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Banking & Financial Services
JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo
Managers, All Other
These managers build and run the systems that keep an organization inside the rules: they review possible violations, direct internal investigations, update policies, and file reports when regulators need answers. The job stands out because it mixes people management with detailed paper trails and judgment calls, so success depends on being both diplomatic and exact. The tradeoff is strong pay and steady demand, but also constant pressure when a mistake can become an audit, a reportable incident, or a disciplinary case.
Also known as Compliance ManagerRegulatory Compliance ManagerCorporate Compliance ManagerCompliance Program ManagerCompliance Operations Manager
Median Salary
$136,550
Mean $149,890
U.S. Workforce
~631K
106.7K openings per year
10-Year Growth
+4.5%
1333.7K to 1393.5K
Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
+ Less than 5 years experience
What This Role Looks Like in Practice
Managers, All Other sits in the Business category. In practical terms, this role combines day-to-day execution, cross-team coordination, and consistent decision-making under real business constraints.
U.S. employment is currently about ~631K workers, with a median annual pay of $136,550 and roughly 106.7K openings each year. Based on BLS projections, total employment is expected to grow from 1333.7 K in 2024 to 1393.5K in 2034.
Most hiring paths start with Bachelor's degree, and employers typically expect less than 5 years of related experience. Many careers in this track begin around Compliance Analyst and can progress toward Director of Compliance. High-value skills usually include Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms, Internal Audit & Case Management Software (AuditBoard, Workiva), and Microsoft Excel, SharePoint & Document Control, paired with soft skills such as Reading Comprehension, Critical Thinking, and Speaking.
Core Responsibilities
- Look into complaints, red flags, or policy violations to figure out whether a rule was actually broken.
- Gather records, interview people, and help lead internal investigations when compliance problems come up.
- Check audits and routine reviews to make sure company procedures are being followed.
- Work with HR and department leaders on discipline or corrective action after a compliance issue.
Keep exploring: more Business careers or browse all job titles.
A Day in the Life
01 Look into complaints, red flags, or policy violations to figure out whether a rule was actually broken.
02 Gather records, interview people, and help lead internal investigations when compliance problems come up.
03 Check audits and routine reviews to make sure company procedures are being followed.
04 Work with HR and department leaders on discipline or corrective action after a compliance issue.
05 Prepare reports, logs, and other paperwork for regulators and keep the organization’s case files organized.
06 Explain new rules and reporting procedures to managers and staff, then update policies when requirements change.
Industries That Hire
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Health Care & Health Insurance
UnitedHealth Group, CVS Health, HCA Healthcare
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Technology & SaaS
Microsoft, Salesforce, ServiceNow
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Manufacturing & Industrial
Honeywell, 3M, Boeing
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Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences
Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Moderna
Pros and Cons
Advantages
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Pay is strong: the median is $136,550 a year and the mean is $149,890, which is high for a job that usually starts with a bachelor's degree.
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The job market is fairly steady, with about 106.7 thousand annual openings projected each year.
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You get real influence because your decisions can change company policy, discipline, and reporting practices.
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The skills carry across industries, so a compliance manager can move between finance, health care, tech, and manufacturing.
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BLS says no on-the-job training is typically required, so people with the right background can often move into the role without a long apprenticeship.
Challenges
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The work can be tense and detail-heavy because mistakes may trigger investigations, regulator contact, or formal discipline.
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Growth is only 4.5% over the 2024-2034 period, so this is not a fast-expanding field and promotions can be competitive.
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A lot of the job is documentation, tracking, and follow-up, which can feel repetitive compared with more strategy-focused management roles.
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The role is vulnerable to organizational reshuffling and automation of routine reporting, case tracking, and audit documentation.
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Compliance managers often have to enforce rules they did not create, which can put them in conflict with business teams that want faster answers or looser controls.
Career Progression
Compliance Analyst
0-2 years
$60K-$82K
Entry-level work focuses on tracking policy issues, organizing evidence, and helping with reviews, reports, and case files.
Compliance Specialist
2-5 years
$83K-$110K
You handle more independent monitoring, support audits, and help explain rules to staff or business teams.
Compliance Manager THIS ROLE
5-9 years
$111K-$155K
At this level you lead investigations, oversee audits, manage reporting, and coordinate with HR, legal, and operations.
Senior Compliance Manager
9-14 years
$156K-$190K
Work becomes more strategic, with ownership of larger programs, tougher cases, and more visible decisions.
Director of Compliance
14+ years
$191K-$240K
Leaders set compliance strategy, answer to executives and regulators, and decide how the organization responds to major risk.
Education Paths
Bachelor's degree
The most common entry point, held by 61.79% of workers in this role.
Associate's degree
A smaller path, held by 12.06% of workers, usually backed by several years in operations, HR, or an audit-related support role.
Master's degree
An advanced path, held by 8.1% of workers, often used to stand out for larger organizations or more specialized compliance teams.
Compliance, audit, or risk certificate
A certificate can help if you already work in business operations, HR, or auditing and want to move into compliance management.
Key Skills
Technical
Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms 78%
Internal Audit & Case Management Software (AuditBoard, Workiva) 76%
Microsoft Excel, SharePoint & Document Control 74%
Regulatory Reporting Systems 72%
Policy Management & Workflow Tools 70%
Soft Skills
Reading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingSpeakingActive ListeningWritingMonitoring Job Outlook and Trends
+4.5%
Projected growth (2024-2034)
106.7K
Annual job openings
Employment is projected to rise from 1333.7K to 1393.5 K over the next decade, representing 4.5% growth. Around 106.7 K openings per year include both newly created roles and replacement hiring from turnover.
Remote availability is currently Moderate. Demand remains strongest where employers need practical domain knowledge plus modern workflow and data skills.