by our College Data Analytics TeamA degree in Compliance Law involves the study of An Advanced, Professional Study Of The Law, Policies, And Regulations For Lawyers And Non-Legal Professionals In Compliance, Ethics, Internal Monitoring, Regulatory Affairs, And Related Areas. Examples: [Corporate Compliance], [Enterprise Risk Management And Compliance Law]. Read on to learn the essential details every compliance law student should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering compliance law programs.
Across the country, compliance law is a widely-pursued major, with 16 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Compliance Law Schools ranking analyzes these 2 schools to determine the best overall colleges for compliance law students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of compliance law programs later in this article.
Coursework for Compliance Law build a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations compliance law graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a compliance law program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
Per O*NET surveys, a compliance law major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several compliance law degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 16 |
People currently working in careers related to compliance law tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| First professional degree | 43.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 40.6% |
| Master’s degree | 13.5% |
| Post-master’s certificate | 1.8% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 0.9% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in compliance law careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in compliance law prepares you for a variety of career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to compliance law.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to compliance law.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,017,747 | -2.9% |
| Lawyers | 155,305 | 2.6% |
College Scorecard reports median earnings of compliance law graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $78,306 |
| 4 years | $93,383 |
| 5 years | $107,509 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for compliance law graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers compliance law grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Law Teachers, Postsecondary | $91,726 |
| Lawyers | $73,181 |
With 2 different compliance law programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased compliance law school rankings to help you.
Those considering compliance law, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
More about our data sources and methodologies.
