Compliance Officers Salary
Compliance Officers in Pennsylvania make a median of $85,580 a year, or about $41.15 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $90,113 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $86K get you in Pennsylvania?
About compliance officers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Compliance officers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $81K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 24.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level compliance officers (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $81K spread from bottom to top.
Compliance Officers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $83K | -3% | 8,370 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $77K | -10% | 1,330 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $74K | -14% | 620 |
| York-Hanover | $72K | -16% | 320 |
| Pittsburgh | $71K | -18% | 2,730 |
| State College | $70K | -18% | 170 |
| Williamsport | $70K | -18% | 150 |
| Lebanon | $67K | -22% | 110 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $66K | -23% | 570 |
| Reading | $66K | -23% | 260 |
| Johnstown | $65K | -24% | 130 |
| Lancaster | $65K | -24% | 340 |
| Erie | $65K | -24% | 210 |
| Altoona | $65K | -25% | 110 |
| Gettysburg | $63K | -27% | 40 |
| Chambersburg | $57K | -33% | 100 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a compliance officer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 24.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for compliance officers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new compliance officers typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,995/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 45% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $81K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for compliance officers?
Pennsylvania pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $81K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do compliance officers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $85,580 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,910, and experienced compliance officers can clear $130,990. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,497/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 24.6% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $90,113 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.