Compliance Officers in California
Thinking about a career as a Compliance Officers in California? Below are the key facts. 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. Excludes “Financial Examiners" (13-2061), “Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents” (13-2081), “Occupational Health and Safety Specialists” (19-5011), “Occupational Health and Safety Technicians” (19-5012), “Transportation Security Screeners” (33-9093), “Agricultural Inspectors” (45-2011), “Construction and Building Inspectors” (47-4011), and “Transportation Inspectors” (53-6051).
What do Compliance Officers Make in California?
For compliance officers working in California, the median annual wage is $92,350 per year (or roughly $44.40/hour).Annual wages span from $53,990 at the 10th percentile to $149,040 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $53,990 | $25.96 |
| 25th percentile | $67,380 | $32.39 |
| Median (50th) | $92,350 | $44.40 |
| 75th percentile | $121,690 | $58.51 |
| 90th percentile | $149,040 | $71.65 |
Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in California nationwide is 1.02.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, compliance officers earn a median of $71,138 per year ($34.20/hour), above the California median.
Employment Outlook
There are roughly 170,116 compliance officers nationwide. In California alone, around 47,420 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 4,100 compliance officers.
Top California Metros for Compliance Officers
The largest metro-area employers of compliance officers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 16,220 | $90,370 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 7,350 | $104,000 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 6,000 | $98,190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 3,420 | $79,130 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 2,690 | $118,490 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 2,680 | $89,010 |
| Fresno, CA | 950 | $78,270 |
| El Centro, CA | 850 | $101,110 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 680 | $78,610 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 680 | $87,210 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 460 | $78,730 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 430 | $84,670 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 390 | $82,220 |
| Modesto, CA | 310 | $70,440 |
| Vallejo, CA | 270 | $81,330 |
| Salinas, CA | 230 | $91,360 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 210 | $82,320 |
| Visalia, CA | 190 | $67,190 |
| Chico, CA | 180 | $83,550 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 180 | $78,080 |
| Napa, CA | 170 | $79,630 |
| Merced, CA | 150 | $80,650 |
| Redding, CA | 130 | $74,590 |
| Yuba City, CA | 90 | $69,050 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 60 | $74,150 |
Top States for Compliance Officers Employment
View the states that employ the most compliance officers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 47,420 |
| Texas | 39,870 |
| Florida | 31,610 |
| New York | 23,690 |
| Pennsylvania | 15,320 |
| Virginia | 15,120 |
| Georgia | 13,730 |
| New Jersey | 12,000 |
| Arizona | 11,590 |
| Massachusetts | 11,460 |
| Ohio | 11,320 |
| Washington | 10,820 |
| Illinois | 10,190 |
| Michigan | 9,660 |
| North Carolina | 9,080 |
| Maryland | 8,860 |
| Tennessee | 8,140 |
| Colorado | 7,470 |
| Missouri | 7,000 |
| Minnesota | 6,460 |
Highest-Paying States for Compliance Officers
Where compliance officers earn the most: compliance officers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $103,010 |
| New Jersey | $93,520 |
| Massachusetts | $92,890 |
| California | $92,350 |
| Alaska | $88,730 |
| Vermont | $88,550 |
| Delaware | $88,450 |
| Maryland | $87,580 |
| Connecticut | $87,210 |
| Maine | $86,940 |
Skills
The most important compliance officers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
The abilities that matter most for compliance officers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Compliance Officers typically:
- 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.
- Confer with or interview officials, technical or professional specialists, or applicants to obtain information or to clarify facts relevant to licensing decisions.
- Issue licenses to individuals meeting standards.
- Collect fees for licenses.
- Administer oral, written, road, or flight tests to license applicants.
- Visit establishments to verify that valid licenses or permits are displayed and that licensing standards are being upheld.
- Score tests and observe equipment operation and control to rate ability of applicants.
- Prepare correspondence to inform concerned parties of licensing decisions or appeals processes.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Processing Information
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Working with Computers
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Access In-demand technologies: Microsoft Excel
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
- Natural Resources Conservation
- Natural Resource Management
- Human Resource Management
- Health/Medical Admin Services
- Public Health
- Environmental Geosciences
- Criminal Justice & Corrections
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to compliance officers include:
- Compliance Managers
- Claims Adjusters, Examiners, and Investigators
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
- Coroners
Also Known As
Air Pollution Compliance Inspector, Certified Driver Examiner (CDE), Certified Driver License Test Administrator, Compliance Administrator (Compliance Admin), Compliance Analyst, Compliance Consultant, Compliance Coordinator, Compliance Examiner, Compliance Investigator, Compliance Officer, Compliance Professional, Compliance Specialist, Cosmetology Inspector, Department of Motor Vehicles Clerk (DMV Clerk), Deportation Examiner.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 13-1041.00