Customs Brokers

Customs brokers handle the daily logistics of international trade. They prepare customs documents, calculate taxes and duties, and process payments for clients. Under a power of attorney, they sign legal documents and represent their clients in meetings with customs officials. They also coordinate the transportation and storage of imported items and apply for duty refunds or tariff reclassifications.

This role requires a strong conventional interest, meaning a preference for structured, detail-oriented work. Daily activities center around processing and evaluating information to ensure compliance with laws and standards. Brokers spend significant time working with computers, updating their knowledge of trade regulations, and communicating with people outside their organization.

To succeed, professionals must possess strong reading comprehension, active listening, and critical thinking skills. They need a solid understanding of law and government, administrative procedures, transportation, and customer service. Key work styles include integrity, dependability, cautiousness, and high attention to detail.

Entering this field typically requires a bachelor's degree, though the career family generally falls under medium preparation, where vocational training, an associate degree, or related work experience can also prepare candidates. Relevant college majors include criminal justice and corrections, human resources management and services, environmental and natural resources management and policy, public health, health and medical administrative services, natural resources conservation and research, and environmental geosciences.

While not always mandatory, professionals can earn industry certifications to demonstrate their expertise. Available credentials include the Certified Customs Specialist designation from the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America, the Certified Exporter credential from International Trade Certification, and the Certified Transportation Broker designation from the Transportation Intermediaries Association.

The pay and employment figures for customs brokers are based on the broader category of compliance officers. In 2025, the median annual pay for this group was $80,730. Salaries span from under $48,220 for the lowest 10% of earners to over $133,720 for the highest 10% of earners.

The field employs 417,070 people. Between 2025 and 2035, employment is projected to grow by 3.8%, which is as fast as the average for all occupations. About 32,700 job openings are expected to become available each year.