As of April 01, 2026, the average hourly rate for an Ethics Manager in the United States is $65, which translates to an annual salary of about $134,360.
However, the hourly wage can vary significantly based on several factors. Here’s a detailed look at the typical pay range per hour:
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An Ethics Manager's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location and company size can directly affect your earning potential.
Experience is a primary driver of an Ethics Manager's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:
| Job Role | Years of Experience | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Ethics Specialist IV | 7+ years | $118,384 |
| Ethics Specialist V | 7-10 years | $171,294 |
| Ethics Manager | 10+ years | $134,360 |
| Ethics Senior Manager | 10+ years | $185,768 |
| Ethics Director | 10+ years | $232,870 |
What Am I Worth?
Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Ethics Managers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
Demanded Skills for the Role:
| Skills | Demand Percentage |
|---|---|
| Analysis | 6.85% |
| Data Transfer | 4.11% |
| Legal Research | 2.74% |
| Skill | Salary | Salary % Increase |
|---|---|---|
|
Legal Compliance
|
$150,483 |
12%
|
|
Legal Research
|
$146,452 |
9%
|
|
Risk Management
|
$141,078 |
5%
|
|
Supply Chain
|
$141,078 |
5%
|
|
Advertising
|
$139,734 |
4%
|
|
Quality Management
|
$135,704 |
1%
|
Understanding how an Ethics Manager's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.
Last Updated on April 01, 2026Salaries for an Ethics Manager can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $131,504 in 2023 to around $126,299 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Ethics Manager salary trends, .
| Year | Average Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| 2022 |
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|
| 2023 | $131,504 |
| 2024 | $129,407 |
| 2025 | $126,299 |
| 2026 |
View More
|
| 2027 |
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|
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Oversees and promotes the organization's global ethics and compliance function. Implements programs to assess and manage legal and regulatory compliance risks and establish high ethical standards of conduct for the organization. Communicates the organization's ethical standards, policies, and regulations. Delivers employee training programs that raise awareness about ethics-related topics such as Anti-Bribery, Anti-Corruption, Antitrust, Conflicts of Interest, and others. Conducts compliance monitoring, investigations, and remediations of any non-compliant actions. Manages the administration of confidential reporting systems or helplines for employees, customers, contractors, and other stakeholders to disclose violations of the organization's ethical standards, violations of law, or policies without fear of retaliation. Typically requires a bachelor's degree. Typically reports to a director. Manages subordinate staff in the day-to-day performance of their jobs. True first level manager. Ensures that project/department milestones/goals are met and adhering to approved budgets. Has full authority for personnel actions. Typically requires 5 years experience in the related area as an individual contributor. 1 - 3 years supervisory experience may be required. Extensive knowledge of the function and department processes.
Specify the abilities and skills that a person needs in order to carry out the specified job duties. Each competency has five to ten behavioral assertions that can be observed, each with a corresponding performance level (from one to five) that is required for a particular job.
Analysis: Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
Data Transfer: Data transfer refers to the secure exchange of large files between systems or organizations. In an internal context, data transfer is often used as an alternative to a holistic enterprise application integration system.
Legal Research: Legal research is "the process of identifying and retrieving information necessary to support legal decision-making. In its broadest sense, legal research includes each step of a course of action that begins with an analysis of the facts of a problem and concludes with the application and communication of the results of the investigation." The processes of legal research vary according to the country and the legal system involved. However, legal research generally involves tasks such as: Finding primary sources of law, or primary authority, in a given jurisdiction (cases, statutes, regulations, etc.). Searching secondary authority (for example, law reviews, legal dictionaries, legal treatises, and legal encyclopedias such as American Jurisprudence and Corpus Juris Secundum), for background information about a legal topic. Searching non-legal sources for investigative or supporting information.
Salary.com salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons are derived from both employer job postings and third-party data sources. We also provide multiple percentiles of salary information for your reference, click here to know Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial to Getting Pay Equity Right. With more online, real-time compensation data than any other website, Salary.com helps you determine your exact pay target.
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