Customs and Border Protection Officers in California
Want to work as a Customs and Border Protection Officers in California? Here’s what you need to know. Maintain order and protect life and property by enforcing local, tribal, state, or federal laws and ordinances. Perform a combination of the following duties: patrol a specific area; direct traffic; issue traffic summonses; investigate accidents; apprehend and arrest suspects, or serve legal processes of courts. Includes police officers working at educational institutions.
What do Customs and Border Protection Officers Make in California?
For a customs and border protection officers working in California, wages run about $115,400 per year (or about $55.48/hour).Pay can range from $76,010 at the 10th percentile to $151,160 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $76,010 | $36.55 |
| 25th percentile | $92,330 | $44.39 |
| Median (50th) | $115,400 | $55.48 |
| 75th percentile | $128,470 | $61.77 |
| 90th percentile | $151,160 | $72.67 |
The location quotient — a measure of how concentrated this occupation is in California compared to the national average — is 0.83, indicating fewer customs and border protection officers per worker than the national average.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, customs and border protection officers earn a median of $50,191 per year ($24.13/hour), above the California median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 353,771 customs and border protection officers across the United States. In California alone, around 65,170 people work in this role. That’s more than the typical state, which employs around 8,920 customs and border protection officers.
Top California Metros for Customs and Border Protection Officers
The largest metro-area employers of customs and border protection officers in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 24,310 | $115,630 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 7,860 | $133,190 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 5,920 | $106,850 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 5,590 | $112,630 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 4,990 | $109,190 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 2,520 | $150,650 |
| Fresno, CA | 1,540 | $101,640 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 1,320 | $121,050 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 1,230 | $79,050 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 1,000 | $102,720 |
| Salinas, CA | 780 | $122,290 |
| Modesto, CA | 770 | $109,770 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 720 | $119,580 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 720 | $121,370 |
| Vallejo, CA | 660 | $128,470 |
| Visalia, CA | 550 | $91,990 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 470 | $101,690 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 450 | $123,140 |
| Merced, CA | 440 | $82,900 |
| Redding, CA | 420 | $104,980 |
| El Centro, CA | 280 | $76,570 |
| Napa, CA | 280 | $128,980 |
| Yuba City, CA | 240 | $83,930 |
| Chico, CA | 230 | $95,890 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | 200 | $83,600 |
Top States for Customs and Border Protection Officers Employment
View the states that employ the most customs and border protection officers work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 65,170 |
| Texas | 62,230 |
| New York | 54,360 |
| Florida | 48,340 |
| Illinois | 29,790 |
| Pennsylvania | 24,280 |
| Ohio | 24,050 |
| North Carolina | 21,650 |
| New Jersey | 21,620 |
| Georgia | 21,540 |
| Virginia | 19,400 |
| Massachusetts | 17,000 |
| Michigan | 16,290 |
| Louisiana | 14,340 |
| Tennessee | 13,780 |
| Indiana | 13,480 |
| South Carolina | 12,820 |
| Missouri | 12,750 |
| Arizona | 12,430 |
| Alabama | 12,060 |
Highest-Paying States for Customs and Border Protection Officers
These states pay the most for customs and border protection officers.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $115,400 |
| Washington | $102,640 |
| Illinois | $101,530 |
| Alaska | $100,300 |
| Colorado | $96,100 |
| New York | $93,050 |
| Hawaii | $89,390 |
| New Jersey | $89,030 |
| District of Columbia | $88,330 |
| Oregon | $88,140 |
Skills
Top customs and border protection officers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Core knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Top abilities for customs and border protection officers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Common tasks include:
- 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.
- 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.
- Testify regarding decisions at immigration appeals or in federal court.
- Record and report job-related activities, findings, transactions, violations, discrepancies, and decisions.
- Determine duty and taxes to be paid on goods.
- Collect samples of merchandise for examination, appraisal, or testing.
- Investigate applications for duty refunds and petition for remission or mitigation of penalties when warranted.
Work Activities
- Getting Information
- Working with Computers
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
- Processing Information
- Analyzing Data or Information
- Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Documenting/Recording Information
Tools & Technology
Technologies frequently used: Hot technologies: IBM WebSphere MQ
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Programs that train for this career include:
- Criminal Justice & Corrections
- Security Science and Technology
- Natural Resource Management
Featured schools near , edit
Related Careers
Careers similar to customs and border protection officers include:
- Compliance Managers
- Compliance Officers
- Environmental Compliance Inspectors
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
- Customs Brokers
- Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
Also Known As
Agriculture Specialist, Air Import Specialist, Border Patrol Agent, Canine Enforcement Officer (K-9 Enforcement Officer), Customs Import Specialist, Customs Inspector, Customs Officer, Customs Opener, Customs Packer, Customs Specialist, Customs Verifier, Customs and Border Patrol Agent, Deportation Officer, Drug Enforcement Agent, Drug Inspector.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 33-3051.04
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