Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (occupation group), with detailed role definition from O*NET, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Customs and Border Protection Officers salary by state
Base salary plus target annual bonus. Target bonus opportunity scales with role level, so a higher base carries a higher target percentage.
Base salary
$82,000
National baseline
Target bonus
$9,500
11.7% of base
Total target cash
$91,500
Base plus target bonus
Bonus percentiles:25th$5,50050th$9,50075th$15,500
Long-term incentive is not shown for this role. Equity awards are only disclosed publicly for the named executive officers of public companies, so no market figure exists for most jobs. See executive pay disclosures.
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About this role
Customs and Border Protection Officers is a professional role within the function in the Protective Service job family.
Typical entry preparation: High School Diploma and up to 1 year of related work experience, per O*NET occupational data. Advancement typically requires additional years in role.
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.
Top skills:SpeakingCritical ThinkingActive ListeningSocial PerceptivenessReading ComprehensionWriting
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Customs and Border Protection Officers pay by experience level
Entry level$49,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$61,500
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$79,000
Mid-career median pay
Senior$101,000
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$119,000
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.1%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
53,700
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Customs and Border Protection Officers salary by industry
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Schools and Hospitals and USPS
642,460 workers
$82,500
Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
573,740 workers
$81,000
State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation)
57,190 workers
$95,000
Educational Services
24,080 workers
$69,500
Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools
13,760 workers
$71,000
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation)
11,540 workers
$82,000
Educational Services, State Government Owned
10,230 workers
$73,500
Educational Services, Local Government Owned
9,170 workers
$68,000
Elementary and Secondary Schools
6,650 workers
$69,500
Educational Services, Privately Owned
4,680 workers
$63,000
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
Pay trend
National median annual wage, 2020 to 2025: $65,540 to $76,210.
+16.3% over this period
Medians as published each May in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics national estimates. Nominal dollars, not adjusted for inflation. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS.
Pay by experience level
How annual pay for this occupation spreads from newcomers to the highest paid, aged to 2026.
Entry10th percentile
$49,000
Early career25th percentile
$61,500
Median50th percentile
$79,000
Experienced75th percentile
$101,000
Top earners90th percentile
$119,000
Bands are the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages for this occupation nationally. Percentiles reflect the full mix of tenure, employer, and location, so they approximate but do not equal years of experience. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS national estimates.
Where this job pays most
Top-paying states for this occupation, average annual wage aged to 2026.
State averages for this occupation from the BLS OEWS state estimates. Cost of living differs by state; a higher wage does not always mean more buying power.
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, O*NET occupational database.
Typical duties and FLSA status
Core duties
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.
FLSA classification (typical)
Typically Non-exempt · Service, trades, or production work
Occupations in this SOC group are typically classified as Non-exempt and eligible for overtime pay under FLSA rules. Actual classification depends on the specific job duties, salary basis, and any applicable state or local rules. The current federal salary threshold for exemption is $684 per week ($35,568 per year), per the 2020 Department of Labor rule; the 2024 rule that would have raised the threshold was struck down by federal court in November 2024.
Pay outlook
Five-year pay outlook for this title
2026$82,000
2027$85,000
2028$88,000
2029$91,000
2030$94,000
2031$97,500
Projection assumes market wages keep rising about 3.5% a year, consistent with recent wage growth measured by the BLS Employment Cost Index. It reflects market movement for the title, not individual raises or promotions, which vary.
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Sources and assumptions
Modeled market estimate, aged to 2026. Underlying source families are BLS OEWS May 2025 for BLS-mapped occupations and the 2018–19 collection for corporate titles. Annual aging is compounded at approximately 3–4%; geographic, industry and company-size repricing are modeled. See the role details and methodology for the applicable source and assumptions.
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How much does a Customs and Border Protection Officers make?
The median market pay for a Customs and Border Protection Officers in the United States is about $82,000 per year in 2026, based on WePayFairly's market model.
What is the salary range for a Customs and Border Protection Officers?
Most Customs and Border Protection Officers pay falls between about $61,500 (25th percentile) and $101,000 (75th percentile), with top earners above $119,000.
What does a Customs and Border Protection Officers do?
Core responsibilities include: examine immigration applications, visas, and passports and interview persons to determine eligibility for admission, residence, and travel in the U.S; and detain persons found to be in violation of customs or immigration laws and arrange for legal action, such as deportation.
Is pay for Customs and Border Protection Officers roles growing?
Yes. The national median wage for this occupation moved from $65,540 in 2020 to $76,210 in 2025, a change of +16.3% in nominal dollars.
How this role compares
Customs and Border Protection Officers pays 16% above the average across 28 roles in the Protective Service job family (family average $70,500).
Related occupations from O*NET OnLine, U.S. Department of Labor.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Customs and Border Protection Officers make?
The average base salary for a Customs and Border Protection Officers in the United States is $82,000 per year, or about $39.42 per hour.
What is the typical salary range?
Pay typically falls between $61,500 and $101,000 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.
How does this compare with other Protective Service roles?
The Protective Service job family averages $70,500 across 28 roles tracked by WePayFairly.
Need a defensible market price for this role? WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.
Need Customs and Border Protection Officers pay benchmarked for your organization, or defensible compensation analysis for a dispute or valuation? Grahall builds it from primary sources, backed by an expert who testifies.
