The tech sector paid the highest total compensation for Chief Compliance Officers in 2024 at US$770,000

Life sciences industry came in second highest at US$665,000 and energy at $578,000 for total compensation.

Median salaries of Chief Compliance Officers (CCOs) saw a modest 2.7% increase in 2025, compared to the 5.1% rise in 2024. As such, the highest growth was led by the Industrial and Technology sectors at 3.4%.

This data was released in the 2025 Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) Compensation Report by New York-headquarted BarkerGilmore covering compensation trends for CCOs in various US industries. The findings stem from an online survey conducted in March 2025, involving more than 260 CCOs from diverse sectors, and detail salaries, bonuses, and long-term incentives.

All findings are in US dollars (US$). 

John Gilmore, Managing Partner at BarkerGilmore, commented on the survey results: "Notably, the 2025 increase in pay was lower than the 5.1% bump in 2024, which may account for 56% of CCO respondents who indicated an interest in seeking new opportunities in the coming year, mainly for better compensation and benefits."

As such, he noted that 39% of CCO respondents were either “very” or “somewhat” concerned about job security. “This is consistent with an industry poll we conducted in April, where 35% of 400 compliance professionals at all levels felt the job market was either consistently or increasingly negative over the past six months," he said, implying that the current economic environment is of concern to compliance professionals, despite the essential role their function plays.

Regarding bonuses, cash bonuses were paid at 88% of their target, with actual averages reaching $125,551 against a goal of $134,391. The Technology industry led the total compensation scale for CCOs, with average total compensation of $770,000, followed by Life Sciences at $665,000 and Energy at $578,000.

Despite concerns about job security, the survey offered a positive outlook for the compliance profession. It found that 69% of CCOs are recognised as "trusted advisors" by their executive leadership teams, and 73% would choose compliance as a career again.

The report also addressed the issue of gender disparities, revealing that female CCOs received higher base salaries but lower bonuses and overall cash compensation compared to male CCOs. Total cash compensation for male CCOs was $382,500, slightly higher than the $379,000 for female CCOs.

Resource constraints are a pressing issue for CCOs, with 80% of participants reporting that inadequate resources or staffing impacted their performance. This aligns with BarkerGilmore's in-house counsel survey, which found similar challenges reported by 81%.

Although working conditions pose challenges, 66% of CCOs expressed satisfaction with their current work-life balance.

Lead image / 2025 Chief Compliance Officer (CCO) Compensation Report

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