Compliance Officers: Job Description
Examine, evaluate, and investigate eligibility for or conformity with laws and regulations governing contract compliance of licenses and permits, and perform other compliance and enforcement inspection and analysis activities not classified elsewhere.
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What Do Compliance Officers Do?
Typical responsibilities of compliance officers include:
- Warn violators of infractions or penalties.
- Evaluate applications, records, or documents to gather information about eligibility or liability issues.
- Advise licensees or other individuals or groups concerning licensing, permit, or passport regulations.
- Prepare reports of activities, evaluations, recommendations, or decisions.
- Report law or regulation violations to appropriate boards or agencies.
- Confer with or interview officials, technical or professional specialists, or applicants to obtain information or to clarify facts relevant to licensing decisions.
What Compliance Officers Need to Know
Successful compliance officers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Compliance Officers Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Air Pollution Compliance Inspector
- Certified Driver Examiner (CDE)
- Certified Driver License Test Administrator
- Compliance Administrator (Compliance Admin)
- Compliance Analyst
- Compliance Consultant
- Compliance Coordinator
- Compliance Examiner
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 170,116 compliance officers working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +8.6% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Compliance Officers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $71,138 |
| Hourly median | $34.20 |
| 10th percentile | $51,189 |
| 25th percentile | $61,164 |
| 75th percentile | $81,113 |
| 90th percentile | $91,087 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Compliance Officers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $103,010 |
| New Jersey | $93,520 |
| Massachusetts | $92,890 |
| California | $92,350 |
| Alaska | $88,730 |
| Vermont | $88,550 |
| Delaware | $88,450 |
| Maryland | $87,580 |
| Connecticut | $87,210 |
| Maine | $86,940 |
| New York | $86,880 |
| Washington | $86,200 |
| Minnesota | $85,220 |
| Oregon | $84,210 |
| Rhode Island | $83,200 |
| New Hampshire | $82,530 |
| Virginia | $80,990 |
| Hawaii | $80,930 |
| Colorado | $80,590 |
| Wyoming | $80,150 |
| Illinois | $79,350 |
| Nevada | $78,940 |
| North Dakota | $78,450 |
| South Carolina | $76,200 |
| Wisconsin | $75,780 |
| Michigan | $75,300 |
| Ohio | $75,030 |
| North Carolina | $74,810 |
| Pennsylvania | $73,840 |
| Iowa | $73,530 |
| Arizona | $73,070 |
| Texas | $72,050 |
| Indiana | $71,980 |
| South Dakota | $71,700 |
| Florida | $70,460 |
| Alabama | $70,190 |
| New Mexico | $67,640 |
| Kentucky | $67,490 |
| Kansas | $66,980 |
| Nebraska | $65,960 |
| Idaho | $65,350 |
| Virgin Islands | $65,210 |
| Mississippi | $65,150 |
| Missouri | $64,960 |
| Utah | $64,730 |
| West Virginia | $64,040 |
| Georgia | $63,990 |
| Tennessee | $63,760 |
| Louisiana | $63,730 |
| Arkansas | $63,560 |
| Montana | $63,330 |
| Oklahoma | $61,730 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,570 |
Where Compliance Officers Earn the Most
Pay for compliance officers differ across the country. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $89,808 | 17.1% | 1.04 |
| New England | $89,791 | 5.3% | 1.22 |
| Middle Atlantic | $86,241 | 16.5% | 1.15 |
| Great Lakes | $75,873 | 10.3% | 0.74 |
| Rocky Mountains | $73,182 | 3.7% | 0.94 |
| Plains States | $72,241 | 6.5% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $71,347 | 14.4% | 1.17 |
| Southeast | $70,480 | 24.9% | 1.08 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $118,490 | 2,690 |
| Lexington Park, MD | MD | $105,610 | 150 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | GA | $104,330 | 640 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $104,000 | 7,350 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $102,500 | 14,110 |
| Bellingham, WA | WA | $101,870 | 650 |
| El Centro, CA | CA | $101,110 | 850 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $98,190 | 6,000 |
Top Industries Employing Compliance Officers
Most compliance officers work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Insurance | 46,410 | $79,920 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 38,020 | $90,990 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 32,070 | $68,590 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 22,870 | $89,740 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 18,660 | $60,800 |
| Manufacturing | 18,630 | $85,040 |
| Educational Services | 15,080 | $74,650 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 14,480 | $63,430 |
Below are examples of industries where compliance officers work:
Software Compliance Officers Use
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Microsoft Windows (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
The work environment for compliance officers reflects the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Telephone Conversations
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Education and Training
This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Managers (Primary-Short)
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators (Primary-Long)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Primary-Short)
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers (Primary-Long)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Primary-Short)
- Coroners (Primary-Long)
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists (Primary-Short)
- Customs Brokers (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future compliance officers typically earn programs in:
Natural Resources and Conservation
4 programs across 2 majors
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
2 programs across 1 majors
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
1 programs across 1 majors
Sources
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 13-1041.00 (Compliance Officers).
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