What Do Compliance Officers Do?
Wondering what the job is really like for compliance officers?
You've come to the right place.
Keep reading to find detailed information about what compliance officers do, including the type of work they are tasked with on a daily basis, industries in which they work, and the specific skills needed for a successful career.
Compliance Officers Overview & Description
Let's get started with the basics about compliance officers by taking a look at a simple description and popular job titles.
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.
Popular Job Titles For Compliance Officers
Sample of Reported Job Titles
- Compliance Specialists
- Compliance Analysts
- Regulatory Affairs Specialists
- Compliance Officers
- Compliance Coordinators
- Regulatory Specialists
- Compliance Associates
- Regulatory Analysts
- Compliance Consultants
- Regulatory Affairs Associates
- Environmental Compliance Specialists
- Risk and Compliance Analysts
Read on for insight into the industries where the highest concentration of jobs for compliance officers can be found.
Best Industries for Compliance Officers
Compliance Officers Jobs By Industry
- Federal Government, Civilian: 18.9%
- State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 10.6%
- Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals: 8.4%
- Management of Companies and Enterprises: 5%
- Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services: 3.4%
- Depository Credit Intermediation: 2.9%
- Other: 50.8%
When it comes to jobs in the United States, the largest single category of compliance officers can be found working in the Federal Government, Civilian sector. In 2022, about 18.9% of all jobs for compliance officers were found there.
Other top industries by percentage include State Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (10.6%), Local Government, Excluding Education and Hospitals (8.4%), Management of Companies and Enterprises (5%), Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services (3.4%) and Depository Credit Intermediation (2.9%).
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Degree Options for Compliance Officers
Launch an exciting career as a police officer, corrections officer, or investigator by learning the ins and outs of the U.S. criminal justice system and all its interconnected components, including law enforcement, corrections, and the courts.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Maintain social order and earn credentials for a leadership role in police, corrections, security, or court administration.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Learn the real-world management skills needed to be a leader in government and nonprofit organizations.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Identify opportunities to improve the quality of life for people with a customizable major intended to help you achieve your career goals.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Acquire specialized knowledge while developing a holistic view of the criminal justice system.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 6
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Tackle critical issues facing individuals and communities with advanced leadership and management skills ideally suited for a complex criminal justice system.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your master's degree online and earn real-world skills to advance your career within public service.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn a 14-month online Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Healthcare and gain interdisciplinary communication and decision-making skills alongside specialized knowledge on healthcare policies, operations and analytics.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
Earn your Master of Public Administration (MPA) degree with a Specialization in Human Resources and build the leadership skills to advance a government or public service agency alongside an emphasis on strategic HR best practices.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
- Class Type: 100% online
- Months To Complete: 14
- Placement Tests: GMAT/GRE not required for admission
What Do Compliance Officers Do on a Daily Basis?
So you have a high-level understanding of what compliance officers do and the types of industries in which they work - but what do they really do each day?
A great way to understand the type of work compliance officers do is to examine actual job postings and focus on the specific skills that employers are seeking. That will help paint a clearer picture of the tasks that compliance officers tackle each day.
Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for compliance officers, as well as common skills - interpersonal qualities and attributes - that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Compliance Officers
Based on 96,954 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Compliance Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Auditing | 35,333 | 36% |
| Regulatory Compliance | 19,968 | 21% |
| Project Management | 15,126 | 16% |
| Regulatory Affairs | 11,498 | 12% |
| Finance | 10,886 | 11% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Compliance Officers
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 46,508 | 48% |
| Management | 42,014 | 43% |
| Detail Oriented | 27,636 | 29% |
| Microsoft Excel | 24,241 | 25% |
| Operations | 24,210 | 25% |
Based on 96,954 job postings related to compliance officers, auditing was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 36% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for regulatory compliance, project management, regulatory affairs, finance and accounting were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communications was the most desired skill found in job postings for compliance officers, followed by management, detail oriented, microsoft excel, operations and research.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Auditing | 35,333 | 36% |
| Regulatory Compliance | 19,968 | 21% |
| Project Management | 15,126 | 16% |
| Regulatory Affairs | 11,498 | 12% |
| Finance | 10,886 | 11% |
| Accounting | 10,801 | 11% |
| Risk Management | 10,311 | 11% |
| Risk Analysis | 9,670 | 10% |
| Financial Services | 8,531 | 9% |
| Data Analysis | 8,342 | 9% |
| Process Improvement | 8,330 | 9% |
| Compliance Risk | 7,997 | 8% |
| Internal Auditing | 7,678 | 8% |
| Marketing | 7,067 | 7% |
| Anti Money Laundering | 6,326 | 7% |
| Internal Controls | 6,003 | 6% |
| External Auditing | 5,951 | 6% |
| Compliance Management | 5,835 | 6% |
| New Product Development | 5,501 | 6% |
| Medical Devices | 5,494 | 6% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communications | 46,508 | 48% |
| Management | 42,014 | 43% |
| Detail Oriented | 27,636 | 29% |
| Microsoft Excel | 24,241 | 25% |
| Operations | 24,210 | 25% |
| Research | 23,712 | 24% |
| Writing | 23,428 | 24% |
| Microsoft Office | 20,994 | 22% |
| Problem Solving | 19,633 | 20% |
| Leadership | 17,518 | 18% |
| Verbal Communication Skills | 15,310 | 16% |
| Customer Service | 15,179 | 16% |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | 15,122 | 16% |
| Organizational Skills | 14,596 | 15% |
| Coordinating | 14,592 | 15% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 14,037 | 14% |
| Investigation | 12,867 | 13% |
| Planning | 11,973 | 12% |
| Self-Motivation | 11,894 | 12% |
| Presentations | 11,068 | 11% |
Most In-Demand Jobs for Compliance Officers
Top 5 Posted Job Titles
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance Specialists | 21,921 | 18.4% |
| Compliance Analysts | 15,221 | 12.8% |
| Regulatory Affairs Specialists | 12,178 | 10.2% |
| Compliance Officers | 17,395 | 14.6% |
| Compliance Coordinators | 8,135 | 6.8% |
According to job postings that were published between September 2021 and August 2022, the top job sought by employers was compliance specialists, with 7,927 unique job postings. Compliance analysts were second, with 4,668 postings, followed by regulatory affairs specialists, compliance officers and compliance coordinators.
Expand the section below to see unique job postings for all occupations related to compliance officers.
| Job Title | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance Specialists | 21,921 | 18.4% |
| Compliance Analysts | 15,221 | 12.8% |
| Regulatory Affairs Specialists | 12,178 | 10.2% |
| Compliance Officers | 17,395 | 14.6% |
| Compliance Coordinators | 8,135 | 6.8% |
| Regulatory Specialists | 7,037 | 5.9% |
| Compliance Associates | 5,467 | 4.6% |
| Regulatory Analysts | 3,873 | 3.3% |
| Compliance Consultants | 3,197 | 2.7% |
| Regulatory Affairs Associates | 3,582 | 3% |
| Environmental Compliance Specialists | 3,975 | 3.3% |
| Risk and Compliance Analysts | 2,192 | 1.8% |
| Regulatory Compliance Specialists | 2,773 | 2.3% |
| AML Compliance Analysts | 2,546 | 2.1% |
| Regulatory Compliance Analysts | 2,081 | 1.7% |
| Trade Compliance Specialists | 1,529 | 1.3% |
| IT Compliance Specialists | 1,341 | 1.1% |
| Grievance and Appeals Coordinators | 1,801 | 1.5% |
| Global Regulatory Affairs Managers | 1,077 | 0.9% |
| Compliance Assistants | 1,765 | 1.5% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information for compliance officers? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for compliance officers.
How much do compliance officers make?
Compliance Officers: How do you become one?
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