What is the salary and career path for a dot compliance manager?
DOT compliance managers are counted within Compliance Officers, SOC 13-1041, a broad code whose OEWS May 2025 median is $80,730 a year ($38.81 an hour), from $48,220 at the 10th percentile to $133,720 at the 90th; transportation-safety compliance sits across that range by fleet size and regulatory exposure. BLS projects 3% growth over 2024–2034 with about 33,300 openings a year across the compliance code. There is no single licence, but the role runs on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations — driver qualification under 49 CFR Part 391, hours-of-service and ELDs under Part 395, the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, vehicle maintenance files under Part 396, and the CSA Safety Measurement System — and is usually reached through safety, operations or fleet experience.
- DOT Compliance Managers earn a national median $80,730/yr ($38.81/hr) (BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041); the top 10% clear $133,720.
- There is no single licence, but the role runs on the FMCSRs — 49 CFR Parts 382, 391, 395 and 396 — plus the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and CSA Safety Measurement System, usually reached from safety or operations experience.
- BLS projects 3% growth 2024–34 with about 33,300 openings a year across SOC 13-1041; the top 10% clear $133,720.
- The ladder runs compliance coordinator ($48,220) to DOT compliance manager ($80,730 median) to senior safety manager ($109,010) to director of safety, driven by fleet size and audit record.
Career Path
How do you become a dot compliance manager?
Compliance / safety coordinator
Maintaining DQ files, running Clearinghouse queries and logging HOS violations; entry sits near the 10th percentile of $48,220 for the compliance code.
DOT compliance manager
Owning a fleet's FMCSA compliance programme, audits and CSA scores, around the $80,730 median for SOC 13-1041.
Senior compliance / safety manager
Running compliance across a large or multi-terminal fleet with audit and litigation exposure pays toward the 75th percentile of $109,010.
Director of safety and compliance
Enterprise responsibility for safety strategy, regulatory relations and risk reaches the 90th percentile of $133,720.
BLS Salary Data
Which state pays dot compliance managers the most in 2026?
Source: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041. National median: $80,730. Full salary guide →
Pay Comparison
How does dot compliance manager pay compare to related roles?
Head-to-head against the roles dot compliance managers most often weigh against. BLS OEWS May 2025 medians.
Takeaway: dot compliance managers rank 2 of 4 on median pay among the comparable roles above, with a projected +3% employment change 2024–34 (BLS Employment Projections). Pay position and projected demand together are what determine how quickly dot compliance managers clear offers across the GlobalCybers placement network.
Methodology & Sources
How this guide is sourced and reviewed
Wages (BLS): All median and percentile figures are BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041 (dot compliance managers) and the matching SOC codes for each comparison role. OEWS is sampled on a rolling 3-year basis and published ~10 months after collection, so treat it as a firm anchor rather than a spot rate.
Job growth: Projected 2024–34 employment change, and the average annual openings figure, are from the BLS Employment Projections program, by occupation. Openings are a per-year average over the projection decade, not a decade total.
Licensing & credentials:Requirements are drawn from the issuing state licensing boards and the certifying body behind each credential — not from third-party aggregators.
Demand signal:Any statement about how quickly this role clears offers reflects GlobalCybers placement request volume across the trailing 12 months — our own network data, offered as a directional real-world indicator alongside BLS, not a market-wide survey.
Credentials
What licences and certifications do dot compliance managers need?
The North American Transportation Management Institute's Certified Director of Safety and Certified Safety Supervisor, the recognised transportation-safety credentials for the role. See all state licences →
Not a certificate but the core qualification: 49 CFR Parts 382, 383, 391, 395 and 396 plus the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse and CSA/SMS.
Required where the fleet hauls hazardous materials, covering shipping papers, placarding and security-plan obligations under Part 172.
Frequently preferred for compliance-manager roles, though safety- and operations-based progression is common in trucking.
Tools & Software
What tools and software do dot compliance managers use on the job?
⚙️ Core Tools & Equipment
📊 BLS Employment Data, SOC 13-1041
Salary Levers
How do dot compliance managers earn above the $80,730 BLS median?
Fleet size and risk exposure
Large fleets and hazmat or passenger operations carry more regulatory risk and pay toward the $109,010 seventy-fifth percentile
Audit and CSA track record
A clean audit history and improving CSA scores are what earn promotion into senior and director roles
Breadth of regulation managed
Adding hazmat, DOT drug-and-alcohol, and multi-jurisdiction compliance raises the value of the role
Move to director of safety
Enterprise safety-and-compliance leadership is what clears the $133,720 top decile of the compliance code
This Route vs. College
Is becoming a dot compliance manager worth it vs. a 4-year degree?
The entry route into this role, set against a four-year degree. Same starting line, side by side.
Entry-level (10th percentile) and all-level median wages: BLS OEWS May 2025, SOC 13-1041. Student-debt figure: median federal borrower balance for bachelor's-degree completers. Starting-salary comparison is illustrative and varies by field and region.
FAQ
DOT Compliance Manager Career, Frequently Asked Questions
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