Compliance Officers
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.
Also called: Air Pollution Compliance Inspector, Certified Driver Examiner (CDE), Certified Driver License Test Administrator, Compliance Administrator (Compliance Admin), Compliance Analyst, Compliance Consultant
Median pay
$80,730
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$48,220 – $133,720
People employed
417,070
Holland code
CEI
Conventional · Enterprising · Investigative
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 2.Are you OK repeating the same tasks most of the day?
- 3.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 4.Are you comfortable following clear instructions?
- 5.Are you OK working outdoors in all kinds of weather?
The hard parts
- Dealing with conflict is part of the job
- Tight deadlines are common
- Work outdoors in all weather
Compliance Officers pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (50 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What compliance officers do
- 01Issue licenses to individuals meeting standards.
- 02Collect fees for licenses.
- 03Warn violators of infractions or penalties.
- 04Administer oral, written, road, or flight tests to license applicants.
- 05Evaluate applications, records, or documents to gather information about eligibility or liability issues.
- 06Visit establishments to verify that valid licenses or permits are displayed and that licensing standards are being upheld.
Skills that matter most
- Reading Comprehension
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Writing
- Critical Thinking
- Monitoring
Knowledge
- Law and Government
- English Language
- Customer and Personal Service
- Public Safety and Security
- Computers and Electronics
Work styles that stand out
- Dependability
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
Education and first steps
O*NET has no education survey data for this job.
How people get started
- Usually needs a bachelor's degree (O*NET Job Zone 4).
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from compliance officers
- Compliance Managers92% · group pay
- Customs and Border Protection Officers81% · group pay
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts78% · group pay
- Loss Prevention Managers77% · group pay
- Insurance Underwriters76% · +1%
Change into compliance officers
Jobs whose skills carry over best (skill match, their median pay).
- Compliance Managers92% · $141,900
- Customs and Border Protection Officers89% · $76,210
- Private Detectives and Investigators85% · $51,220
- Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs82% · $54,210
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents81% · $62,370
Majors that lead here
- Environmental Studies
- Environmental Science
- Environmental/Natural Resources Law Enforcement and Protective Services
- Energy and Environmental Policy
- Environmental Geosciences
- Suspension and Debarment Investigation
- Medical Staff Services Technology/Technician
- Regulatory Science/Affairs
- Patient Safety and Healthcare Quality
- Human Resources Management/Personnel Administration, General
- Labor and Industrial Relations
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.