Compliance Officers and Inspectors

At a Glance

Enforce rules from worker rights to environmental regulations
Keep detailed records
Often specialize in one area
Sometimes wear safety or protective gear
May travel
Many have a bachelor's degree
Most work for government agencies

Career summary

Compliance officers and inspectors enforce rules that protect the public.

#No comparable wois occ

Compliance officers and inspectors investigate complaints. They gather information from the person making the complaint. They also talk to the person or organization about whom the complaint is made. If the complaint is about an environmental problem, inspectors travel to the site to examine it.

Depending on their area, officers and inspectors may get more information by:

Conducting surveys
Reviewing records
Reviewing safety laws and rules

In addition to investigating complaints, they inspect some organizations on set schedules.

Compliance officers and inspectors keep records. Some records are about their inspection results. Other records document information, such as test or survey results. Officers and inspectors prepare reports of their findings for the people and businesses they investigate.

Officers and inspectors may issue citations and recommend changes to fix problems they find. For example, they may recommend equipment upgrades or changes in procedures. They often teach company representatives about requirements so they understand why changes are required. They follow up to be sure that businesses and individuals carry out their recommendations. They may testify in court and public hearings about their findings.

Compliance officers and inspectors often specialize in one area.

Environmental compliance

Environmental compliance officers monitor air and water pollution, hazardous waste disposal, and other environmental matters.

Licensing

Licensing examiners evaluate applications for a variety of licenses, including driver's and professional licenses. They check that applicants have met the training and experience requirements. They may also give tests. They issue licenses to people who meet the requirements. They also warn licensed individuals when complaints have been filed against them.

Equal opportunity

Equal opportunity officers make sure people are not being discriminated against by employers. They investigate whether employers are hiring workers regardless of their race, religion, color, national origin, age, or disability.

Government property

Government property inspectors monitor contracts. They inspect materials and other property and investigate fraud.

Related careers

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster of careers.

Related careers include:

Military careers

Job duties

Task list

The following list of tasks is specific to compliance officers and inspectors.

Investigate complaints, accidents, and suspected violations.
Inspect facilities, products, equipment, or plans.
Conduct surveys and interviews to get information about complaints and violations.
Conduct tests on equipment and collect samples for laboratory analysis.
Approve or disapprove license and permit applications after reviewing them.
Issue citations and recommend corrective measures.
Prepare reports of findings and recommendations.
Provide information, technical assistance, and guidance to individuals, businesses, or government agencies.
Give, monitor, and score licensing exams.
Testify in court and at hearings.
Examine records, reports, and other documents to analyze information and procedures.
Investigate unfair hiring practices.
Develop guidelines for monitoring, testing, and compliance.
Study and interpret laws, rules, written reports, and complaints.

Common work activities

Compliance officers and inspectors perform the following tasks. These tasks are common to many careers.

Evaluate information against standards
Get information needed to do the job
Identify objects, actions, and events
Communicate with supervisors, peers, or subordinates
Document and record information
Use computers
Communicate with people outside the organization
Process information
Make decisions and solve problems
Analyze data or information
Organize, plan, and prioritize work
Establish and maintain relationships
Monitor events, materials, and surroundings
Resolve conflicts and negotiate with others
Update and use job-related knowledge
Explain the meaning of information to others
Perform administrative tasks
Perform for or work with the public
Judge the value of objects, services, or people
Schedule work and activities
Provide advice and consultation to others
Inspect equipment, structures, or materials
Develop goals and strategies
Think creatively
Estimate sizes, quantities, time, cost, or materials needed

Work requirements

Working conditions

In a typical work setting, compliance officers and inspectors:

Interpersonal relationships

Have a high level of social contact. They regularly talk to others when making inspections.
Communicate mostly by telephone, e-mail, and face-to-face discussions. They also write letters and memos.
Often find themselves in conflict situations when people disagree with their findings and recommendations.
Often deal with unpleasant, angry, or discourteous people.
Are responsible for the health and safety of the public. This applies mostly to environmental compliance inspectors.
Are somewhat responsible for the work done by other officers and inspectors.
Often work as part of a team.

Physical work conditions

Work indoors daily. Not all work sites will have heating or air conditioning.
Occasionally work outdoors when doing inspections.
Sometimes are exposed to contaminants when working in environmental compliance.
Sometimes are exposed to loud and distracting noise levels and sounds.
May travel to and from work sites in a truck, van, or car.
May share office space with other officers and inspectors.

