# Financial Examiners

> Enforce or ensure compliance with laws and regulations governing financial and securities institutions and financial and real estate transactions. May examine, verify, or authenticate records.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/financial-examiners
- SOC code: 13-2061.00
- Career family: Business and finance
- Median annual pay: $94,160 (10th percentile $56,230, 90th percentile $174,200)
- Projected growth: Much faster than average, +9.3%
- Openings a year: 4,500
- Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree
- Bright outlook: yes
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections

## Interest profile (code CEI)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 6 |
| Investigative (I) | 43 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 25 |
| Enterprising (E) | 61 |
| Conventional (C) | 90 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 93/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 91/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 88/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 87/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 81/100)
- Communicating with People Outside the Organization (importance 79/100)
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships (importance 77/100)
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work (importance 77/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 77/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 76/100)

## Skills

Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Speaking, Writing, Complex Problem Solving, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Active Learning, Coordination

## Knowledge

English Language, Economics and Accounting, Law and Government, Mathematics, Administration and Management, Computers and Electronics, Administrative, Customer and Personal Service, Education and Training, Personnel and Human Resources

## Also called

AML Director (Anti-Money Laundering Director), Anti Money Laundering Investigator (AML Investigator), Bank Compliance Officer, Bank Examiner, Bank Secrecy Act Anti-Money Laundering Officer (BSA/AML Officer), BSA Analyst (Business Systems Analyst), BSA Officer (Bank Secrecy Act Officer), BSA Specialist (Bank Secrecy Act Specialist), Commercial Escrow Officer, Community Reinvestment Act Officer (CRA Officer)

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Accounting and Related Services](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5203) (CIP 5203, 1,951 colleges)
- [Criminal Justice and Corrections](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4301) (CIP 4301, 1,742 colleges)
- [Security Science and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4304) (CIP 4304, 513 colleges)
- [Taxation](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/5216) (CIP 5216, 125 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Georgetown University-DC](https://www.collegesref.com/college/georgetown-university-dc-1068) | Accounting and Related Services | not reported | $141,931 | $16,035 |
| [Bucknell University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/bucknell-university-331) | Accounting and Related Services | $87,150 | $130,990 | $25,350 |
| [Santa Clara University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/santa-clara-university-2371) | Accounting and Related Services | $88,383 | $130,087 | $16,249 |
| [Boston College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/boston-college-285) | Accounting and Related Services | $85,089 | $126,461 | $19,000 |
| [Lehigh University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/lehigh-university-1472) | Accounting and Related Services | $83,966 | $125,874 | $19,000 |
| [Villanova University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/villanova-university-3127) | Accounting and Related Services | $83,193 | $120,207 | $24,187 |
| [American University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/american-university-69) | Accounting and Related Services | not reported | $119,020 | not reported |
| [Washington and Lee University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/washington-and-lee-university-3167) | Accounting and Related Services | not reported | $118,946 | $19,500 |

## Related careers

- [Accountants and Auditors](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/accountants-and-auditors): $83,680 median pay
- [Compliance Managers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compliance-managers): $141,900 median pay
- [Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/fraud-examiners-investigators-and-analysts): $81,100 median pay
- [Credit Analysts](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/credit-analysts): $83,510 median pay
- [Treasurers and Controllers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/treasurers-and-controllers): $166,570 median pay
- [Financial Risk Specialists](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/financial-risk-specialists): $117,330 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.