Titled "2005 EOA Survey of Ethics & Compliance Officer Jobs," the results of the survey show the increase in value that ethics and compliance officer jobs have in today's highly scrutinized business world, which is still recovering from dozens of high profile corporate scandals in the past five years. 

Given the increasing importance being placed on corporate ethics and compliance, Salary.com's analysis of the survey says that top ethics executives are receiving salaries comparable to that of a chief information officer.

The survey also notes that nearly 79 percent of ethics and compliance executives possess a law or master's degree. The growth in importance and number of ethics and compliance positions available is further supported by EOA membership statistics, which show that membership in the organization has doubled over the past five years.

"Today, our compensation team answers more questions about ethics and compliance jobs than any other profession, which validates the significance of the job title within corporate America today," according to Joseph Kilmartin, director of surveys at Salary.com. "It is likely that the ethics and compliance profession will become more important in the years to come with stricter corporate governance in place."

For more information: www.eoa.org.