Customs Brokers

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 13-1041.08United States

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.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $80,590
Projected change: +6.7%
Typical education: High school diploma or less
Employment: 435.38K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What customs brokers do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the 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.
Sign documents on behalf of clients, using powers of attorney.
Stay abreast of changes in import or export laws or regulations by reading current literature, attending meetings or conferences, or conferring with colleagues.
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.
Quote duty and tax rates on goods to be imported, based on federal tariffs and excise taxes.
Arrange for transportation, warehousing, or product distribution of imported or exported products.
Monitor or trace the location of goods.
Confer with officials in various agencies to facilitate clearance of goods through customs and quarantine.
Inform importers and exporters of steps to reduce duties and taxes.
Provide advice on transportation options, types of carriers, or shipping routes.
Obtain line releases for frequent shippers of low-risk commodities, high-volume entries, or multiple-container loads.
Contract with freight forwarders for destination services.
Apply for tariff concessions or for duty drawbacks and other refunds.
Insure cargo against loss, damage, or pilferage.
Prepare papers for shippers to appeal duty charges.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $48,005
25th percentile: $61,129
50th percentile: $80,590
75th percentile: $109,168
90th percentile: $134,126

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $80,590 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6.7%faster than average

2025435,376 jobs

2035 projected464,669 jobs

29,293 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

High school diploma or less: 50%
Certificate: 20%
Bachelor's degree: 20%
Associate degree: 10%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Customs Broking
Freight Forwarding
Customs Regulations
Invoicing
Auditing
Data Entry
Brokerage
Billing
International Trade
Supply Chain
Trade Compliance
Harmonized Tariff Schedule
Warehousing
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Process Improvement
Accounting
Bill Of Lading
Packaging And Labeling
Regulatory Compliance
Lifting Ability

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Learning Strategies: Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Negotiation: Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
Management of Personnel Resources: Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Persuasion: Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Customs Brokerage Managers421 postings
02Customs Specialists394 postings
03Cargo Agents349 postings
04Customs and Border Protection Officers335 postings
05Customs Brokerage Entry Writers236 postings
06Licensed Customs Brokers207 postings
07Customs Brokerage Specialists204 postings
08Customs Managers181 postings
09Cargo Office Agents178 postings
10Air Import Agents158 postings
11Customs Coordinators137 postings
12Customs Brokerage Agents132 postings
13Air Export Agents128 postings
14Import Specialists121 postings
15Import/Export Specialists119 postings
16Customs Brokers114 postings
17Customs Agents86 postings
18Customs Entry Specialists85 postings
19Classification Specialists82 postings
20Operations Agents77 postings

Top employers

01FedEx538 postings
02Expeditors217 postings
03Ait Worldwide Logistics202 postings
04Deutsche Post DHL Group194 postings
05U.S. Customs and Border Protections186 postings
06CEVA Logistics165 postings
07United States Department of Homeland Security163 postings
08KPMG146 postings
09Worldwide Flight Services126 postings
10Leoforce125 postings
11Kuehne + Nagel124 postings
12G2 Secure Staffing110 postings
13UPS107 postings
14DSV94 postings
15GE Aerospace79 postings
16Air General70 postings
17ABB69 postings
18Alliance Ground International66 postings
19freighttas USA65 postings
20Alba Wheels Up International64 postings

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