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Customs and Border Protection Officers

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipHigh pressure

What they do

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.

Kinds of work

  • Conventional: Organizing information, following clear procedures and working with data and details.
  • Enterprising: Leading, persuading, selling and starting new projects or businesses.
  • Realistic: Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals, often outdoors.

High pressure: How much pressure workers in this job report: deadlines, conflict, dealing with upset people, the cost of mistakes, responsibility for others' safety, competition and long hours. It varies a lot from one employer to the next. Source: U.S. Department of Labor worker surveys.

Pay, tasks and more

Salary

United States $76,210 Median per year · $36.64/hr Most earn $47,510–$115,120

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025.

What you might do

  • Examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S.
  • Interpret and explain laws and regulations to travelers, prospective immigrants, shippers, and manufacturers.
  • Record and report job-related activities, findings, transactions, violations, discrepancies, and decisions.
  • Examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S.
  • 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.
  • Investigate applications for duty refunds and petition for remission or mitigation of penalties when warranted.

Job outlook

United States
4% more jobs by 2035, about as fast as average · about 51,500 openings a year

Openings include new jobs and jobs left by workers who retire or change careers. Projections: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. "Bright Outlook": U.S. Department of Labor.

Where they work

  • Local government, excluding education and hospitals84.7%
  • State government, excluding education and hospitals8.9%
  • Colleges, universities, and professional schools2.5%

Share of all workers in this career. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, National Employment Matrix.

Experience before this job: 3 to 6 months

Some people start through an apprenticeship: paid training on the job, often with classes. Search apprenticeships on Apprenticeship.gov (opens in a new tab) ↗

Career path

How people usually get into this career, from school to their first job and beyond.

Typical education: Certificate or apprenticeshipExperience before this job: 3 to 6 monthsEntry-level

Customs and Border Protection Officer is an entry-level federal job, and people often get here within about a year of finishing school or training. Typical related work experience before hiring is around 3 to 6 months, so it can be a realistic first job for a motivated student.

  1. High school diploma

    4 years

    Build a solid base in reading, math, writing, and public speaking, and keep a clean record, since federal jobs run background checks.

  2. Transportation Security Screener

    3-6 months

    Work at an airport or transit security checkpoint, where you learn to inspect people and baggage, follow strict procedures, and stay calm under pressure.

  3. Customs and Border Protection Officer

    Career start

    After applying and passing background, fitness, and medical checks, you attend required federal training and then inspect travelers, cargo, and goods at ports of entry.

Where it can lead

  1. Supervisory Customs and Border Protection Officer

    3-5 years as an officer of experience first

    You lead a team of officers, set shift schedules, review their work, and handle the trickier cases, which usually requires strong records and good judgment.

  2. Criminal Investigator

    1-2 years of related experience of experience first

    You move from checking travelers and goods to investigating smuggling, fraud, and other violations in depth, often after building skills in case work and evidence handling.

What you can do now

Ideas for high school and college students.

In high school

  • Take government, civics, and social studies classesThese help you understand how laws, immigration, and trade rules work, which is the core of this job.
  • Join a debate or mock trial clubYou will practice asking good questions, listening closely, and explaining your reasoning clearly.
  • Get a part-time job that involves customer service or checking thingsWorking at a store, airport, or event venue builds the calm, careful habits officers need.
  • Take a foreign language classSpeaking a second language, especially Spanish, can be very useful at ports of entry.
  • Volunteer with a community safety or civic groupIt shows responsibility and gives you a chance to work with the public and follow rules.

In college

  • Study criminal justice, political science, or international relationsThese majors cover law, border policy, and government work that fit well with this career.
  • Look for a campus job with security or front-desk dutiesJobs like campus security or information desk work build experience checking IDs and handling people calmly.
  • Pursue a summer internship with a government agency or customs brokerHands-on work in trade or government settings shows you how inspections and paperwork really work.
  • Take a public speaking or writing courseOfficers must write clear reports and explain decisions, so these skills matter a lot.
  • Join a student organization focused on law, government, or global tradeClubs help you network with people in the field and learn what agencies look for in applicants.

Tips for getting started

  • Check the federal job site regularly and read each posting's requirements carefully, since age, citizenship, and education rules can differ by position.
  • Stay physically active and get a basic fitness routine going, because officer roles include physical tests and long shifts on your feet.
  • Practice clear, calm communication, especially with strangers. Officers spend much of their day asking questions and explaining decisions.

Related jobs a step up

Education, experience and related careers: U.S. Department of Labor. The step-by-step path, where it can lead and what you can do now were written by AI as typical examples; many people take other ways.

College majors that lead here

Majors: U.S. Department of Education and BLS (CIP–SOC crosswalk). Earnings and debt: College Scorecard, typical across U.S. colleges.

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