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Customs and Border Protection Officers: Career Profile
Investigate and inspect persons, common carriers, goods, and merchandise, arriving in or departing from the United States or between states to detect violations of immigration and customs laws and regulations.
What Tasks Do Customs and Border Protection Officers Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of customs and border protection officers cover:
- Examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S.
- Detain persons found to be in violation of customs or immigration laws and arrange for legal action, such as deportation.
- Inspect cargo, baggage, and personal articles entering or leaving U.S. for compliance with revenue laws and U.S. customs regulations.
- Locate and seize contraband, undeclared merchandise, and vehicles, aircraft, or boats that contain such merchandise.
- Interpret and explain laws and regulations to travelers, prospective immigrants, shippers, and manufacturers.
- Institute civil and criminal prosecutions and cooperate with other law enforcement agencies in the investigation and prosecution of those in violation of immigration or customs laws.
- Testify regarding decisions at immigration appeals or in federal court.
- Record and report job-related activities, findings, transactions, violations, discrepancies, and decisions.
Skills and Knowledge
Effective customs and border protection officers rely on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Agriculture Specialist
- Air Import Specialist
- Border Patrol Agent
- Canine Enforcement Officer (K-9 Enforcement Officer)
- Customs Import Specialist
- Customs Inspector
- Customs Officer
- Customs Opener
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 353,771 customs and border protection officers working in the United States today. Employment is projected to decline by -1.2% over the projection horizon.
Customs and Border Protection Officers Pay
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $50,191 |
| Hourly median | $24.13 |
| 10th percentile | $30,631 |
| 25th percentile | $40,411 |
| 75th percentile | $59,972 |
| 90th percentile | $69,752 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $115,400 |
| Washington | $102,640 |
| Illinois | $101,530 |
| Alaska | $100,300 |
| Colorado | $96,100 |
| New York | $93,050 |
| Hawaii | $89,390 |
| New Jersey | $89,030 |
| District of Columbia | $88,330 |
| Oregon | $88,140 |
| Pennsylvania | $86,350 |
| Minnesota | $83,310 |
| Delaware | $83,230 |
| Connecticut | $82,820 |
| Arizona | $79,370 |
| Wisconsin | $78,980 |
| Nevada | $78,670 |
| Massachusetts | $78,610 |
| Maryland | $77,440 |
| Rhode Island | $77,280 |
| Utah | $77,210 |
| Ohio | $77,050 |
| Texas | $76,350 |
| Florida | $76,190 |
| North Dakota | $75,530 |
| Michigan | $74,420 |
| Iowa | $73,900 |
| Nebraska | $72,160 |
| Indiana | $71,540 |
| Montana | $69,910 |
| New Hampshire | $67,620 |
| Idaho | $66,150 |
| Maine | $65,330 |
| Wyoming | $65,180 |
| Virginia | $65,110 |
| Vermont | $63,690 |
| New Mexico | $63,340 |
| Missouri | $60,720 |
| South Dakota | $60,300 |
| Kentucky | $60,230 |
| Tennessee | $59,410 |
| North Carolina | $58,030 |
| South Carolina | $58,020 |
| Oklahoma | $57,360 |
| Kansas | $56,610 |
| Georgia | $56,350 |
| West Virginia | $54,570 |
| Alabama | $53,850 |
| Louisiana | $50,580 |
| Arkansas | $48,090 |
| Mississippi | $45,610 |
| Puerto Rico | $44,860 |
Where Customs and Border Protection Officers Earn the Most
Pay for customs and border protection officers differ across the country. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $109,424 | 12.9% | 0.79 |
| Middle Atlantic | $89,292 | 17.1% | 1.17 |
| Great Lakes | $83,719 | 14.0% | 1.01 |
| Rocky Mountains | $82,960 | 3.1% | 0.78 |
| New England | $77,158 | 4.5% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $74,053 | 13.1% | 1.06 |
| Plains States | $68,450 | 5.9% | 0.89 |
| Southeast | $61,750 | 27.6% | 1.16 |
Top Metro Areas
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $150,650 | 2,520 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $133,190 | 7,860 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $128,980 | 280 |
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $128,470 | 660 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $123,140 | 450 |
| Salinas, CA | CA | $122,290 | 780 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $121,370 | 720 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | CA | $121,050 | 1,320 |
Industry Breakdown
The largest employers of customs and border protection officers are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Educational Services | 25,630 | $64,310 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 2,450 | $65,410 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 450 | $81,200 |
Below are examples of industries where customs and border protection officers work:
Software Customs and Border Protection Officers Use
- Cloud-based management software: IBM WebSphere MQ (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for customs and border protection officers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Customs and Border Protection Officers
Entry-level customs and border protection officers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Medium Preparation Needed (Job Zone 3), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Compliance Managers (Supplemental)
- Compliance Officers (Primary-Short)
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors (Supplemental)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (Primary-Long)
- Customs Brokers (Primary-Short)
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents (Supplemental)
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and Analysts (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives (Primary-Long)
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 33-3051.04 (Police and Sheriff’s Patrol Officers).
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