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Compliance director salary
Average compliance director salary
$103,517
Understanding the Compliance Director Salary
As of October 2025, the average salary for a Compliance Director in the United States is approximately $103,517 per year. This figure can vary widely based on geographical location, experience, and specific industry sectors. For example, compliance directors in financial services often command higher salaries due to the complexity and regulatory requirements inherent to this field.
In terms of geographical disparities, states like California and New York frequently offer some of the highest salaries for compliance directors, often exceeding $120,000. Additionally, the demand for compliance expertise is growing, particularly in industries such as healthcare and finance, where regulatory frameworks are becoming more stringent.
Salary Insights by State
Understanding regional salary differences can help compliance professionals negotiate their compensation effectively. For instance, the highest paying states for compliance directors include:
- California
- New York
- Texas
- Illinois
These regions not only provide higher salary potentials but also a rich landscape of job opportunities. As compliance continues to evolve, staying informed about salary trends and industry demands is crucial for career advancement.
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Where can a Compliance Director earn more?
Compliance director salary estimates from across the web
Average compliance director salary by state
The average compliance director salary in California, New York, and New Jersey are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average compliance director salary states are Tennessee, Nebraska, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for compliance directors
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | $116,024 | $55.78 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $115,158 | $55.36 |
| 3 | California | $121,671 | $58.50 |
| 4 | Delaware | $112,527 | $54.10 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $106,347 | $51.13 |
| 6 | Nevada | $104,711 | $50.34 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $110,710 | $53.23 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | $105,506 | $50.72 |
| 9 | Arizona | $102,937 | $49.49 |
| 10 | District of Columbia | $110,888 | $53.31 |
| 11 | Oregon | $103,296 | $49.66 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $107,040 | $51.46 |
| 13 | Vermont | $105,368 | $50.66 |
| 14 | North Carolina | $96,612 | $46.45 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | $102,223 | $49.15 |
| 16 | Mississippi | $91,459 | $43.97 |
| 17 | Virginia | $100,975 | $48.55 |
| 18 | Washington | $97,001 | $46.64 |
| 19 | Utah | $94,021 | $45.20 |
| 20 | Wisconsin | $94,556 | $45.46 |
| 21 | Iowa | $88,702 | $42.65 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $98,788 | $47.49 |
| 23 | West Virginia | $94,325 | $45.35 |
| 24 | Michigan | $94,767 | $45.56 |
| 25 | Oklahoma | $88,297 | $42.45 |
| 26 | Texas | $90,505 | $43.51 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $88,249 | $42.43 |
| 28 | Kentucky | $91,302 | $43.90 |
| 29 | Maine | $93,916 | $45.15 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $85,010 | $40.87 |
| 31 | Maryland | $98,408 | $47.31 |
| 32 | Minnesota | $90,707 | $43.61 |
| 33 | Indiana | $90,586 | $43.55 |
| 34 | Ohio | $89,498 | $43.03 |
| 35 | Illinois | $89,576 | $43.07 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $89,925 | $43.23 |
| 37 | Georgia | $89,761 | $43.15 |
| 38 | Alabama | $83,881 | $40.33 |
| 39 | Alaska | $89,861 | $43.20 |
| 40 | Florida | $88,416 | $42.51 |
| 41 | Idaho | $90,171 | $43.35 |
| 42 | South Dakota | $85,244 | $40.98 |
| 43 | Montana | $82,136 | $39.49 |
| 44 | Nebraska | $78,718 | $37.85 |
| 45 | Missouri | $84,357 | $40.56 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $78,857 | $37.91 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $83,242 | $40.02 |
| 48 | Colorado | $74,087 | $35.62 |
| 49 | Kansas | $74,213 | $35.68 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $67,960 | $32.67 |
| 51 | Hawaii | $67,576 | $32.49 |
Highest paying cities for compliance directors
The highest-paying cities for compliance directors are San Francisco, CA, New York, NY, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $132,320 | $63.62 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $116,372 | $55.95 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $115,410 | $55.49 |
| 4 | Newark, DE | $112,578 | $54.12 |
| 5 | Stamford, CT | $111,034 | $53.38 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $110,940 | $53.34 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $107,135 | $51.51 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $105,393 | $50.67 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $103,873 | $49.94 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $103,329 | $49.68 |
| 11 | Norfolk, VA | $101,136 | $48.62 |
| 12 | Baltimore, MD | $98,750 | $47.48 |
| 13 | Raleigh, NC | $98,262 | $47.24 |
| 14 | Seattle, WA | $97,825 | $47.03 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $92,712 | $44.57 |
| 16 | Austin, TX | $91,294 | $43.89 |
| 17 | Saint Paul, MN | $90,854 | $43.68 |
| 18 | Indianapolis, IN | $90,275 | $43.40 |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $90,263 | $43.40 |
| 20 | Tampa, FL | $90,053 | $43.29 |
Compliance director salary details
A compliance director's salary ranges from $72,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $147,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a compliance director's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $147,000 | $12,250 | $71 |
| 75th Percentile | $124,000 | $10,333 | $60 |
| Average | $103,517 | $8,626 | $50 |
| 25th Percentile | $85,000 | $7,083 | $41 |
| 10th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
Highest paying compliance director jobs
The highest paying types of compliance directors are head of ethics and compliance, corporate compliance director, and regulatory affairs manager.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulatory Affairs Manager | $117,714 | $9,810 | $56.59 | 12,569 |
| Manager, Quality Management, Corporate Compliance | $104,264 | $8,689 | $50.13 | 144,702 |
| Corporate Operations Compliance Manager | $101,650 | $8,471 | $48.87 | 87,662 |
| Head Of Ethics And Compliance | $132,706 | $11,059 | $63.80 | 23,686 |
| Regulatory Compliance Manager | $102,841 | $8,570 | $49.44 | 25,474 |
| Director | $113,489 | $9,457 | $54.56 | 230,711 |
Top companies hiring compliance directors now:
Which companies pay compliance directors the most?
