$118,250
Ohio$75,030$79,81011,320$45,510$123,840
North Carolina$74,810$82,1909,080$43,890$131,100
Pennsylvania$73,840$79,89015,320$46,800$125,520
Iowa$73,530$76,4403,410$47,890$105,240
Arizona$73,070$79,24011,590$45,570$123,320
Texas$72,050$78,54039,870$44,010$126,350
Indiana$71,980$77,9005,100$44,620$121,230
South Dakota$71,700$78,9501,180$54,940$113,660
Florida$70,460$79,60031,610$42,220$125,680
Alabama$70,190$74,9303,400$38,840$118,820
New Mexico$67,640$78,9002,620$44,120$134,060
Kentucky$67,490$70,9304,100$39,290$107,240
Kansas$66,980$74,2103,700$40,870$118,270
Nebraska$65,960$73,3503,610$45,410$111,280
Idaho$65,350$76,6601,780$37,240$125,410
Mississippi$65,150$69,6301,840$36,430$107,240
Missouri$64,960$71,7707,000$41,480$114,420
Utah$64,730$73,8003,830$41,180$121,690
West Virginia$64,040$74,8201,530$40,670$119,020
Georgia$63,990$73,48013,730$39,900$119,450
Tennessee$63,760$70,5808,140$39,810$111,920
Louisiana$63,730$72,1904,100$36,390$117,190
Arkansas$63,560$73,3402,850$42,220$124,840
Montana$63,330$74,4701,340$50,240$107,240
Oklahoma$61,730$67,4403,980$40,250$102,460

Highest Paying Metro Areas

Metro AreaMedianMeanEmployment
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$118,490$125,7902,690
Lexington Park, MD$105,610$108,370150
Brunswick-St. Simons, GA$104,330$102,040640
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$104,000$112,9807,350
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV$102,500$101,29014,110
Bellingham, WA$101,870$96,820650
El Centro, CA$101,110$98,350850
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$98,190$97,0206,000
Idaho Falls, ID$96,480$93,120280
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH$96,280$98,7609,930
Reno, NV$95,950$99,450710
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$95,410$98,6906,090
Boulder, CO$95,380$101,430460
Bangor, ME$94,270$89,050200
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$93,320$98,56022,410
Laredo, TX$93,310$83,8701,490
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX$92,750$85,420940
Charleston-North Charleston, SC$92,750$100,2701,250
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT$91,930$100,620740
New Haven, CT$91,790$99,200410

About Compliance Officers Salary Data

This data comes from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The median salary represents the midpoint — half of compliance officerss earn more and half earn less. The 10th percentile represents entry-level pay, while the 90th percentile represents the highest earners in this occupation. Employment counts represent estimated total jobs in May 2024.

Understanding Salary Percentiles

Salary percentiles show how wages are distributed across workers in this occupation. The 10th percentile represents entry-level pay — only 10% earn less. The median (50th percentile) is the true midpoint of all wages. The 90th percentile reflects top earners, typically in senior roles or high-cost metro areas. A wide gap between the 10th and 90th percentiles indicates that experience, location, and specialization significantly affect pay.

Factors That Affect Pay

Several factors influence salary for this occupation. Location is one of the biggest — the same job can pay 50% more in a high-cost metro area like San Francisco or New York compared to a rural area. Experience matters significantly; workers at the 90th percentile typically have 10-20+ years in the field. Industry also plays a role — the same occupation often pays differently in finance, technology, healthcare, or government. Education and certifications can boost pay, especially in fields that require advanced degrees or specialized licenses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between median and mean salary?

The median is the midpoint — half earn more, half earn less. The mean (average) is the total of all salaries divided by the number of workers. The median is generally more useful because it is not skewed by a small number of extremely high earners.

Do these figures include bonuses and benefits?

No. BLS OEWS data measures base wages and salaries only. It does not include bonuses, commissions, tips, overtime, stock options, health insurance, retirement contributions, or other benefits. Total compensation may be 20-40% higher than base salary.

How reliable is this data?

The BLS OEWS survey covers approximately 1.1 million business establishments across the U.S. and uses rigorous statistical sampling methods. It is considered one of the most reliable sources of occupational wage data available. Self-employed workers and certain agricultural positions are not included.

How often is this data updated?

The BLS publishes new OEWS data annually, typically in the spring for the previous May reference period. This page shows May 2024 data, the most recent release.