Jobs Similar to Customs and Border Protection Officers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to customs and border protection officers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Compliance Officers, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers and Retail Loss Prevention Specialists.
Customs and Border Protection Officers: $76,210 (broader BLS group) · usual preparation: Training or associate.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Customs and Border Protection Officers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Compliance Officers | 84% | $80,730 | Bachelor's degree |
| 2 | Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersSame group | 80% | $76,210 | Training or associate |
| 3 | Retail Loss Prevention Specialists | 80% | $42,540Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 4 | BailiffsSame group | 80% | $56,600 | Training or associate |
| 5 | Detectives and Criminal InvestigatorsSame group | 80% | $93,790 | Training or associate |
| 6 | Police Identification and Records OfficersSame group | 79% | $93,790Broader BLS group · not compared | Training or associate |
| 7 | Private Detectives and Investigators | 79% | $51,220 | Training or associate |
| 8 | Transit and Railroad PoliceSame group | 79% | $90,230 | Training or associate |
| 9 | First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives | 77% | $106,040 | High school |
| 10 | Public Safety Telecommunicators | 77% | $53,040 | High school |
| 11 | Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators | 77% | $43,370 | High school |
| 12 | Compliance Managers | 77% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 13 | First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers | 75% | $77,970 | Training or associate |
| 14 | Air Traffic Controllers | 74% | $148,080 | Training or associate |
| 15 | Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents | 74% | $62,370 | Training or associate |
| 16 | Correctional Officers and JailersSame group | 74% | $58,940 | High school |
| 17 | Court, Municipal, and License Clerks | 74% | $48,700 | High school |
| 18 | Loss Prevention Managers | 74% | $141,900Broader BLS group · not compared | Bachelor's degree |
| 19 | Parking Enforcement WorkersSame group | 74% | $46,730 | High school |
| 20 | Security Guards | 74% | $38,020 | High school |
- 1Compliance Officers
84% similar · $80,730 · Bachelor's degree
- 2Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers
80% similar · $76,210 · Training or associate · Same group
- 3Retail Loss Prevention Specialists
80% similar · $42,540 (broader group) · High school
- 4Bailiffs
80% similar · $56,600 · Training or associate · Same group
- 5Detectives and Criminal Investigators
80% similar · $93,790 · Training or associate · Same group
- 6Police Identification and Records Officers
79% similar · $93,790 (broader group) · Training or associate · Same group
- 7Private Detectives and Investigators
79% similar · $51,220 · Training or associate
- 8Transit and Railroad Police
79% similar · $90,230 · Training or associate · Same group
- 9First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives
77% similar · $106,040 · High school
- 10Public Safety Telecommunicators
77% similar · $53,040 · High school
- 11Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators
77% similar · $43,370 · High school
- 12Compliance Managers
77% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 13First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers
75% similar · $77,970 · Training or associate
- 14Air Traffic Controllers
74% similar · $148,080 · Training or associate
- 15Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents
74% similar · $62,370 · Training or associate
- 16Correctional Officers and Jailers
74% similar · $58,940 · High school · Same group
- 17Court, Municipal, and License Clerks
74% similar · $48,700 · High school
- 18Loss Prevention Managers
74% similar · $141,900 (broader group) · Bachelor's degree
- 19Parking Enforcement Workers
74% similar · $46,730 · High school · Same group
- 20Security Guards
74% similar · $38,020 · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that need less preparation
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists80% similar · High school
- First-Line Supervisors of Police and Detectives77% similar · High school
- Public Safety Telecommunicators77% similar · High school
- Gambling Surveillance Officers and Gambling Investigators77% similar · High school
- Correctional Officers and Jailers74% similar · High school
- Court, Municipal, and License Clerks74% similar · High school
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for customs and border protection officers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where customs and border protection officers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Compliance Officers (81)
- Customs Brokers (80)
- Private Detectives and Investigators (79)
- First-Line Supervisors of Correctional Officers (75)
- Retail Loss Prevention Specialists (75)
- Transportation Security Screeners (75)
- Government Property Inspectors and Investigators (74)
- Airfield Operations Specialists (73)
- Coroners (73)
- Fire Inspectors and Investigators (72)
Questions about jobs like customs and border protection officers
What jobs are most similar to customs and border protection officers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Compliance Officers (84% similar), Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (80% similar), Retail Loss Prevention Specialists (80% similar), Bailiffs (80% similar) and Detectives and Criminal Investigators (80% similar).
Do jobs like customs and border protection officers pay more?
None of the 20 most similar careers has a higher BLS median pay than customs and border protection officers where a direct comparison is possible.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.