# Customs and Border Protection Officers

> 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.

- Edition: Data verified Nov 2026 · CollegesRef 2026–27 edition
- Page: https://www.collegesref.com/careers/customs-and-border-protection-officers
- SOC code: 33-3051.04
- Career family: Protective service
- Median annual pay: $76,210 (10th percentile $47,510, 90th percentile $115,120)
- Projected growth: As fast as average, +3.5%
- Openings a year: 51,500
- Typical entry education: High school diploma
- Bright outlook: no
- Data years: BLS 2025 wages · 2025–35 projections
- Pay and outlook are for the broader BLS group "Police and sheriff's patrol officers".

## Interest profile (code CER)

| Interest area | Score (0–100) |
| --- | ---: |
| Realistic (R) | 40 |
| Investigative (I) | 27 |
| Artistic (A) | 0 |
| Social (S) | 27 |
| Enterprising (E) | 55 |
| Conventional (C) | 71 |

## What you'd do

- Getting Information (importance 91/100)
- Working with Computers (importance 90/100)
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events (importance 89/100)
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates (importance 87/100)
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards (importance 86/100)
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems (importance 85/100)
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public (importance 85/100)
- Processing Information (importance 85/100)
- Analyzing Data or Information (importance 82/100)
- Documenting/Recording Information (importance 81/100)

## Skills

Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Speaking, Reading Comprehension, Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Monitoring, Writing, Active Learning, Coordination

## Knowledge

Law and Government, Public Safety and Security, English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology, Administrative, Computers and Electronics, Geography, Sociology and Anthropology, Education and Training

## Also called

Agriculture Specialist, Air Import Specialist, Border Patrol Agent, Canine Enforcement Officer (K-9 Enforcement Officer), Customs and Border Patrol Agent, Customs Import Specialist, Customs Inspector, Customs Officer, Customs Opener, Customs Packer

## Majors that lead here (NCES CIP–SOC crosswalk, 4-digit CIP)

- [Criminal Justice and Corrections](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4301) (CIP 4301, 1,742 colleges)
- [Security Science and Technology](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/4304) (CIP 4304, 513 colleges)
- [Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy](https://www.collegesref.com/programs/0302) (CIP 0302, 204 colleges)

## Colleges with strong outcomes (College Scorecard, 2025)

| College | Program | Earnings 1 yr | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt |
| --- | --- | ---: | ---: | ---: |
| [Calumet College of Saint Joseph](https://www.collegesref.com/college/calumet-college-of-saint-joseph-380) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $54,078 | $106,465 | $20,417 |
| [Champlain College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/champlain-college-508) | Security Science and Technology | $68,425 | $101,401 | $28,520 |
| [Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott](https://www.collegesref.com/college/embry-riddle-aeronautical-university-prescott-909) | Security Science and Technology | $58,252 | $98,996 | $20,500 |
| [Florida State University-Main Campus](https://www.collegesref.com/college/florida-state-university-main-campus-985) | Security Science and Technology | $60,178 | $93,841 | $15,125 |
| [Robert Morris University](https://www.collegesref.com/college/robert-morris-university-2246) | Security Science and Technology | $64,104 | $90,206 | $26,000 |
| [California State University-Bakersfield](https://www.collegesref.com/college/california-state-university-bakersfield-364) | Environmental/Natural Resources Management and Policy | not reported | $82,315 | not reported |
| [National University-California](https://www.collegesref.com/college/national-university-california-1825) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $66,056 | $81,299 | $25,000 |
| [Fisher College](https://www.collegesref.com/college/fisher-college-957) | Criminal Justice and Corrections | $48,983 | $80,136 | $26,875 |

## Related careers

- [Customs Brokers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/customs-brokers): $80,730 median pay
- [Detectives and Criminal Investigators](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/detectives-and-criminal-investigators): $93,790 median pay
- [Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/police-and-sheriffs-patrol-officers): $76,210 median pay
- [Compliance Officers](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/compliance-officers): $80,730 median pay
- [Transit and Railroad Police](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transit-and-railroad-police): $90,230 median pay
- [Transportation Security Screeners](https://www.collegesref.com/careers/transportation-security-screeners): $66,770 median pay

## Sources

- [O*NET Database](https://www.onetcenter.org/database.html), version 31.0 (CC BY 4.0)
- [BLS Employment Projections](https://www.bls.gov/emp/tables.htm), version 2025-35, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics](https://www.bls.gov/oes/tables.htm), version 2025, data year 2025 (Public domain (U.S. government work))
- [NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk](https://nces.ed.gov/ipeds/cipcode/resources.aspx?y=56), version 2020, data year 2020 (Public domain (U.S. government work))

O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. CollegesRef has modified all or some of this information.