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Average Compliance Examiner Salary in United Kingdom for 2026

A compliance examiner in United Kingdom earns about 69,400 GBP a year. It sits roughly in line with the national average.

Pay ranges widely from country to country and from role to role. The lowest reported salaries in United Kingdom sit around 33,500 GBP a year, while the very top stretches to 107,700 GBP. Everything on this page is in British pound (GBP, symbol £), which lets you compare numbers like-for-like without worrying about exchange rates.

The numbers here are pulled together from official government wage data, large independent salary surveys, and aggregated worker-reported pay. Most reported salaries include the benefits that are common in United Kingdom, such as housing or transport allowances, which is worth keeping in mind if you're comparing against a country where those are usually paid on top.

To turn a gross salary in United Kingdom into a take-home figure, use our United Kingdom salary after tax calculator, which works the latest tax brackets and contributions through the math for you.

How much does a compliance examiner make in United Kingdom?

Average salary
69,400 GBP
5,783 GBP per month
Lowest reported
33,500 GBP
2,791 GBP per month
Highest reported
107,700 GBP
8,975 GBP per month

A typical compliance examiner working in United Kingdom brings home around 5,783 GBP a month before tax. Entry-level pay starts near 33,500 GBP, and the top of the ladder reaches roughly 107,700 GBP for the most experienced and specialised people in the role.

The wide gap between low end and top end reflects how much pay can vary inside the same job title. A junior compliance examiner working at a small local employer earns very different money from a senior at a multinational. Skills, employer, city and years in the seat all push the number around. For a cross-country comparison, see the compliance examiner salary in Guernsey or Jersey, both of which pay in the same currency.

How compliance examiner pay ranges in United Kingdom

A good way to think about salary in United Kingdom is to look at the distribution rather than the headline average. Half of all compliance examiners in United Kingdom earn less than 71,700 GBP a year, and the other half earn more. That middle number is the median, and it is usually more useful than the average for answering "is my pay normal here".

Looking at the quartiles fills in the picture. A quarter of earners take home less than 48,200 GBP (the 25th percentile), and a quarter clear 88,700 GBP (the 75th percentile). The middle 50% of compliance examiners sit somewhere inside that band, which is where the typical reader of this page probably lives.

The very lowest reported salaries sit around 33,500 GBP. The highest stretch to 107,700 GBP, though only a small fraction of earners ever reach that level. If you are deciding whether your own offer or current pay is reasonable, work out which of those four bands you would fall into and use that as your reference point.

33,500
Low
71,700
Median
107,700
High
48,200
25th
88,700
75th
The middle 50% sit between the 25th and 75th percentile Tails are the lowest and highest reported All figures in GBP

Compliance examiner pay by experience in United Kingdom

Years of experience is the single biggest lever on pay for a compliance examiner in United Kingdom, ahead of education and almost any other single factor. The longer you have been in the role, the more your employer can trust you to handle complexity, mentor others and act independently, all of which command higher pay. The chart below shows how the typical compliance examiner salary changes as you move through the career ladder.

  • 0-2 Years
    41,300 GBP
  • 2-5 Years
    +27% from previous
    52,600 GBP
  • 5-10 Years
    +38% from previous
    72,400 GBP
  • 10-15 Years
    +19% from previous
    86,100 GBP
  • 15-20 Years
    +8% from previous
    92,600 GBP
  • 20+ Years
    +8% from previous
    99,700 GBP

The single largest jump on the ladder is from 2 - 5 Years to 5 - 10 Years, where pay rises by about 38%. That is the point at which a compliance examiner typically goes from "competent in the role" to "the person other people in the team learn from", and the market pays well for that step.

Compliance examiner pay by education in United Kingdom

Education sits alongside experience as one of the biggest factors driving compliance examiner pay in United Kingdom. Higher qualifications consistently pull higher salaries, but the size of the gap tends to be smallest at junior levels and widens as people move up. Two people in the same role with the same years of experience but different degrees can end up earning very different money once they reach mid-career.

Below is the average compliance examiner salary in United Kingdom broken down by the highest level of education a worker has completed.

  • Bachelor's Degree
    49,700 GBP
  • Master's Degree
    +58% from previous
    78,700 GBP

Compliance examiner gender pay gap in United Kingdom

The gender pay gap is a stubborn feature of almost every labour market, and United Kingdom is no exception. Male compliance examiners in United Kingdom earn an average of 70,000 GBP a year, while female compliance examiners earn around 67,500 GBP. That works out to a 4% gap in favour of men, even when comparing people doing the same work.

A pay gap of this size has a real long-term cost. Over a typical thirty-year career it can add up to several years of pay, and it compounds through pensions, retirement contributions and bonus-linked stock. Some of the gap is explained by women being more likely to work part-time, take career breaks, or be steered toward lower-paying specialisations. Some of it is straightforward unequal pay for the same job, which is harder to defend.

