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What is a compliance specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
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A compliance specialist ensures that a company or organization follows all relevant laws, regulations, and policies. They work to identify and mitigate potential risks of non-compliance, and develop policies to ensure that the company operates in accordance with legal and ethical standards. Compliance specialists may also conduct audits, provide compliance training, and maintain records. Overall, they aim to protect the company from legal or reputational harm while maintaining a culture of integrity and ethical behavior.

ScoreCompliance SpecialistUS Average
Salary
4.5

Avg. Salary $57,330

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.3

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.1
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.83%

Asian 8.24%

Black or African American 10.91%

Hispanic or Latino 15.72%

Unknown 4.47%

White 59.83%

Gender

female 61.63%

male 38.37%

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
6.3

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.0

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
4.7

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a compliance specialist?

Pros

  • High demand for compliance specialists in various industries

  • Competitive salary and benefits

  • Opportunity to work with different teams and stakeholders

  • Potential for career advancement

  • Opportunity to work remotely or have flexible schedules

Cons

  • Heavy workload and long hours during peak periods

  • Need to stay up-to-date with new technologies and trends

  • Potential for conflicts with other departments or stakeholders

  • Risk of burnout due to high-pressure environment

  • Limited control over decision-making processes

Compliance Specialist career paths

Key steps to become a compliance specialist

  1. Explore compliance specialist education requirements

    Most common compliance specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    60.9 %

    Associate

    14.6 %

    Master's

    12.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific compliance specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients9.20%
    Regulatory Compliance6.76%
    Strong Analytical5.28%
    FDA4.95%
    Customer Service4.68%
  3. Research compliance specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Lead bi-weekly Medicaid meetings to maintain effective communication with all staff regarding AHCA updates and notifications.
    • Manage and submit regulatory permit and notification applications to USDA to import, move and release regulate plant materials.
    • Participate in OCC exam preparation and review including research and presentation of documentation to achieve compliance with federal examiner requests.
    • Access the IDX system to obtain patient billing information in order to review Medicare and Medicaid payments.
  4. Prepare your compliance specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your compliance specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a compliance specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable compliance specialist resume templates

    Build a professional compliance specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your compliance specialist resume.
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    Compliance Specialist Resume
  5. Apply for compliance specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a compliance specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first compliance specialist job

Zippi

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Average compliance specialist salary

The average compliance specialist salary in the United States is $57,330 per year or $28 per hour. Compliance specialist salaries range between $38,000 and $85,000 per year.

Average Compliance Specialist Salary
$57,330 Yearly
$27.56 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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