The pension examiner who audits employer-sponsored retirement plans for ERISA compliance — testing nondiscrimination rules, reviewing fiduciary practices, and surfacing prohibited transactions in plans that often run into the hundreds of millions.
Most days tend to involve plan document review, interviews with plan sponsors and administrators, testing of compliance items (nondiscrimination tests, vesting, fiduciary practices, prohibited transactions), and report writing on findings. You'll often work in exam teams or as a solo examiner depending on agency, request and review plan documents and operational data, and conduct on-site or remote field work with plan sponsors.
The variance between examiner types is real — DOL/EBSA investigators focus on fiduciary breaches, prohibited transactions, and reporting violations under ERISA Title I; IRS Employee Plans examiners focus on qualification issues, nondiscrimination testing, and Internal Revenue Code Title II compliance; PBGC examiners focus on defined benefit plan funding and reporting; some examiners work in joint exams or specific initiatives (Tip Compliance, missing participants). CRSP (Certified Retirement Services Professional) and similar credentials support specialty practice.
People who tend to thrive here are detail-oriented, comfortable with ERISA's regulatory complexity, and capable of report writing that withstands legal review. CPA, JD, or related background plus ERISA training anchors paths. The work tends to offer stable federal employment with pension benefits, intellectually engaging regulatory work, and meaningful impact on retirement security, with the trade-off being modest pay relative to private-sector ERISA practice and the politically complex environment around retirement policy — for those drawn to retirement plan regulation, the role offers durable purpose.
Where this role sits in the broader career landscape — and where it can take you.
Roles like this one sit within a broader occupational category. The numbers below reflect that full landscape — helpful for context, but your specific experience will depend on level, specialty, and where you work.
Roles with similar work and overlapping career paths
View all Business Operations roles →The pension examiner who audits employer-sponsored retirement plans for ERISA compliance — testing nondiscrimination rules, reviewing fiduciary practices, and surfacing prohibited transactions in plans that often run into the hundreds of millions.
Median pay for a Pension Examiner is about $90K nationally, with the field ranging roughly from $53K to $172K depending on experience, employer, and metro (BLS).
Core skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension, Active Listening, Writing, and Speaking.
Most people in this role hold a bachelor's degree.
Employment in this field is projected to grow about 18.5% through 2034, with roughly 62,830 people working in it today (BLS).
Closely related roles include Compliance Operations Manager, Compliance Coordinator, and Compliance Analyst.
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