Federal workers receive a salary based on pay grade, and those who join the CBP will start with a GS-5, GS-7, or GS-9 pay grade designation. Entry-level positions at GS-5 began at a base annual pay of $41,781 in 2024, and entry at GS-7 started at $47,562 per year. The GS-9 position had a base annual salary of $53,043 in 2024. Federal employees in certain cities receive locality pay in addition to their salaries to offset the higher cost of living in those areas. Locality pay and law enforcement availability pay generally add a percentage to the base salary. For example, in 2024, a GS-5 working in New York City earned $57,340; a GS-7 earned $65,274; and a GS-9 made $72,796. Meanwhile, a GS-5 assigned to Minneapolis, Minnesota, earned $53,125; a GS-7 earned $60,475; and a GS-9 made $67,444.
Depending on their position, custom officials can advance to the GS-11, GS-12, and GS-13 pay levels, reaching salaries of more than $112,553 with more years of employment.
In addition to a yearly salary, federal workers enjoy generous benefits, including health and life insurance, pension plans, and holiday, sick leave, vacation pay, and a uniform allowance. For some positions, workers may be eligible for tuition assistance, flexible work schedules, access to fitness centers, and student loan repayment.
- Airport Security Personnel
- Ambassadors
- Antiques and Art Dealers
- Automotive Dealership Owners
- Aviation Safety Inspectors
- Bail Bondsmen
- Bailiffs
- Bank Examiners
- Bodyguards
- Boilermakers and Mechanics
- Border Patrol Agents
- Bounty Hunters
- Business Managers
- Buyers
- Campaign Workers
- City Managers
- Civil Engineers
- Commodities Brokers
- Congressional Aides
- Construction Inspectors
- Corrections Officers
- Crime Analysts
- Cryptographic Technicians
- Cultural Advisers
- Customer Service Representatives
- Customs Brokers
- Demographers
- Deputy U.S. Marshals
- Detectives
- Diesel Mechanics
- Directors of Security
- Economists
- Emergency Management Directors
- Emergency Medical Technicians
- Emergency Services Dispatchers
- Engineers
- EPA Special Agents
- Ethical Sourcing Officer
- Export-Import Specialists
- FBI Agents
- Federal and State Officials
- Fire Inspectors
- Fire Investigators
- Fire Protection Engineers
- Fire Safety Directors
- Fire Safety Technicians
- Firefighters
- Fish and Game Wardens
- Foreign Service Officers
- Forensic Experts
- Forest Fire Prevention Specialists
- Fraud Examiners, Investigators, and Analysts
- Futurists
- Genetic Genealogists
- Grain Merchants
- Ground Services Workers
- Health and Regulatory Inspectors
- Industrial Traffic Managers
- Intelligence Officers
- Internet Transaction Specialists
- Interpreters
- Land Trust or Preserve Managers
- Lobbyists
- Logistics Analysts
- Logistics Engineers
- Mail Carriers
- Management Analysts and Consultants
- Marine Engineers
- Marine Services Technicians
- Merchant Mariners
- Military Recruiters
- Military Workers, Enlisted
- National Park Service Employees
- Occupational Safety and Health Workers
- Park Rangers
- Parole Officers
- Pilots
- Police Officers
- Policy Analysts
- Political Consultants
- Political Scientists
- Polygraph Examiners
- Postal Clerks
- Press Secretaries
- Purchasing Agents
- Recycling Coordinators
- Regional and Local Officials
- Retail Business Owners
- Sales Managers
- Secret Service Special Agents
- Security Consultants
- Security Guards
- Ship's Captains
- Stevedores
- Supply Chain Managers
- Traffic Engineers
- Translators
- Transportation Engineers
- Transportation Planners
- Truck Drivers
- Urban and Regional Planners
- Wildland Firefighters