Customs Brokers
Prepare customs documentation and ensure that shipments meet all applicable laws to facilitate the import and export of goods. Determine and track duties and taxes payable and process payments on behalf of client. Sign documents under a power of attorney. Represent clients in meetings with customs officials and apply for duty refunds and tariff reclassifications. Coordinate transportation and storage of imported goods.
Also called: Corporate Licensed Broker · Customs Broker
Median pay (national)
$78,420
$46,230–$130,030 (10th–90th)
Employed (US)
397,770
BLS OEWS, May 2024
Outlook 2024–34
+3%
~33,300 openings/yr
Typical entry
Bachelor's degree
What the numbers say
Refit analysis ·Pay for customs brokers shows an unusually wide range: the top 10% earn $130,030 versus $46,230 at the bottom 10% — 2.8x. The median of $78,420 leaves roughly 66% of headroom to the 90th percentile, which is where seniority, specialization, and the skills below tend to pay off.
Refit analysis ·Employment is projected to change +3% from 2024 to 2034 — about as fast as the 3% all-occupation average. Even so, BLS projects about 33,300 openings a year, mostly to replace workers who retire or change careers.
Refit analysis ·Where you work moves the number a lot. Across the 53 states with released data, District of Columbia pays the most for this role (median $103,010, +31% vs the national median), while Puerto Rico sits lowest at $46,570 — a 121% spread for the same job title.
Refit analysis ·O*NET rates Active Listening, Reading Comprehension, Writing as the highest-importance skills here — so a resume aimed at this role should lead with evidence of those, not a generic skills list. On the tools side, O*NET flags Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office software, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft PowerPoint as in-demand technologies for this role.
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Top skills employers ask for
Ranked by O*NET importance for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Learning Strategies
- Mathematics
- Science
What they actually do
Core O*NET tasks for this role.
- Prepare and process import and export documentation according to customs regulations, laws, or procedures.
- Clear goods through customs and to their destinations for clients.
- Pay, or arrange for payment of, taxes and duties on shipments.
- Calculate duty and tariff payments owed on shipments.
- Request or compile necessary import documentation, such as customs invoices, certificates of origin, and cargo-control documents.
- Classify goods according to tariff coding system.
- Stay abreast of changes in import or export laws or regulations by reading current literature, attending meetings or conferences, or conferring with colleagues.
- Sign documents on behalf of clients, using powers of attorney.
- Advise customers on import and export restrictions, tariff systems, insurance requirements, quotas, or other customs-related matters.
- Post bonds for the products being imported or assist clients in obtaining bonds.
Tools & technology
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
- SAP software
- Automated commercial environment software ACE
- Automated system for customs data ASYCUDA
- Customs records databases
- Electronic data interchange EDI software
- Materials requirement planning MRP software
- Optical character reader OCR software
- Parts classification databases
- SAP Customs Management
- Tariff databases
- Web browser software
Knowledge areas
- Transportation
- English Language
- Administrative
- Law and Government
- Customer and Personal Service
- Computers and Electronics
- Administration and Management
- Geography