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The differences between compliance officers and lawyers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a lawyer has an average salary of $115,808, which is higher than the $64,058 average annual salary of a compliance officer.
The top three skills for a compliance officer include oversight, risk management and compliance program. The most important skills for a lawyer are litigation, law firm, and legal issues.
| Compliance Officer | Lawyer | |
| Yearly salary | $64,058 | $115,808 |
| Hourly rate | $30.80 | $55.68 |
| Growth rate | - | 10% |
| Number of jobs | 69,161 | 2,897 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Years of experience | - | 4 |
A compliance officer is responsible for monitoring company operations, ensuring that all the processes and members are adhering to the regulatory and procedural policies set by the company. Compliance officers' duties also include proposing compliance programs, reviewing and updating existing company policies with management approval, taking immediate actions for policy violations, and mitigating risks. A compliance officer must have extensive knowledge of legal procedures and regulatory standards to manage and evaluate problems, providing meaningful solutions, and keep the company's positive reputation.
A lawyer is a legal practitioner who specializes in understanding and interpreting laws and other legal matters. Their responsibilities revolve around providing legal counseling and advice, representing clients in different kinds of court proceedings, conducting research, collecting evidence, and coordinating with various experts. A lawyer must also manage and oversee the performance of assistants, paralegals, and other team members. Furthermore, there are instances when a lawyer must draft or manage documents such as contracts, trusts, deeds, and wills, assisting clients as needed.
Compliance officers and lawyers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Compliance Officer | Lawyer | |
| Average salary | $64,058 | $115,808 |
| Salary range | Between $42,000 And $96,000 | Between $64,000 And $208,000 |
| Highest paying City | Wilmington, DE | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | Delaware | New York |
| Best paying company | Meta | Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough |
| Best paying industry | Finance | - |
There are a few differences between a compliance officer and a lawyer in terms of educational background:
| Compliance Officer | Lawyer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 61% | Bachelor's Degree, 51% |
| Most common major | Business | Law |
| Most common college | Harvard University | Stanford University |
Here are the differences between compliance officers' and lawyers' demographics:
| Compliance Officer | Lawyer | |
| Average age | 46 | 46 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 48.8% Female, 51.2% | Male, 48.5% Female, 51.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.1% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 8.3% White, 59.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 5.4% Unknown, 4.4% Hispanic or Latino, 7.7% Asian, 6.3% White, 76.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% |
| LGBT Percentage | 12% | 10% |