Side-by-side distribution
Compliance
$138,750
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 38.1%
- Live roles
- 712
Lawyer
$175,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 45%
- Live roles
- 1,431
Highest-paying jobs
Regulatory & Security Compliance Manager
Compliance Analyst
Compliance Advisory Manager
Senior GRC Analyst
Chief Compliance Officer
Engineering Manager, GRC Platform
Engineering Manager, Fraud & Compliance
Chief Compliance Officer
Senior Manager, GRC Subject Matter Experts, Product
GRC Program Manager, US Government Compliance
Highest-paying jobs
Corporation Immigration Attorney, Practice Owner
Immigration Attorney, Practice Owner
Legal Counsel (corporate / commercial, 3-5 PQE), hybrid/remote
Legal Counsel
Trial Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Trial Attorney
Employment Law Attorney
Nursing Home Attorney
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
The Symicor Group
|
$90,000 | 13 |
Coinbase
|
$185,833 | 6 |
Harvey
|
$234,500 | 4 |
iCapital
|
$162,500 | 4 |
Remote
|
$136,178 | 4 |
Whoop
|
$135,000 | 4 |
City Wide Facility Solutions
|
$46,800 | 4 |
Block
|
$214,700 | 3 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| WE Wilson Elser - Attorneys | $185,000 | 72 |
Axiom Talent Platform
|
$214,750 | 63 |
The United Firm | La Liga Defensora, APC
|
$100,000 | 47 |
Parnalllaw
|
$300,000 | 44 |
Modern Family Law
|
$151,000 | 36 |
|
Morgan & Morgan, P.A.
|
$292,500 | 24 |
| TM Tyson & Mendes LLP | $133,750 | 24 |
Michael & Associates, Attorneys at Law
|
$177,500 | 15 |
Compliance salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $182,575 | 14 |
| San Francisco | $176,654 | 34 |
| Los Angeles | $145,500 | 10 |
| New York | $145,000 | 44 |
| Boston | $134,968 | 10 |
| Denver | $110,640 | 7 |
| Chicago | $102,500 | 7 |
| Toronto | $87,500 | 5 |
| London | $74,011 | 8 |
Lawyer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta | $214,750 | 29 |
| San Francisco | $203,656 | 34 |
| Boston | $194,875 | 6 |
| London | $188,441 | 5 |
| New York | $185,000 | 99 |
| Toronto | $182,000 | 12 |
| Seattle | $179,500 | 14 |
| Denver | $177,000 | 16 |
| Chicago | $175,000 | 33 |
| Los Angeles | $170,000 | 62 |
Compliance vs Lawyer: which pays more?
The median for Compliance is $138,750 per year (typically $97,500–$172,000), versus $175,000 for Lawyer ($130,000–$214,750). That puts Lawyer about 26% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Compliance and Lawyer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.