Customs and Border Protection Officers Career, Salary and Skills
Customs and Border Protection Officers have a BLS-reported national median annual wage of $76,210 based on the 2025 OEWS dataset, with reported national employment of 670,520. Wage data is published for 439 locations.
Occupation description
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.
O*NET code
33-3051.04
Job zone
3
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Experience
None
National salary and employment
Median annual
$76,210
Hourly median
$36.64
Employment
670,520
Data year
2025
National salary distribution
Top skills
| Skill | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Critical Thinking | 4.00 | 3.88 |
| Speaking | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Active Listening | 4.00 | 4.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.88 | 3.38 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.88 | 3.88 |
| Monitoring | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Writing | 3.62 | 3.75 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.62 | 3.50 |
| Active Learning | 3.38 | 3.12 |
| Coordination | 3.38 | 3.38 |
Typical tasks
- 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.
Technology
- Automated Manifest System AMS
- Corel WordPerfect Office Suite
- Global positioning system GPS software
- IBM WebSphere MQ
- Law enforcement information databases
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft Word
- National Crime Information Center (NCIC) database
- SAP software
- Treasury Enforcement Communications System TECS
Customs and Border Protection Officers salary by location
Areas with the highest reported employment for this occupation.
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in CAMedian $118,880 · Employment 65,940
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in TXMedian $75,900 · Employment 63,100
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in New York, NYMedian $105,540 · Employment 54,270
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in NYMedian $92,790 · Employment 53,470
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in FLMedian $74,470 · Employment 43,630
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in ILMedian $100,520 · Employment 29,180
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in PAMedian $85,470 · Employment 26,510
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in Los Angeles, CAMedian $121,980 · Employment 24,720
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in OHMedian $77,020 · Employment 23,430
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in Chicago, ILMedian $107,810 · Employment 22,680
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in NCMedian $59,300 · Employment 22,370
- Customs and Border Protection Officers Salary in GAMedian $58,120 · Employment 22,170
Related careers
- Police Identification and Records OfficersNational median $93,790
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators and AnalystsNational median $81,100
- Transportation InspectorsNational median $92,100
- Compliance ManagersNational median $141,900
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue AgentsNational median $62,370
- Environmental Compliance InspectorsNational median $80,730
- Intelligence AnalystsNational median $93,790
- Agricultural InspectorsNational median $49,940
Career and skills data: O*NET 31.0 (onetcenter.org). Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS, 2025 (bls.gov/oes). Figures are published survey estimates, not real-time market data.