Work performance

Must be exact and highly accurate in the job. Errors can have serious consequences, such as accidents.
Repeat the same physical and mental tasks.
Make decisions that greatly impact others, including customers, members of the public, and their own organization.
Make important decisions on a daily basis. They often are able to act independently, but also seek input from others.
Set some of their daily tasks and goals independently, but also get direction from supervisors.
Must meet weekly and monthly deadlines.

Hours/travel

Work 40 hours per week.
May travel frequently to visit inspection sites.

Physical demands

Compliance officers and inspectors frequently:

Sit for long periods of time.

It is important for compliance officers and inspectors to be able to:

Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Understand the speech of another person.
See details of objects that are less than a few feet away.
See details of objects that are more than a few feet away.

It is not as important, but still necessary, for compliance officers and inspectors to be able to:

Focus on one source of sound and ignore others.
See differences between colors, shades, and brightness.
Use fingers to grasp, move, or assemble very small objects.
Determine the distance between objects.
Hear sounds and recognize the difference between them.
Use stomach and lower back muscles to support the body for long periods without getting tired.
Make quick, precise adjustments to machine controls.
Hold the arm and hand in one position or hold the hand steady while moving the arm.
Move two or more limbs together (for example, two arms, two legs, or one leg and one arm) while remaining in place.

Skills and abilities

Compliance officers and inspectors need to:

Communicate

Understand written information.
Listen to others and ask questions.
Understand spoken information.
Speak clearly so listeners can understand.
Read and understand work-related materials.
Write clearly so other people can understand.

Reason and problem solve

Combine several pieces of information and draw conclusions.
Notice when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong.
Analyze ideas and use logic to determine their strengths and weaknesses.
Use reasoning to discover answers to problems.
Follow guidelines to arrange objects or actions in a certain order.
Judge the costs and benefits of a possible action.
Understand new information or materials by studying and working with them.
Recognize the nature of a problem.
Develop rules that group items in various ways.
Identify what must be changed to reach goals.
Recognize when important changes happen or are likely to happen in a system.
Concentrate and not be distracted while performing a task.
Think of new ideas about a topic.

Manage oneself, people, time, and things

Check how well one is learning or doing something.
Manage the time of self and others.

Work with people

Be aware of others' reactions and understand the possible causes.
Change behavior in relation to others' actions.
Look for ways to help people.
Persuade others to approach things differently.

Perceive and visualize

Identify a pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in distracting material.
Quickly and accurately compare letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns.

Education and training

Educational programs

The programs of study listed below will help you prepare for the occupation or career cluster you are exploring.

Programs of study directly related to this occupation

Other programs of study to consider

Training

To work as a compliance officer or inspector, you typically need to:

have a high school diploma or equivalent;
have a bachelor's degree; and
complete moderate-term, on-the-job training.

Education after high school

The required education for a compliance officer or inspector varies, depending on your area of interest.

You need a bachelor's degree or higher for many environmental compliance jobs. Your major should be in biology, chemistry, physical science, or sanitation.

Government inspectors often need at least a bachelor's degree. Areas that may be helpful include public administration and sociology.

A high school diploma and related work experience can qualify you for some jobs, such as driver's license examiner and pressure vessel inspector.

Work experience

Work experience in related occupations can qualify you for some specialties. However, most of these jobs have very specific educational requirements that cannot be offset by work experience.

On-the-job training

Employers provide formal and informal training in areas such as safety, interviewing techniques, and inspection procedures. As you progress through training, you receive assignments that are more complicated. The length of training varies by area of expertise. In general, you will receive up to one year of on-the-job training.

Military training

Some branches of the military train people to become environmental health and safety specialists or officers. For specialists, training lasts from 11 to 19 weeks, depending on your specialty. Additional training occurs on the job. Initial training is not offered for officers. They need at least a bachelor's degree to enter the military occupation. Most training is on the job.

Helpful high school courses

In high school, take classes that prepare you for college. A college preparatory curriculum may be different from your state's graduation requirements.

You should also consider taking some advanced courses in high school. This includes Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) courses if they are available in your school. If you do well in these courses, you may receive college credit for them. Advanced courses can also strengthen your college application.

Helpful electives to take in high school that prepare you for this career include:

Business Law
Computer Applications
Consumer Law
Driver Education

The courses listed above are meant to help you create your high school plan. If you have not already done so, talk to a school counselor or parent about the courses you are considering taking.

