How To Become A Chief Compliance Officer: What It Is and Career Path

What is a chief compliance officer and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

The Chief Compliance officer's main responsibilities include developing corporate policies and procedures for government and social compliance. You will need to have good communication skills to discuss these policies and train employees. You will need to attest to the company's compliance with procedures and policies. You will also measure and evaluate the level of compliance across the organization, and you are responsible for investigating incidents or violations regarding regulatory requirements. You will need to report to the board of directors on everything related to compliance.

You may also coordinate with different departments on internal audits, employee services, and risk management. The Chief Compliance Officer role is expanding and in great demand as more companies realize how vital compliance is. You will need a bachelor's or master's degree in business, economics, banking, or securities. You will need to know the insurance, healthcare, and technology departments. You can make an average yearly salary of $113,000.

ScoreChief Compliance OfficerUS Average

Salary

7.7

Avg. Salary $102,166

Avg. Salary $59,228

Diversity

4.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 8.22%

Black or African American 11.10%

Hispanic or Latino 15.67%

Unknown 4.47%

White 59.72%

Gender

female 35.29%

male 64.71%

Age - 46

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 46

Stress level

8.5

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.7

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a chief compliance officer

Explore chief compliance officer education requirements

Most common chief compliance officer degrees

Bachelor's

60.0 %

Doctorate

19.5 %

Master's

15.0 %

Start to develop specific chief compliance officer skills

Skills	Percentages
Oversight	8.45%
Compliance Issues	6.46%
Risk Management	6.42%
Ethics	5.72%
Regulatory Compliance	5.30%

Research chief compliance officer duties and responsibilities

Achieve desired results of no material audits or investigations thereafter by CMS or OIG.
Respond to all regulatory inquiries and manage FINRA routine and trading examinations.
Manage successful litigation, arbitration and mediation proceedings, including commercial disputes, product liability, employment and intellectual property.
Work closely with industry-leading securities attorneys in matters of pending litigation, consumer complaints, and regulatory investigations.

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