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Alamo Colleges DistrictCareer Explorer

Customs Brokers

Part of Business Management & Administration, in the Operations Management pathway.

Job zone 3: medium preparationO*NET 13-1041.08

What the work is

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.

On a typical day

  • Sign documents on behalf of clients, using powers of attorney.
  • Provide advice on transportation options, types of carriers, or shipping routes.
  • Post bonds for the products being imported or assist clients in obtaining bonds.
  • Insure cargo against loss, damage, or pilferage.
  • Obtain line releases for frequent shippers of low-risk commodities, high-volume entries, or multiple-container loads.
  • Contract with freight forwarders for destination services.

What it pays

$67,050
Median pay per year, San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX metro
New workers start near $44,870
Experienced workers reach $122,710
  1. $45k10th
  2. $52k25th
  3. $67kMedian
  4. $98k75th
  5. $123k90th
Wage percentiles: 10th $44,870, 25th $52,050, Median $67,050, 75th $97,970, 90th $122,710

About 3,100 people do this job in the San Antonio area.

Job outlook

Alamo region (Bexar and 12 surrounding counties), Texas Workforce Commission projection 2024 to 2034. U.S. figures from the BLS for comparison.

+14.7%

employment change in the Alamo region, 2,900 to 3,327 jobs · U.S. +3%

279

openings a year in the Alamo region, from growth and people leaving · U.S. 33,300

2,900

employed in the Alamo region in 2024 · U.S. 418,000

Typical entry education: Bachelor's degree · Training: Moderate-term on-the-job training

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.

  1. Active Listening4.0
  2. Reading Comprehension4.0
  3. Speaking4.0
  4. Writing3.9
  5. Critical Thinking3.9
  6. Complex Problem Solving3.1
  7. Active Learning3.6
  8. Monitoring3.6

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.

  1. High school or less50%
  2. Certificate20%
  3. Associate degree10%
  4. Bachelor's degree20%

Job zone 3, medium preparation: Training, an associate degree, or a few years of related experience.

Alamo programs that lead here

  • San Antonio
  1. Human Resources Management

    Degree · Certificate · Online option · Business & Entrepreneurship

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