Compliance Examiner gender pay gap

4%

Men earn this much more than women on average in United Kingdom.

Men 70,000 GBP
Women 67,500 GBP

Pay raises for a compliance examiner in United Kingdom

Most countries hand out at least some kind of pay raise every year, typically when an employee's contract is reviewed or as a cost-of-living adjustment to keep wages roughly in step with inflation. The rhythm and size of those raises varies hugely between industries.

A typical worker doing this role in United Kingdom sees a raise of about 12% every 15 months, which works out to roughly 10% on an annual basis. That figure is the typical underlying rate; in years where inflation runs high you can usually expect a bit more, and in flat-economy years a bit less.

Across all jobs in United Kingdom, the national average raise is around 9% every 15 months.

By industry

Industries with the highest pay raises in United Kingdom:

  • Banking
  • Energy
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Travel
  • Construction
  • Education

By experience level

Experienced workers tend to see larger raises. Retaining a senior is cheaper than replacing them, so employers fight harder for them.

  • Junior Level
    3% - 5%
  • Mid-Career
  • Senior Level
  • Top Management

Compliance examiner bonus rates in United Kingdom

Bonuses are the other half of total compensation, and they vary a lot between jobs and industries. Some roles are paid almost entirely in base salary; others lean heavily on bonus structures tied to revenue, project completion or company performance. Whether a job pays a bonus, how big it is, and how often it lands all factor into whether the headline salary is actually a good offer.

33%

33% of compliance examiners in United Kingdom reported a bonus of some kind in the past twelve months. That makes a compliance examiner a low-bonus role overall, which is useful context when you're weighing up a job offer where the base is below market.

Among those who did receive a bonus, the size of the payment varied substantially. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary. The remaining 67% of compliance examiners reported no bonus at all over the same period.

Which careers pay bonuses in United Kingdom

Revenue-facing roles tend to pay the biggest bonuses. Operational and support roles tend toward smaller, more predictable ones.

  • Finance
  • Architecture
  • Sales
  • Business Development
  • Marketing / Advertising
  • Information Technology
  • Healthcare
  • Insurance
  • Customer Service
  • Human Resources
  • Construction
  • Transport
  • Hospitality

Compliance examiner: public vs private sector pay

Public-sector pay in United Kingdom is about 7% more than private-sector pay for similar work. The private sector typically offers stronger upside and bigger bonuses; the public sector typically offers better benefits and stability.

Public vs private pay gap

6%

Public-sector workers earn this much more than private-sector workers in United Kingdom on average.

Public sector 72,700 GBP
Private sector 68,200 GBP

Compliance examiner salary by city and region in United Kingdom

Compliance examiner pay is not even across United Kingdom. The chart below shows the highest-paying cities and regions in the dataset, followed by the full location table.

