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Bank compliance officer education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a bank compliance officer. Bank compliance officers usually study business, accounting, or finance. 63% of bank compliance officers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 130 real bank compliance officer resumes to see exactly what bank compliance officer education sections show.
The most common colleges for bank compliance officers are the University of Phoenix and the University of Phoenix.
There are also many online bank compliance officer courses to help get the education required to be a bank compliance officer.
What education do you need to become a bank compliance officer?
What degree do you need to be a bank compliance officer?
- Bachelor's, 63%
- Master's, 12%
- Associate, 9%
- Doctorate, 5%
- Other Degrees, 11%
What should I major in to become a bank compliance officer?
- Business, 29%
- Accounting, 16%
- Finance, 10%
- Law, 7%
- Other Majors, 38%
Most common colleges for bank compliance officers
| Bank compliance officer common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| University of Phoenix | 11.11% |
| Drake University | 7.41% |
| New York University | 7.41% |
| Florida International University | 7.41% |
| University of New Orleans | 7.41% |
Best majors for bank compliance officers
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business | 28.8% |
| 2 | Accounting | 16.4% |
| 3 | Finance | 9.6% |
| 4 | Law | 6.8% |
| 5 | Marketing | 5.5% |
Best colleges for bank compliance officers
The best colleges for bank compliance officers are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University in St Louis.
A bank compliance officer with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for bank compliance officers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become bank compliance officers.
1. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$55,584
Enrollment
10,764
2. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
In-state tuition
$54,568
Enrollment
8,451
3. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$50,420
Enrollment
7,582
4. Western Carolina University
Cullowhee, NC • Private
In-state tuition
$3,926
Enrollment
9,835
5. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$15,262
Enrollment
30,079
6. SUNY Stony Brook
Stony Brook, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$9,625
Enrollment
17,407
7. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,207
Enrollment
30,905
8. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
In-state tuition
$53,948
Enrollment
17,238
9. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
In-state tuition
$53,399
Enrollment
7,356
10. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MN • Private
In-state tuition
$14,760
Enrollment
31,451
20 best online courses for bank compliance officers
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16. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) Compliance
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17. Build Powerful Compliance Programs & Prevent Corporate Fraud
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18. Business Banking 101
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19. Financial Crime: Processes & Technology - Masterclass
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20. Anti-Money Laundering and Combating Terrorism Financing
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Top 10 most affordable universities for bank compliance officers
The most affordable schools for bank compliance officers are California State University - Long Beach, baruch college of the city university of new york, and florida international university.
If the best universities for bank compliance officers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for bank compliance officers.
1. California State University - Long Beach
Long Beach, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,798
Cost of attendance
18,306
2. Baruch College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,262
Cost of attendance
14,046
3. Florida International University
Miami, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,556
Cost of attendance
19,434
4. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
5. California State University - Dominguez Hills
Carson, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,942
Cost of attendance
14,469
6. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
7. California State University - Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,749
Cost of attendance
14,823
8. University of South Florida
Tampa, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,410
Cost of attendance
20,456
9. California State University - San Bernardino
San Bernardino, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,922
Cost of attendance
18,522
10. Florida Atlantic University
Boca Raton, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$4,831
Cost of attendance
19,559
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for bank compliance officers
The hardest universities for bank compliance officers to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Washington University in St Louis.
Some great schools for bank compliance officers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for bank compliance officers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.
1. Northwestern University
Evanston, IL • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,508
2. University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA • Private
Admissions rate
8%
SAT average
1,492
3. Washington University in St Louis
Saint Louis, MO • Private
Admissions rate
15%
SAT average
1,506
4. Harvard University
Cambridge, MA • Private
Admissions rate
5%
SAT average
1,520
5. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
6. Boston University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
22%
SAT average
1,420
7. Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, PA • Private
Admissions rate
17%
SAT average
1,507
8. University of Southern California
Los Angeles, CA • Private
Admissions rate
13%
SAT average
1,445
9. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
10. George Washington University, The
Washington, DC • Private
Admissions rate
42%
SAT average
1,380
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for bank compliance officers
The easiest schools for bank compliance officers to get into are Barry University, university of the incarnate word, and saint joseph's college of maine.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a bank compliance officer without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for bank compliance officers.
1. Barry University
Miami, FL • Private
Admissions rate
91%
SAT average
1,006
2. University of the Incarnate Word
San Antonio, TX • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,044
3. Saint Joseph's College of Maine
Standish, ME • Private
Admissions rate
84%
SAT average
1,069
4. University of Baltimore
Baltimore, MD • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,020
5. University of North Texas at Dallas
Dallas, TX • Private
Admissions rate
83%
SAT average
992
6. Gwynedd Mercy University
Gwynedd Valley, PA • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,031
7. Curry College
Milton, MA • Private
Admissions rate
93%
SAT average
1,026
8. Felician University
Lodi, NJ • Private
Admissions rate
81%
SAT average
999
9. Ottawa University
Ottawa, KS • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,024
10. Iona College
New Rochelle, NY • Private
Admissions rate
88%
SAT average
1,089
Average bank compliance officer salary by education level
| Bank compliance officer education level | Bank compliance officer salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $95,963 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $68,422 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $85,283 |
| Doctorate Degree | $109,055 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $72,881 |
Bank compliance officer education FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025