You should also check with a teacher or counselor to see if work-based learning opportunities are available in your school and community. These might include field trips, job shadowing, internships, and actual work experience. The goal of these activities is to help you connect your school experiences with real-life work.

Join some groups, try some hobbies, or volunteer with an organization that interests you. By participating in activities you can have fun, make new friends, and learn about yourself. Maybe one of them will help direct you to a future career. Here are examples of activities and groups that may be available in your high school or community.

Things to know

Most employers require a bachelor's degree.

Jobs as a pressure vessel inspector may require special certifications.

Employers prefer to hire people who can communicate sensitive information in a friendly and tactful way. They prefer to hire people who have shown that they have good time-management skills. Compliance officers and inspectors must be able to work independently and also cooperatively with others.

Costs to workers

Some workers may pay annual dues to belong to a professional association.

#Took over national content to remove reference to the Professional and Administrative Career Exam (PACE) for federal government inspectors which has been abolished, 2/19/18 cj.

Licensing/certification

Licensing and certification requirements vary by state and job specialty.

Job listings

Listed below are links to job categories from the National Labor Exchange that relate to this career. Once you get a list of jobs, you can view information about individual jobs and find out how to apply. If your job search finds too many openings, or if you wish to search for jobs outside of Washington, you will need to refine your search.

To get a listing of current jobs from the WorkSource system, go to the WorkSource website (external link) .

Wages

Compliance officers (SOC 13-1041)

Location	Pay Period
Location	Pay Period	10%	25%	Median	75%	90%
Washington	Hourly	$18.73	$27.65	$37.27	$52.67	$66.99
	Monthly	$3,246	$4,792	$6,459	$9,128	$11,609
	Yearly	$38,960	$57,510	$77,510	$109,560	$139,340
Bellingham	Hourly	$21.98	$30.95	$42.90	$45.49	$46.79
	Monthly	$3,809	$5,364	$7,435	$7,883	$8,109
	Yearly	$45,720	$64,362	$89,232	$94,638	$97,327
Bremerton-Silverdale	Hourly	$25.78	$29.43	$36.41	$46.37	$52.10
	Monthly	$4,468	$5,100	$6,310	$8,036	$9,029
	Yearly	$53,627	$61,215	$75,742	$96,445	$108,369
Clarkston-Lewiston	Hourly	$15.01	$16.78	$19.32	$28.23	$34.84
	Monthly	$2,601	$2,908	$3,348	$4,892	$6,038
	Yearly	$31,206	$34,896	$40,173	$58,719	$72,472
Kennewick-Richland	Hourly	$24.06	$31.97	$41.94	$58.50	$67.48
	Monthly	$4,170	$5,540	$7,268	$10,138	$11,694
	Yearly	$50,029	$66,485	$87,232	$121,676	$140,356
Longview	Hourly	$21.10	$26.24	$31.01	$42.28	$57.31
	Monthly	$3,657	$4,547	$5,374	$7,327	$9,932
	Yearly	$43,885	$54,572	$64,489	$87,939	$119,194
Mount Vernon-Anacortes	Hourly	$23.44	$28.25	$34.52	$40.75	$54.96
	Monthly	$4,062	$4,896	$5,982	$7,062	$9,525
	Yearly	$48,735	$58,758	$71,786	$84,780	$114,326
Olympia-Tumwater	Hourly	$23.53	$28.26	$31.96	$37.07	$52.60
	Monthly	$4,078	$4,897	$5,539	$6,424	$9,116
	Yearly	$48,938	$58,767	$66,482	$77,119	$109,410
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue	Hourly	$18.00	$28.50	$41.47	$58.97	$73.79
	Monthly	$3,119	$4,939	$7,187	$10,220	$12,788
	Yearly	$37,440	$59,287	$86,262	$122,656	$153,485
Spokane-Spokane Valley	Hourly	$16.12	$23.23	$31.18	$37.61	$47.04
	Monthly	$2,794	$4,026	$5,403	$6,518	$8,152
	Yearly	$33,518	$48,313	$64,863	$78,231	$97,845
Vancouver	Hourly	$22.78	$28.04	$35.11	$45.12	$57.52
	Monthly	$3,948	$4,859	$6,085	$7,819	$9,968
	Yearly	$47,390	$58,321	$73,022	$93,836	$119,651
Walla Walla	Hourly	$18.44	$27.57	$30.84	$38.73	$46.75
	Monthly	$3,196	$4,778	$5,345	$6,712	$8,102
	Yearly	$38,359	$57,360	$64,148	$80,546	$97,232
Wenatchee	Hourly	$22.49	$26.32	$33.61	$43.65	$49.67
	Monthly	$3,898	$4,561	$5,825	$7,565	$8,608
	Yearly	$46,771	$54,757	$69,900	$90,784	$103,325
Yakima	Hourly	$19.17	$25.89	$33.60	$43.16	$59.10
	Monthly	$3,322	$4,487	$5,823	$7,480	$10,242
	Yearly	$39,888	$53,859	$69,888	$89,763	$122,946
United States	Hourly	$18.42	$24.34	$33.10	$43.74	$52.72
	Monthly	$3,192	$4,218	$5,736	$7,580	$9,136
	Yearly	$38,320	$50,620	$68,860	$90,980	$109,650

