Compliance Officer Salary in Chicago, IL
Compliance Officers in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median $82,020 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $62,616 take-home, or $5,218 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median compliance officer salary in Chicago, IL. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$9,214
- Social Security (6.2%)$5,085
- Medicare (1.45%)$1,189
- Illinois income tax$3,915
- Take-home pay$62,616
Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.95% state
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro spans Illinois, Indiana. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Compliance Officer pay by experience in Chicago, IL
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $52,720 | $25.35 | $42,076 | $3,506 |
| 25th percentile | $65,130 | $31.31 | $51,433 | $4,286 |
| Median (50th) | $82,020 | $39.43 | $62,616 | $5,218 |
| 75th percentile | $108,970 | $52.39 | $80,241 | $6,687 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $133,490 | $64.18 | $96,043 | $8,004 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Illinois resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $82,020 buys in Chicago, IL
Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.6% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.12× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median compliance officer's $62,616 take-home pay has the buying power of $60,443 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Compliance Officer jobs are less concentrated in Chicago, IL than nationally (location quotient 0.69), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for compliance officers, adjusted for cost of living
Chicago, IL ranks #25 of 37 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | $123,730 | $86,950 | $78,742 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $118,890 | $84,096 | $72,740 |
| 3 | Boston, MA | $103,940 | $76,975 | $71,098 |
| 4 | Charlotte, NC | $86,720 | $66,886 | $68,708 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $95,850 | $76,260 | $68,621 |
| 6 | Washington, DC | $100,200 | $73,772 | $67,753 |
| 7 | El Paso, TX | $73,920 | $60,833 | $67,658 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $101,050 | $74,997 | $66,627 |
| 25 | Chicago, IL | $82,020 | $62,616 | $60,443 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 37 metros →
About the job: compliance officers
Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.
- Typical education
- Bachelor's degree
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Moderate-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +3.8% (about average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a compliance officer make in Chicago, IL?
The median compliance officer salary in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $82,020 a year, or about $39.43 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $65,130 and $108,970.
What is a compliance officer’s take-home pay in Chicago, IL?
On the median $82,020 salary, a single filer living in Illinois takes home about $62,616 a year ($5,218 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $3,915 in Illinois taxes in 2026.
Is Chicago, IL a good place to work as a compliance officer?
Pay here is 2% above the national median of $80,730. Local prices are 3.6% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $60,443 would in a typical U.S. city. Chicago, IL ranks #25 of 37 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a compliance officer afford rent in Chicago, IL?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Chicago, IL is $1,534 a month ($1,743 for two bedrooms) — 29% of a median compliance officer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
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