Customs and Border Protection Officers
Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security · Law Enforcement Services
Pay and outlook shown for
New workers start near $57,410; experienced workers reach $94,720. About 5,130 people do this job in San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX.
Job outlook
Alamo region (San Antonio and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034; U.S. figures from the BLS.
- Employment change
- +4.4%
- Openings a year
- 415
- Employed in 2024
- 5,294
Typical entry education: High school diploma or equivalent · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training
Alamo Colleges programs that lead here
5 programs, with the college that teaches each.
Skills this career uses
The skills O*NET rates most important for the job, with how much of each the work needs on a 1 to 7 scale.
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.9
- Social Perceptiveness3.4
- Writing3.8
- Monitoring3.8
- Judgment and Decision Making3.5
What the work is
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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Inspect cargo, baggage, and personal articles entering or leaving U.S. for compliance with revenue laws and U.S. customs regulations.
- Record and report job-related activities, findings, transactions, violations, discrepancies, and decisions.
Education people in this job have
Share of workers by highest education, from O*NET surveys. It shows what others did, not what you must do.
- High school or less39%
- Certificate10%
- Some college14%
- Associate degree7%
- Bachelor's degree29%
Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.
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