How to Become a Compliance Officer
Keep organizations on the right side of laws and regulations by evaluating practices, licenses, and controls. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $80,730 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$80,730/yr
Middle half
$61,280 to $109,010
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
33,300
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Regulatory Analysis
- Auditing
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Attention to Detail
Helpful certifications
- CCEP (Certified Compliance and Ethics Professional)
- CRCM (banking)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
46/100
Stress level
66/100
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Compliance Officer make?
The median pay for a Compliance Officer is $80,730 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $61,280 and $109,010 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Compliance Officer?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Business Administration, Legal Studies, Finance, and Political Science.
Is Compliance Officer a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 33,300 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Compliance Officer use most?
Common skills for this role are Regulatory Analysis, Auditing, Reading Comprehension, Writing, and Attention to Detail.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).