  • England
  • Scotland
  • Leeds
  • Bristol
  • London
  • Liverpool
  • Somerset
  • Coventry
  • Birmingham
  • Edinburgh
LocationTypeAverageMedianRange
EnglandRegion134,100 GBP138,700 GBP64,400-210,600 GBP
ScotlandRegion92,300 GBP87,000 GBP46,900-141,000 GBP
LeedsCity81,300 GBP84,800 GBP39,100-128,200 GBP
BristolCity80,800 GBP83,700 GBP39,800-123,800 GBP
LondonCity80,500 GBP88,600 GBP36,700-130,500 GBP
LiverpoolCity80,200 GBP75,800 GBP41,100-121,800 GBP
SomersetCity79,700 GBP75,100 GBP41,300-121,800 GBP
CoventryCity78,900 GBP83,400 GBP37,100-124,500 GBP
BirminghamCity77,000 GBP79,600 GBP33,000-119,700 GBP
EdinburghCity77,000 GBP72,400 GBP41,400-119,700 GBP
GlasgowCity77,000 GBP79,700 GBP35,600-117,100 GBP
PlymouthCity75,000 GBP80,200 GBP33,800-115,600 GBP
CardiffCity74,100 GBP74,100 GBP36,900-116,400 GBP
ManchesterCity74,100 GBP74,100 GBP36,700-116,400 GBP
NewcastleCity74,000 GBP67,500 GBP40,000-108,200 GBP
Kingston upon HullCity73,700 GBP71,100 GBP40,000-114,600 GBP
WolverhamptonCity73,500 GBP80,700 GBP35,300-117,100 GBP
BradfordCity73,300 GBP73,300 GBP37,300-114,900 GBP
LeicesterCity72,400 GBP67,800 GBP39,500-111,700 GBP
SheffieldCity72,300 GBP75,400 GBP34,800-114,300 GBP
BrightonCity71,700 GBP66,400 GBP40,300-111,700 GBP
DerbyCity71,000 GBP69,200 GBP34,900-109,700 GBP
BelfastCity70,900 GBP71,600 GBP35,300-109,700 GBP
DundeeCity70,800 GBP69,700 GBP33,000-109,000 GBP
PeterboroughCity70,000 GBP66,200 GBP35,000-107,700 GBP
ArmaghCity69,700 GBP64,800 GBP39,100-107,700 GBP
SouthamptonCity69,400 GBP66,100 GBP38,100-109,000 GBP
NorwichCity69,400 GBP71,100 GBP33,500-107,700 GBP
LincolnCity68,900 GBP69,200 GBP30,600-107,300 GBP
AberdeenCity68,800 GBP64,500 GBP38,100-105,800 GBP
SwanseaCity68,500 GBP62,600 GBP35,600-105,200 GBP
NottinghamCity68,500 GBP67,800 GBP35,600-107,700 GBP
ExeterCity68,400 GBP68,400 GBP35,100-107,700 GBP
NewportCity67,800 GBP73,800 GBP33,200-111,700 GBP
PortsmouthCity67,800 GBP74,600 GBP33,200-111,700 GBP
PooleCity66,900 GBP64,500 GBP35,100-99,700 GBP
YorkCity66,400 GBP66,400 GBP34,000-105,200 GBP
OxfordCity66,200 GBP68,500 GBP34,100-107,300 GBP
NewryCity66,100 GBP64,800 GBP37,200-105,200 GBP
StirlingCity66,100 GBP65,900 GBP33,000-105,800 GBP
CambridgeCity66,000 GBP62,100 GBP35,400-99,400 GBP
LisburnCity66,000 GBP65,900 GBP30,000-100,700 GBP
HartlepoolCity65,500 GBP66,900 GBP30,200-97,900 GBP
SalisburyCity65,100 GBP62,100 GBP37,200-97,300 GBP
ChesterCity65,100 GBP63,500 GBP35,300-99,700 GBP
DerryCity64,600 GBP58,800 GBP35,300-99,100 GBP
WalesRegion64,200 GBP60,200 GBP34,300-97,600 GBP
WinchesterCity64,100 GBP61,700 GBP30,300-95,900 GBP
GloucesterCity63,900 GBP59,700 GBP34,000-97,200 GBP
TruroCity63,500 GBP65,400 GBP28,900-100,300 GBP
KirkwallCity63,200 GBP66,900 GBP27,700-95,400 GBP
Northern IrelandRegion63,200 GBP65,500 GBP29,300-97,600 GBP
WakefieldCity62,500 GBP58,200 GBP32,200-93,300 GBP
DurhamCity62,300 GBP69,400 GBP30,100-100,700 GBP
AbingdonCity61,700 GBP65,100 GBP27,300-99,100 GBP
St DavidsCity61,700 GBP61,700 GBP32,900-94,800 GBP
CanterburyCity61,700 GBP64,800 GBP29,200-98,800 GBP
RiponCity60,600 GBP60,600 GBP30,300-97,200 GBP
InvernessCity60,600 GBP59,200 GBP31,700-93,100 GBP
StrontianCity60,500 GBP60,500 GBP30,800-93,100 GBP
WellsCity60,400 GBP63,000 GBP26,100-94,300 GBP
BangorCity58,200 GBP61,700 GBP26,100-93,800 GBP
StromnessCity57,400 GBP61,700 GBP27,000-92,100 GBP

Compliance Examiner in United Kingdom: FAQs

  • How much does a compliance examiner make per month in United Kingdom?

    A compliance examiner in United Kingdom earns about 5,783 GBP a month before tax, based on an annual average of 69,400 GBP.

  • What's the salary range for a compliance examiner in United Kingdom?

    Entry-level compliance examiners in United Kingdom start near 33,500 GBP. Top-end pay reaches around 107,700 GBP. The middle 50% of earners sit between 48,200 and 88,700 GBP.

  • Is the median compliance examiner salary in United Kingdom higher or lower than the average?

    The median is 71,700 GBP, higher than the average of 69,400 GBP. Half of compliance examiners in United Kingdom earn below the median, half earn above it.

  • What's the gender pay gap for compliance examiners in United Kingdom?

    Men working as a compliance examiner in United Kingdom earn around 4% more than women on average (70,000 vs 67,500 GBP a year).

  • Do compliance examiners in United Kingdom get bonuses?

    About 33% of compliance examiners in United Kingdom reported a bonus in the past 12 months. Reported bonuses ranged from 0% to 4% of base salary.

  • Do compliance examiners earn more in the public or private sector in United Kingdom?

    In United Kingdom, the public sector pays a compliance examiner about 7% more on average. Public-sector pay tends to be steadier; private-sector pay tends to offer bigger upside.

  • How often do compliance examiners in United Kingdom get a pay raise?

    A compliance examiner in United Kingdom sees a raise of around 12% every 15 months, equivalent to roughly 10% a year.