Pay varies with the size and type of government agency and the location of the job. Wages are higher in large cities where agency budgets are bigger and living costs are higher.

Because they work for government agencies, most compliance officers and inspectors receive typical benefits. These include health insurance, paid vacation, sick leave, and a retirement plan.

Employment and outlook

Washington outlook

The table below provides information about the number of workers in this career in various regions. It also provides information about the expected growth rate and future job openings.

Compliance Officers, Except Agriculture, Construction, Health and Safety, and Transportation (SOC 13-1041)

		This occupation	All occupations
Location	Current employment	Growth over 10 years		Annual openings
Washington	10,633	16.3%	16.1%	1,253
Adams, Chelan, Douglas, Grant, and Okanogan Counties	158	17.7%	13.4%	19
Asotin, Columbia, Ferry, Garfield, Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Walla Walla, and Whitman Counties	116	8.6%	8.6%	11
Benton and Franklin Counties	201	10.4%	15.0%	20
Clallam, Jefferson, and Kitsap Counties	150	10.0%	11.9%	15
Clark, Cowlitz, and Wahkiakum Counties	295	12.2%	15.2%	32
Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston Counties	874	10.2%	14.1%	89
Island, San Juan, Skagit, and Whatcom Counties	716	4.9%	14.6%	64
King County	6,361	20.3%	19.6%	811
Kittitas, Klickitat, Skamania, and Yakima Counties	211	8.5%	13.8%	21
Pierce County	549	18.2%	15.2%	67
Snohomish County	552	12.1%	12.4%	59
Spokane County	544	14.0%	13.9%	60
United States	319,900	5.8%	5.2%	30,700

National employment

Major employers:

Federal, state, and local government agencies
Insurance companies

National outlook

The outlook for compliance officers and inspectors depends on public interest in safety and regulation. Outlook is also affected by funding for government agencies. Growth is expected to increase in this occupation. Most compliance officers and inspectors work for government agencies so job security is good.

Other resources

American Industrial Hygiene Association
3141 Fairview Park Drive, Suite 777
Falls Church, VA 22042
703.849.8888

Board of Certified Safety Professionals

Explore Health Careers: Built Environment Specialist

Explore Health Careers: Environmental Health Practitioner

Explore Health Careers: Food Safety Specialist

Health Physics Society (HPS)
950 Herndon Parkway, Suite 450
Herndon, VA 20170

National Environmental Health Association
720 South Colorado Boulevard, Suite 1000-N
Denver, CO 80246
866.956.2258
303.756.9090

National Fire Protection Association
1 Batterymarch Park
Quincy, MA 02169
617.770.3000

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)

National Treasury Employees Union
1750 H Street NW
Washington, DC 20006
202.572.5500

Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians
PO Box 384
Snohomish, WA 98291
425.377.1855

Washington State Environmental Health Association
PO Box 721
South Bend, WA 98586
360.875.8058

References

Career cluster

Government and Public Administration

Career path

Conventional (Business Operations)

O*Net occupations

O*Net job zones

Job Zone 3 - Medium preparation needed. Previous work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is required for these occupations.
Job Zone 4 - Considerable preparation needed. A minimum of two to four years of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations.

DOT occupations

Holland occupational clusters

Conventional/Enterprising/Realistic
Conventional/Enterprising/Social
Conventional/Investigative/Realistic
Enterprising/Conventional/Social
Investigative/Conventional/Realistic
Social/Enterprising/Conventional

COPSystem

Service Professional