In a compression control device for a continuous variable transmission, when a torque ratio (Tr), which is the ratio of actual transmission torque to the transmittable maximum torque of the continuous variable transmission, is estimated based on transmission characteristics according to which an arbitrary fluctuation component of an input shaft is transmitted through an endless belt to an output shaft, a slip identifier obtained by indexing the ratio between the amplitudes of the fluctuation components of the input and output shafts or a phase delay obtained by indexing the difference between the phases of the fluctuation components is used. The friction coefficient ([mu]) between a pulley on the lateral pressure-controlled side and the endless belt is estimated using the torque ratio (Tr), a required axial thrust (Q) of the pulley is obtained based on the friction coefficient ([mu]), and the lateral pressure of the pulley is controlled based on the required axial thrust (Q). That is, the lateral pressure is feedforward-controlled using the friction coefficient ([mu]) directly governing the lateral pressure. Therefore, in comparison with indirect control in which the slip identifier and the phase delay themselves are fed back, it is possible to improve the control responsiveness and reduce the calculation load of the control device, so that it is possible to improve the power transmission efficiency while preventing the endless belt of a belt type continuous variable transmission from slipping.