Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Compliance Officer Salary in Denver, CO

Compliance Officers in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area earn a median $83,580 a year — 4% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $64,659 take-home, or $5,388 a month.

Median salary
$83,580
$40.18 per hour
Typical range
$60,990 – $136,870
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Denver, CO
4,830
1.12× national concentration
▲0.9%
Pay trend: The median for compliance officers in Denver, CO rose from $82,840 (May 2024) to $83,580 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 1.5%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median compliance officer salary in Denver, CO. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Compliance Officer in Denver, CO
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$64,659
per year · effective tax rate 22.6%
$5,388Monthly
$2,694Twice a month
$2,487Every 2 weeks
$31.09Hourly
  • Federal income tax$9,558
  • Social Security (6.2%)$5,182
  • Medicare (1.45%)$1,212
  • Colorado income tax$2,969
  • Take-home pay$64,659

Marginal rate: 22% federal + 4.40% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Compliance Officer pay by experience in Denver, CO

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$60,990$29.32$49,210$4,101
25th percentile$71,480$34.37$56,679$4,723
Median (50th)$83,580$40.18$64,659$5,388
75th percentile$116,120$55.83$86,120$7,177
90th percentile (top earners)$136,870$65.80$99,503$8,292

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Colorado resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $83,580 buys in Denver, CO

Prices in Denver, CO are 5.8% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.47× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median compliance officer's $64,659 take-home pay has the buying power of $61,125 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,754
33% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,089
39% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$3,634
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Compliance Officer jobs are about as common in Denver, CO as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.12).

Best-paying cities for compliance officers, adjusted for cost of living

Denver, CO ranks #23 of 37 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1San Jose, CA $123,730$86,950$78,742
2San Francisco, CA $118,890$84,096$72,740
3Boston, MA $103,940$76,975$71,098
4Charlotte, NC $86,720$66,886$68,708
5Seattle, WA $95,850$76,260$68,621
6Washington, DC $100,200$73,772$67,753
7El Paso, TX $73,920$60,833$67,658
8New York, NY $101,050$74,997$66,627
23Denver, CO$83,580$64,659$61,125

*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 Denver, CO?

The median compliance officer salary in the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area is $83,580 a year, or about $40.18 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $71,480 and $116,120.

What is a compliance officer’s take-home pay in Denver, CO?

On the median $83,580 salary, a single filer living in Colorado takes home about $64,659 a year ($5,388 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,969 in Colorado taxes in 2026.

Is Denver, CO a good place to work as a compliance officer?

Pay here is 4% above the national median of $80,730. Local prices are 5.8% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $61,125 would in a typical U.S. city. Denver, CO ranks #23 of 37 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a compliance officer afford rent in Denver, CO?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Denver, CO is $1,754 a month ($2,089 for two bedrooms) — 33% of a median compliance officer’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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