Compliance director salaries at McKinsey & Company Inc and Meta are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average compliance director salary at companies like Pure Storage and PayPal are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKinsey & Company Inc | $169,605 | $81.54 |
| 2 | Meta | $166,555 | $80.07 |
| 3 | Pure Storage | $160,283 | $77.06 |
| 4 | PayPal | $158,662 | $76.28 |
| 5 | Netflix | $155,155 | $74.59 |
| 6 | Exelixis | $151,190 | $72.69 |
| 7 | First Republic Bank | $148,620 | $71.45 |
| 8 | Dolby Laboratories | $145,893 | $70.14 |
| 9 | TripActions | $145,078 | $69.75 |
| 10 | Dorsey & Whitney | $144,675 | $69.56 |
| 11 | Santander Private Banking International | $141,918 | $68.23 |
| 12 | Silicon Valley Bank | $140,701 | $67.64 |
| 13 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group | $139,685 | $67.16 |
| 14 | Chewy | $138,616 | $66.64 |
| 15 | JUUL | $138,389 | $66.53 |
| 16 | Citi | $137,649 | $66.18 |
| 17 | BNP Paribas | $135,778 | $65.28 |
| 18 | Navistar | $135,017 | $64.91 |
| 19 | Remitly | $134,877 | $64.84 |
| 20 | Square | $134,604 | $64.71 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Compliance Director salary by industry
The average compliance director salary varies across industries:
- The average compliance director salary in the finance industry is $115,645, the highest of any industry.
- The average compliance director salary in the finance industry is $108,608.
- Compliance directors in the health care industry earn an average salary of $90,554, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for compliance directors
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Finance | $115,645 | $55.60 |
| 2 | Technology | $108,608 | $52.22 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $105,121 | $50.54 |
| 4 | Real Estate | $103,896 | $49.95 |
| 5 | Insurance | $92,862 | $44.65 |
| 6 | Health Care | $90,554 | $43.54 |
High paying compliance director jobs
Compliance director salary trends
The average compliance director salary has risen by $12,744 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average compliance director earned $90,773 annually, but today, they earn $103,517 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for compliance directors over the last decade.
Compare compliance director salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average compliance director salary over time
Compare compliance director salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Compliance director salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $104,000 | $49.77 | +4.1% |
| 2024 | $99,300 | $47.74 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $98,000 | $47.12 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | $96,300 | $46.30 | +0.6% |
| 2021 | $95,700 | $46.02 | +0.1% |
Recently added compliance director salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Abbvie | Director, U.S. Privacy Compliance Lead | North Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $156,000 |
| Organon | Director, Compliance-Hybrid | Plymouth Meeting, PA | 06/29/2025 | $152,300 |
| Get It Recruit-Transportation | Director of Compliance-Remote | WFH | Wilton Manors, FL | 06/29/2025 | $85,000 |
| Gilead Sciences | Director, Audits & Compliance | Foster City, CA | 06/27/2025 | $210,375 |
| Merck | Quality Compliance Director | Point, PA | 06/27/2025 | $169,700 |
| DHRM | Director of Compliance and Legal Support | Richmond, VA | 06/27/2025 | $116,621 |
| Xsolla | Director of Compliance, USA | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $140,000 |
| State of Virginia | Director of Compliance and Legal Support | Richmond, VA | 06/26/2025 | $116,621 |
| San Francisco Goodwill | Director of Risk, Insurance & Environmental Compliance | San Francisco, CA | 06/26/2025 | $120,000 |
| California State University System | Director of Compliance | Fresno, CA | 06/25/2025 | $68,640 |
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