Financial Examiners

Career Overview

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.

Also Known As

  • Bank Examiner
  • Bank Secrecy Act Anti-Money Laundering Officer (BSA/AML Officer)
  • Credit Union Examiner
  • Examining Officer

Alternate Job Titles

  • 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)
  • Compliance Analyst
  • Compliance Coordinator
  • Compliance Investigator
  • Compliance Specialist
  • Compliance Tester

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

  • Direct and participate in formal and informal meetings with bank directors, trustees, senior management, counsels, outside accountants, and consultants to gather information and discuss findings.
  • Recommend actions to ensure compliance with laws and regulations, or to protect solvency of institutions.
  • Prepare reports, exhibits, and other supporting schedules that detail an institution's safety and soundness, compliance with laws and regulations, and recommended solutions to questionable financial conditions.
  • Resolve problems concerning the overall financial integrity of banking institutions including loan investment portfolios, capital, earnings, and specific or large troubled accounts.
  • Investigate activities of institutions to enforce laws and regulations and to ensure legality of transactions and operations or financial solvency.
  • Review balance sheets, operating income and expense accounts, and loan documentation to confirm institution assets and liabilities.
  • Plan, supervise, and review work of assigned subordinates.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

  • English Language
  • Economics and Accounting

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

  1. Reading Comprehension
  2. Critical Thinking
  3. Active Listening
  4. Writing
  5. Speaking
  6. Monitoring
  7. Complex Problem Solving
  8. Judgment and Decision Making
  9. Mathematics
  10. Active Learning

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

  • Written Comprehension
  • Oral Expression
  • Deductive Reasoning
  • Inductive Reasoning
  • Oral Comprehension
  • Written Expression
  • Near Vision
  • Problem Sensitivity
  • Category Flexibility
  • Speech Recognition

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

  • Attention to Detail
  • Integrity
  • Cautiousness
  • Dependability
  • Intellectual Curiosity

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

  • Independence
  • Relationships
  • Achievement
  • Working Conditions
  • Recognition

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: Bachelor's Degree

On-the-Job Training: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years

Education Details: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.

Experience Required: A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

  • Microsoft Access
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Project
  • Microsoft SharePoint
  • Microsoft Visio
  • Microsoft Windows
  • Microsoft Word

Tools & Equipment

  • 10-key calculators
  • Desktop computers
  • Notebook computers
  • Personal computers

Work Environment

  • E-Mail
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
  • Spend Time Sitting
  • Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
  • Contact With Others

Salary & Job Market

Salary PercentileAnnual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)$53,420
Median$90,400
Top Earners (90th percentile)$171,540

Workers Employed Nationally: 62,830

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.

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