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The differences between compliance investigators and compliance auditors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a compliance auditor has an average salary of $64,606, which is higher than the $58,594 average annual salary of a compliance investigator.
The top three skills for a compliance investigator include federal laws, law enforcement and management system. The most important skills for a compliance auditor are audit findings, compliance audits, and audit reports.
A compliance investigator is primarily responsible for ensuring all aspects of a facility or company complies with its policies and regulations, including government laws and standards. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting regular inspections, gathering and assessing documentation, and conducting interviews and assessments. There are also instances when a compliance investigator must travel to different locations, investigate contract adherence, and identify any fraudulent or illegal activities. Furthermore, it is essential to maintain records of all investigations, producing progress reports as needed.
A compliance auditor is responsible for reviewing the company's policies and procedures, ensuring the organization's adherence to state and federal regulations. Compliance auditors inspect the operations of each department, adjusting internal guidelines as needed. They also inspect the condition of all facilities, including tools and equipment, network systems, and business operations. A compliance auditor mitigates risks by analyzing the operational processes and conducting a risk assessment study to prevent compliance issues that may pose a negative effect on the company's performance and stability.
Compliance investigators and compliance auditors have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Compliance Investigator | Compliance Auditor | |
| Average salary | $58,594 | $64,606 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $80,000 | Between $45,000 And $92,000 |
| Highest paying City | Menlo Park, CA | New York, NY |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Meta | PayPal |
| Best paying industry | Pharmaceutical | Finance |
There are a few differences between a compliance investigator and a compliance auditor in terms of educational background:
| Compliance Investigator | Compliance Auditor | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 65% | Bachelor's Degree, 63% |
| Most common major | Criminal Justice | Business |
| Most common college | - | University of Pennsylvania |
Here are the differences between compliance investigators' and compliance auditors' demographics:
| Compliance Investigator | Compliance Auditor | |
| Average age | 46 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 57.3% Female, 42.7% | Male, 38.9% Female, 61.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.4% Asian, 8.1% White, 59.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 12.2% White, 64.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 7% |