Home Compliance Officer Salary
Compliance Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a compliance officer is $87,400 per annum, before tax, up $18,300 since 2018.
DerivedIndicative estimate, not yet verified against official Jobs and Skills Australia / ABS data · Estimate
- Pay varies more by sector and specialisation than by job title.
- Financial services, government and utilities tend to pay above smaller not-for-profit and community organisations, and specialist roles in anti-money laundering, privacy or financial advice compliance sit higher again.
- In the public sector, enterprise agreements set bands by classification, while private sector pay is negotiated per role, so two compliance officers with the same title can be on quite different packages.
The median salary rose by $18,300 between 2018 and 2024; the dashed line shows a projection to 2028 based on the real ABS Wage Price Index growth rate, not a role-specific forecast.
Roles that pay more than compliance officer
The largest typical pay rise is $60,500 a year, moving into Quality Manager.
- Quality Manager+$60,500/yr
- Regulatory Affairs Manager+$37,400/yr
- Safety Consultant+$31,400/yr
How to negotiate a higher compliance officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time compliance officer salary is $87,400; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Regulatory compliance and Risk and internal controls tend to command a premium over general compliance officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Quality Manager pays a typical $60,500 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Compliance Officer salary questions
How much do compliance officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a compliance officer is $87,400 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is compliance officer pay rising or falling?
The median compliance officer salary is up $18,300 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than compliance officer?
Quality Manager pays a typical $60,500 a year more and draws on similar skills to compliance officer.
Related salaries
- Regulatory Affairs Manager salary
- Cyber Security GRC Specialist salary
- Internal Auditor salary
- Safety Consultant salary
- Quality Manager salary
- ISO Auditor salary
Pay advice
- How to ask for a pay rise, and back it up with real numbersWhat national wage growth looks like right now, how to work out a figure for your own role, wording you can adapt for the conversation, and what to do if the answer is no.
- The average salary in Australia (2026)Full-time adults in Australia averaged $2,083.70 a week in May 2026. Several measures get called the average salary, and this explains which one fits your situation.
- Overtime pay, time in lieu and what your award saysOvertime rates come from your award or agreement, not one national rule. How rates work, what happens on a salary, and how time off in lieu works.