How do you calculate a compliance audit score?

Multiply each rating by its weight and add them: severity × 0.40 + occurrence × 0.35 + detection × 0.25. With severity 8, occurrence 6 and detection 7, that is 3.2 + 2.1 + 1.75 = 7.05.

What is a good compliance audit score?

Lower is better because the score reflects risk. On a 1-10 scale, findings under 3 are usually minor, 3-6 warrant scheduled action, and anything above 7 — like our 7.05 example — should trigger corrective action promptly.

Why is severity weighted higher than occurrence and detection?

A single catastrophic non-conformance (a fall hazard, a regulatory violation) can outweigh many trivial recurring ones, so severity carries 40% versus 35% for occurrence and 25% for detection.

How is this different from a standard FMEA RPN?

A classic RPN multiplies all three factors equally (S × O × D), which inflates scores and treats the factors as equal. This weighted model keeps the score on the same 1-10 scale and deliberately prioritizes severity.

What score should trigger a corrective action?

Most quality systems set a threshold around 7. Our example at 7.05 sits just over that line, so it would be flagged for a formal CAPA rather than a note-and-monitor response.

Can I change the weightings for my audit program?

Yes, but keep them summing to 1.00 so the output stays on a 1-10 scale. Many aerospace programs push severity to 0.50; consumer-goods audits may raise detection.

Safety & Workforce calculator

Compliance Audit Score Calculator

A Compliance Audit Score converts three subjective auditor judgments — how bad a non-conformance is, how often it recurs, and how easily it slips past controls — into a single weighted number you can rank and act on. EHS managers, ISO 9001/14001 lead auditors and IATF 16949 quality teams use it to triage a stack of findings so the highest-risk gaps get corrective action first. Unlike a raw RPN, this model weights severity most heavily (40%) because a serious safety or regulatory breach matters more than a frequent-but-minor paperwork miss. It turns 'we have 40 open findings' into 'these five above 7.0 need CAPA this week.'

What this calculator does

Score compliance audit risk from findings severity, occurrence, and detection.
Use it when compliance audit in safety and workforce needs a defensible ranking against other safety and workforce risks for the next review.
It computes a single weighted risk score from severity (40%), occurrence (35%) and detection (25%) ratings, each scored 1-10.

Formula used

Weighted score = severity × 0.40 + occurrence × 0.35 + detection × 0.25

Inputs explained

Non-conformance severity rating:
Recurrence likelihood rating:
Audit detectability rating:

How to use the result

Use it during internal audits, supplier audits or management reviews to prioritize which non-conformances get corrective action first.
The 1-10 ratings are auditor judgments, so two auditors can score the same finding differently — calibrate your rating scale before trusting the numbers across a team.

Current U.S. benchmarks

Manufacturing hourly earnings average $30.27 (BLS, Jun 2026), up 4.4% from a year earlier. Median machinist pay is $28.24/hr (OEWS 2025), with state medians on each state page. Manufacturers have 529k open positions nationally (BLS JOLTS).

Common questions

How do you calculate a compliance audit score? Multiply each rating by its weight and add them: severity × 0.40 + occurrence × 0.35 + detection × 0.25. With severity 8, occurrence 6 and detection 7, that is 3.2 + 2.1 + 1.75 = 7.05.
What is a good compliance audit score? Lower is better because the score reflects risk. On a 1-10 scale, findings under 3 are usually minor, 3-6 warrant scheduled action, and anything above 7 — like our 7.05 example — should trigger corrective action promptly.
Why is severity weighted higher than occurrence and detection? A single catastrophic non-conformance (a fall hazard, a regulatory violation) can outweigh many trivial recurring ones, so severity carries 40% versus 35% for occurrence and 25% for detection.
How is this different from a standard FMEA RPN? A classic RPN multiplies all three factors equally (S × O × D), which inflates scores and treats the factors as equal. This weighted model keeps the score on the same 1-10 scale and deliberately prioritizes severity.
What score should trigger a corrective action? Most quality systems set a threshold around 7. Our example at 7.05 sits just over that line, so it would be flagged for a formal CAPA rather than a note-and-monitor response.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.