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Salary comparison

Compliance Officers vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other: Who Earns More?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other out-earn Compliance Officers by $2K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Compliance Officers land at $80,730 and Business Operations Specialists, All Other at $83,050. The education gap is real: compliance officer programs typically require bachelor's degree, while business operations specialists, all other programs require bachelor's degree. Top-paying state for Compliance Officers is District of Columbia ($111,030); for Business Operations Specialists, All Other it's District of Columbia ($108,160).

Compliance Officers
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
Median salary
$80,730
$83,050
Hourly rate
$38.81/hr
$39.93/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$48,220
$47,880
Senior level (90th %)
$133,720
$150,010
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
U.S. employment
417,070
1,087,090
Job growth (10-year)
3%
3%
Category
Business & Finance
Business & Finance
Top-paying state
District of Columbia
District of Columbia

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Compliance Officers median pay.

State
Compliance Officers
Business Operations Specialists, All Other
District of Columbia
$111,030
$108,160
Massachusetts
$102,060
$93,270
New Jersey
$100,000
$91,060
California
$96,980
$87,570
Connecticut
$91,810
$85,530
Delaware
$91,050
$95,040
Washington
$88,790
$100,360
Rhode Island
$87,620
$88,130
Maryland
$84,720
$101,500
Hawaii
$82,590
$92,620
Colorado
$82,450
$92,520
Alaska
$76,430
$94,740
Alabama
$72,990
$100,240
South Dakota
$72,630
$85,340
Oklahoma
$63,000
$93,640

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Compliance Officers or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Business Operations Specialists, All Other earn more nationally. The median is $80,730 for Compliance Officers versus $83,050 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other, a difference of $2K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Compliance Officers or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Compliance Officers has the better 10-year outlook at 3% projected growth, compared to 3% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Compliance Officers or Business Operations Specialists, All Other?

Compliance Officers typically requires bachelor's degree. Business Operations Specialists, All Other requires bachelor's degree. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Compliance Officers get paid the most?

District of Columbia is the top-paying state for Compliance Officers at $111,030/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Compliance Officers vs. Business Operations Specialists, All Other pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In District of Columbia, Compliance Officers earn $111,030 vs. $108,160 for Business Operations Specialists, All Other. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Compliance Officers salary breakdownView →Full Business Operations Specialists, All Other salary breakdownView →Best cities for Compliance Officers by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Business Operations Specialists, All Other by take-home payExplore →How to become a compliance officersGuide →How to become a business operations specialists, all otherGuide →