Occupation Summary

Customs Brokers

O*NET 13-1041.08

Description:

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.

Annual Wages:
$78,542.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 14.68%.
Education Level:
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED). According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Public Service

  1. Sign documents on behalf of clients, using powers of attorney.
  2. Provide advice on transportation options, types of carriers, or shipping routes.
  3. Post bonds for the products being imported or assist clients in obtaining bonds.
  4. Insure cargo against loss, damage, or pilferage.
  5. Obtain line releases for frequent shippers of low-risk commodities, high-volume entries, or multiple-container loads.
  6. Contract with freight forwarders for destination services.
  7. Arrange for transportation, warehousing, or product distribution of imported or exported products.
  8. Suggest best methods of packaging or labeling products.
  9. Request or compile necessary import documentation, such as customs invoices, certificates of origin, and cargo-control documents.
  10. Stay abreast of changes in import or export laws or regulations by reading current literature, attending meetings or conferences, or conferring with colleagues.
  11. Quote duty and tax rates on goods to be imported, based on federal tariffs and excise taxes.
  12. Prepare papers for shippers to appeal duty charges.
  13. Pay, or arrange for payment of, taxes and duties on shipments.
  14. Monitor or trace the location of goods.
  15. Maintain relationships with customs brokers in other ports to expedite clearing of cargo.
  16. Inform importers and exporters of steps to reduce duties and taxes.
  17. Confer with officials in various agencies to facilitate clearance of goods through customs and quarantine.
  18. Classify goods according to tariff coding system.
  19. Calculate duty and tariff payments owed on shipments.
  20. Apply for tariff concessions or for duty drawbacks and other refunds.
  21. Advise customers on import and export restrictions, tariff systems, insurance requirements, quotas, or other customs-related matters.
  22. Prepare and process import and export documentation according to customs regulations, laws, or procedures.
  23. Clear goods through customs and to their destinations for clients.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Customs Brokers employed Annual Growth Rate
Insurance carriers 4.1 0.63
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services 3.3 1.08
Employment services 2.3 0.23
Colleges, universities, and professional schools 2.3 0.34
General medical and surgical hospitals 2.1 0.37
Agencies, brokerages, and other insurance related activities 2.1 1.41


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $37.76
2024 National average hourly wage $40.86
2022 National employment 377,500
2022 Texas employment 33,838
Texas projected employment by 2032 38,804
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 3,250




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Transportation
Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
83.20%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
82.00%
Administrative
Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
81.00%
Law and Government
Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
80.00%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
79.00%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
69.00%
Administration and Management
Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
68.00%
Geography
Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
67.00%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
66.40%
Economics and Accounting
Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
63.00%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
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.
80.00%
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
77.60%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
75.00%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
75.00%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
75.00%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
75.00%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
65.00%
Active Learning
Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
65.00%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
65.00%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
65.00%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
77.60%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
77.60%
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
75.00%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
75.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
75.00%
Near Vision
The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
75.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
72.40%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
70.00%
Category Flexibility
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
67.60%
Speech Recognition
The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
67.60%


  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Working with Computers
    -- Using computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to program, write software, set up functions, enter data, or process information.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
    -- Providing information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Processing Information
    -- Compiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
    -- Using relevant information and individual judgment to determine whether events or processes comply with laws, regulations, or standards.
Other Activities


  • Achievement
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value are results oriented and allow employees to use their strongest abilities, giving them a feeling of accomplishment. Corresponding needs are Ability Utilization and Achievement.
  • Independence
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.



Tools

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Laser fax machine: Laser facsimile machines;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Scanners: Computer data input scanners;

Special purpose telephones: Multiline telephone systems;

Tablet computers: Tablet computers;


Technology

Compliance software: Automated system for customs data ASYCUDA;

Data base user interface and query software: Customs records databases; Microsoft Access; Automated commercial environment software ACE; Parts classification databases; Tariff databases;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook; Electronic data interchange EDI software;

Enterprise resource planning ERP software: SAP software;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software: Materials requirement planning MRP software;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Operating system software: Operating system software;

Optical character reader OCR or scanning software: Optical character reader OCR software;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Project management software: SAP Customs Management;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel;

Word processing software: Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Customs Brokers include:
  • 43-4011.00 Brokerage Clerks
  • 43-5011.00 Cargo and Freight Agents
  • 13-1041.00 Compliance Officers
  • 33-3051.04 Customs and Border Protection Officers
  • 13-1041.01 Environmental Compliance Inspectors
  • 43-5011.01 Freight Forwarders
  • 13-1041.04 Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
  • 43-3061.00 Procurement Clerks
  • 13-1041.07 Regulatory Affairs Specialists
  • 11-3071.00 Transportation, Storage, and Distribution Managers


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about compliance careers in federal, state, or local government, contact the appropriate government agency.
  • For more information about corporate compliance jobs, visit: Society of Corporate Compliance and Ethics
  • CareerOneStop

  • For career videos on compliance officers, visit: Compliance Officers
  • Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
  • Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
  • Compliance Officers
  • Coroners
  • Customs Brokers
  • Environmental Compliance Inspectors
  • Equal Opportunity Representatives and Officers
  • Government Property Inspectors and Investigators
  • Regulatory Affairs Specialists

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.