Compliance Officers
SOC code 13-1041 · O*NET-SOC 13-1041.00 · Considerable preparation needed · Business and finance
Compliance Officers pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$80,730
a year
Hourly
$38.81
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$88,400
$42.50 per hour
Middle 50%
$61,280 – $109,010
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$48,220 – $133,720
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
417,070
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $48,220
- $23.18/hr
- 25th percentile
- $61,280
- $29.46/hr
- Median percentile
- $80,730
- $38.81/hr
- 75th percentile
- $109,010
- $52.41/hr
- 90th percentile
- $133,720
- $64.29/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+3%
Growing about as fast as average
418,000
jobs in 2024
430,300
projected for 2034
About 12,300 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What does a compliance officer do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Issue licenses to individuals meeting standards.
- Collect fees for licenses.
- Warn violators of infractions or penalties.
- Administer oral, written, road, or flight tests to license applicants.
- Evaluate applications, records, or documents to gather information about eligibility or liability issues.
- Visit establishments to verify that valid licenses or permits are displayed and that licensing standards are being upheld.
- Advise licensees or other individuals or groups concerning licensing, permit, or passport regulations.
- Prepare reports of activities, evaluations, recommendations, or decisions.
How to become a compliance officer
Preparation level: zone 4 — Considerable preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
- Experience
- A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
- Training
- Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.
The federal survey did not capture education levels for this specific occupation, so the preparation-level card above is the best guide to the entry route.
Common questions
How much does a compliance officer earn?
The national median is $80,730 a year. The full range runs from $48,220 at the 10th percentile to $133,720 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a compliance officer without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 4, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not. The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is compliance officer in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 3% between 2024 and 2034 — growing about as fast as average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Speaking3.9/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Writing3.8/5
- Critical Thinking3.5/5
- Monitoring3.4/5
Knowledge areas
- Law and Government4.1/5
- English Language4.0/5
- Customer and Personal Service3.9/5
- Public Safety and Security3.4/5
- Computers and Electronics3.2/5
- Administration and Management3.1/5
- Administrative3.1/5
- Education and Training3.0/5
Transferable strengths: Judgment and Decision Making, Social Perceptiveness, Persuasion, Complex Problem Solving.