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Compliance Officer

$80,730
median / year
$48,220 – $133,720
what most earn per year (10th–90th percentile)

What the job actually is

Make sure an organization follows laws, regulations, and internal policies, and flag violations.

You may also see this posted as: Driver License Examiner, License Examiner, Motor Vehicle Clerk, Public Service Representative (PSR), Driver Examiner, Driver License Agent.

Where you work

Corporate and government offices.

The hours

Regular full-time weekday schedule

The day to day

What you'd actually spend time doing

  • 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.

Good fit if you like…

Conventional

organizing information, following systems, and getting details right

Enterprising

leading, persuading, selling, or turning an idea into action

Investigative

solving problems, analyzing evidence, and figuring out how things work

O*NET job zone 4 of 5

High preparation—usually a four-year degree plus experience—is common.

Work styles that matter most

IntegrityDependabilityAttention to DetailCautiousness

Software that shows up in the work

Examples employers report—not a checklist you must already know.

Microsoft ExcelMicrosoft Office softwareMicrosoft OutlookMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft WordMicrosoft Access

By the numbers

May 2025 BLS wage & employment data · 2024–34 BLS employment projections.

Median pay
$80,730
per year
Hourly median
$38.81
per hour
What most earn
$48,220–$133,720
yearly, 10th to 90th percentile
Openings a year
~33,300
projected, 2024–34
Outlook to 2034
+3%
About average
Working in the U.S.
417,070
people, nationwide

Openings a year counts new jobs plus the ones that open when people retire or move on — a truer picture of your odds than growth alone.

“Median” means half earn more and half earn less. Your city, employer, and years on the job move it a lot — that is what the 10th-to-90th range shows.

BLS estimates 0.4% of workers in this occupation are self-employed.

What it pays in your state

Statewide medians are a better starting point than the national number. Your city and experience still matter.

BLS state wage tables

How you get in

Typical starting education

Bachelor's degree

Training path: Bachelor's degree.

Related work experience: None.

On-the-job training: Moderate-term on-the-job training.

License or certification

No license required to start in most places.

Check the path where you live

Licensing rules and available programs change by state. These federal tools take you to the current official listings.

What it takes

Regulatory knowledgeAuditingReport writingAttention to detail

The honest take

A broad, stable role in almost every industry as rules and oversight keep expanding.

Standard Occupational Classification 13-1041. Pay and employment from the BLS May 2025 OEWS survey; outlook and openings from the 2024–34 employment projections; job context from the Occupational Outlook Handbook; tasks, interests, work styles, software examples, and job zone from O*NET 30.3. See something off? Tell us.