Compliance Officers Salary
Compliance Officers in Iowa make a median of $75,620 a year, or about $36.36 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $114K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.86), which stretches that salary to about $85,100 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,064/month, or 21.4% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Iowa. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Iowa?
About compliance officers
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What this looks like in Iowa
Compliance officers pay in Iowa tracks closely to the national median, $76K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,064/month, 22.1% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.86 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Iowa
Entry-level compliance officers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $114K or more, a $65K spread from bottom to top.
Compliance Officers salary by metro in Iowa
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $85K | +12% | 1,560 |
| Ames | $80K | +6% | 160 |
| Iowa City | $79K | +5% | 220 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $75K | -1% | 350 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls | $73K | -3% | 180 |
| Sioux City | $73K | -4% | 150 |
| Cedar Rapids | $68K | -10% | 230 |
| Dubuque | $61K | -20% | 110 |
Compare to other states
Track compliance officers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Iowa numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a compliance officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Iowa?
Yes — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 22.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,064/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for compliance officers in Iowa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new compliance officers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,996/month. At HUD’s $1,064/month FMR, rent would take 36% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is compliance officer a high-paying job in Iowa?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $76K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Iowa compare to the national average for compliance officers?
Iowa pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do compliance officers make in Iowa?
The median is $75,620 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,940, and experienced compliance officers can clear $114,460. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Iowa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,808/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,064/month, which eats 22.1% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a compliance officers salary go in Iowa?
Iowa has a Regional Price Parity of 88.86 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median compliance officers salary is worth about $85,100 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do compliance officers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.