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Best States to Be a Compliance Officers

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a compliance officers salary goes furthest in District of Columbia — a $111,030 BLS median worth $95,056 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 121.3).

Which US states are best for a compliance officers after cost of living and tax?

For a compliance officers, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks District of Columbia #1: a $111,030 BLS median becomes $95,056 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 121.3). Utah ranks last ($65,044, index 83.0). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed

Gera US Real Pay Index

District of Columbia ranks #1 of 51 states for a compliance officers. Index 100 = the average state; 121.3 means pay goes 21.3% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated
121.3

Compliance Officers — real pay by state (best first)

#StateBLS medianState taxCost (RPP)Real payIndex
1District of Columbia$111,030$6,563109.9$95,056121.3
2Massachusetts$102,060$4,883105.8$91,887117.3
3North Dakota$79,440$31189.0$88,950113.5
4Vermont$90,420$3,58698.0$88,644113.1
5New Jersey$100,000$4,180108.8$88,066112.4
6Delaware$91,050$4,66899.8$86,548110.4
7Wyoming$79,89092.7$86,190110.0
8Connecticut$91,810$3,475103.6$85,258108.8
9Pennsylvania$85,580$2,62797.6$85,017108.5
10California$96,980$4,897110.7$83,167106.1
11Rhode Island$87,620$2,686102.3$83,041106.0
12Washington$88,790107.0$82,971105.9
13Iowa$75,620$2,83487.8$82,936105.8
14Minnesota$85,920$4,35498.6$82,707105.5
15Maine$83,740$4,03897.0$82,124104.8
16South Dakota$72,63088.6$81,988104.6
17Indiana$78,770$2,33393.3$81,900104.5
18Wisconsin$78,800$3,02494.1$80,531102.8
19North Carolina$78,500$2,79494.3$80,260102.4
20Ohio$75,030$1,28192.8$79,493101.4
21New Hampshire$82,800104.2$79,489101.4
22New York$90,080$4,357107.9$79,432101.4
23Nebraska$73,920$2,74890.1$78,990100.8
24Alabama$72,990$3,38588.8$78,364100.0
25Nevada$78,290100.0$78,30699.9
26Louisiana$70,290$1,73488.2$77,72299.2
27Texas$75,37097.1$77,65599.1
28Michigan$77,390$3,04396.2$77,27198.6
29South Carolina$75,460$3,07193.7$77,21698.5
30Maryland$84,720$3,691105.0$77,20098.5
31Colorado$82,450$2,968103.1$77,12898.4
32Illinois$80,550$3,846100.0$76,73697.9
33Virginia$80,380$3,822101.1$75,72296.6
34Idaho$75,450$3,17795.5$75,68496.6
35Mississippi$67,450$2,16387.0$75,08495.8
36Alaska$76,430102.4$74,66995.3
37Oregon$82,990$6,458103.4$74,04494.5
38Kansas$69,740$3,09290.1$73,99894.4
39Kentucky$69,240$2,63990.2$73,87194.3
40Arizona$74,920$1,398100.7$73,02893.2
41Florida$74,920103.4$72,44792.5
42Arkansas$64,680$2,31486.9$71,73791.5
43Missouri$67,270$2,28190.8$71,56191.3
44New Mexico$67,990$2,08292.2$71,47591.2
45Hawaii$82,590$4,747110.0$70,79890.3
46Georgia$70,200$3,13796.3$69,64588.9
47Tennessee$63,96091.9$69,62088.8
48West Virginia$64,270$2,16389.5$69,39688.6
49Oklahoma$63,000$2,45587.8$68,92488.0
50Montana$66,660$2,79594.6$67,47986.1
51Utah$67,370$3,06598.9$65,04483.0

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

In District of Columbia, a $111,030 salary is worth about $90,167 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $11,936 (≈ top marginal 10.75% (upper bound)) · take-home $99,094 · BEA cost of living 109.9 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $125,336, a $35,169 gain over District of Columbia.

#StateReal valueCost (RPP)
1South Dakota$125,33688.6
2Arkansas$122,73286.9
3Louisiana$122,09888.2
4Mississippi$122,07187.0
5Iowa$121,70587.8
6North Dakota$121,69089.0
7Tennessee$120,85691.9
8Oklahoma$120,39287.8
9Wyoming$119,78592.7
10Alabama$118,75188.8
11Kentucky$118,22390.2
12West Virginia$118,08089.5

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Compliance Officers — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a compliance officers?
By the Gera US Real Pay Index, District of Columbia is the best state for a compliance officers: a BLS median of $111,030 is worth $95,056 after the 2025 state income tax ($6,563) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 109.9), an index of 121.3 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a compliance officers at $111,030, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 121.3). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a compliance officers salary go least far?
Utah ranks last of 51 states for a compliance officers: a $67,370 BLS median is worth only $65,044 after tax and cost of living (index 83.0). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a compliance officers is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.

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