Home / Federal careers / GS-1881
Customs and Border Protection Officer
Performs customs and border protection work including inspection, enforcement, and facilitation of lawful trade and travel.
What GS-1881 pays
2025 base rates, before locality. Most federal employees add a locality adjustment on top.
| Grade | Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9 | Step 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | $34,454 | $35,603 | $36,752 | $37,901 | $39,050 | $40,199 | $41,348 | $42,497 | $43,646 | $44,786 |
| GS-7 | $42,679 | $44,102 | $45,525 | $46,948 | $48,371 | $49,794 | $51,217 | $52,640 | $54,063 | $55,486 |
| GS-9 | $52,205 | $53,945 | $55,685 | $57,425 | $59,165 | $60,905 | $62,645 | $64,385 | $66,125 | $67,865 |
| GS-11 | $63,163 | $65,268 | $67,373 | $69,478 | $71,583 | $73,688 | $75,793 | $77,898 | $80,003 | $82,108 |
| GS-12 | $75,706 | $78,229 | $80,752 | $83,275 | $85,798 | $88,321 | $90,844 | $93,367 | $95,890 | $98,422 |
Base pay only. Locality pay adds 15 to 40 percent or more depending on where the job sits. Source: OPM 2025 General Schedule.
Qualification requirements
OPM's standard for GS-1881, as written.
Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Administrative and Management Positions
Individual Occupational Requirements:
Education:
- Bachelor's degree in criminal justice, law enforcement, or related field
OR
Experience: Experience in law enforcement, inspection, or border security.
Special Requirements:
- Must pass medical examination and fitness tests
- Must be able to carry firearms
- Subject to polygraph examination
Education and Experience Requirements (Group Standard):
This is a two-grade interval series. Positions follow the GS-5, GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, GS-12 progression pattern.
| Grade | Education | Experience | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-5 | Bachelor's degree in any field from accredited college/university | 3 years progressively responsible experience, 1 year equivalent to GS-4 | Equivalent combinations qualifying |
| GS-7 | 1 full year graduate education OR Superior Academic Achievement | 1 year specialized experience equivalent to GS-5 | Combinations of graduate education and experience |
| GS-9 | 2 years graduate education or master's degree | 1 year specialized experience equivalent to GS-7 | Combinations of graduate education (excess of GS-7 requirement) and experience |
| GS-11 | 3 years graduate education or Ph.D. or equivalent doctoral degree | 1 year specialized experience equivalent to GS-9 | Combinations of graduate education (excess of GS-9 requirement) and experience |
| GS-12+ | Not applicable | 1 year specialized experience equivalent to next lower grade | N/A |
Superior Academic Achievement (for GS-7):
- Upper third of graduating class in college/university or major subdivision
- GPA of 3.0 or higher out of 4.0 as recorded on official transcript, OR 3.5 or higher in major field
- Election to membership in national scholastic honor society
Graduate Education: One year of full-time graduate education is the number of credit hours the school determines represents 1 year of full-time study. If unavailable, 18 semester hours satisfies the 1-year requirement.
Specialized Experience: Experience that equipped the applicant with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position.
What this means if you served
- Write the duties, not the billet. OPM credits military experience on the work performed, and does not use rank or pay to judge specialized experience.
- Put the training and certifications you earned in service on the page. They count here.
- Claim your veterans preference on the application. It is not applied for you.
- No positive education requirement here, so qualifying experience can stand in for the education.
How to qualify for GS-1881
1Review Qualification Requirements
Read the OPM qualification standards above to understand the education and experience requirements for your target grade level.
2Find Your Grade Level
Grade follows the scope and complexity of the work you can document against the announcement, not the rank you held. OPM does not use military rank or pay when it evaluates specialized experience. Roughly: GS-5 entry, GS-7/9 junior, GS-11/12 journey, GS-13 and up senior.
3Gather Documentation
Collect your DD-214, SF-50 (if applicable), transcripts, certifications, and any training records that demonstrate your qualifications.
4Build Your Federal Resume
Two pages. USAJOBS has enforced that limit since 27 September 2025 and will not accept a longer resume from a Title 5 agency posting, so the space has to answer every qualification requirement. Include hours worked per week, supervisor contact details, and the accomplishments with numbers on them.
5Apply on USAJOBS
Search for open positions, carefully answer all assessment questions, and submit your application before the closing date.
Military jobs that map to this series
Maritime Enforcement Specialist
Customs and Border Protection Officer — one of the most common ME transition targets. FLETC training recognized. Maritime port of entry experience is direct overlap.
Skills that carry over: Customs Enforcement, Port Security, Immigration Law, Contraband Detection, Maritime Interdiction.
Usually opens at: GS-5, GS-7, GS-9, GS-11, GS-12.
Master-at-Arms
Customs and Border Protection Officer. Port security, contraband detection, and enforcement experience from Navy MA duty translates well. CBP officers at ports of entry perform similar screening and enforcement functions.
Skills that carry over: Screening operations, Contraband detection, Enforcement actions, Regulatory compliance, Documentation review, Interview techniques.
Usually opens at: GS-5, GS-7, GS-9, GS-11.
Military Police
Customs and border protection operations from MP port security and customs inspection experience
Skills that carry over: Border Security, Customs Inspection, Personnel Processing, Cargo Screening.
Usually opens at: GS-7, GS-9, GS-11.
Your record can qualify you even when your code is not on this list. The crosswalk is a starting point, not the gate.
Typical duties
- Inspect travelers and cargo
- Enforce customs laws
- Process trade entries
- Detect smuggling
- Facilitate lawful travel
- Coordinate with law enforcement
Key competencies
Inspection
Skill in inspecting travelers, vehicles, and cargo.
Law Enforcement
Knowledge of customs, immigration, and agriculture laws.
Document Examination
Ability to examine travel and trade documents.
Contraband Detection
Skill in detecting prohibited items.
Interviewing
Ability to interview travelers and make admissibility decisions.
Enforcement
Skill in making arrests and seizures.
Firearms Proficiency
Qualification with assigned firearms.
Communication
Ability to communicate with diverse populations.
Words the announcement will use
Use the ones your record actually supports. A rater is matching your experience against the specialized experience statement, and a keyword with nothing behind it does not survive that.
Questions about GS-1881
What is a CBP Officer?
A GS-1881 Customs and Border Protection Officer (CBPO) is a federal law enforcement officer who inspects travelers and cargo at U.S. ports of entry—airports, seaports, and land border crossings. CBP Officers enforce customs, immigration, and agriculture laws; detect smuggling and prohibited items; facilitate lawful trade and travel; and protect America's borders as part of DHS.
How much does a CBP Officer make?
CBP Officers earn between $34,454 (GS-5 Step 1) and $98,422 (GS-12 Step 10) on the 2025 base GS scale. However, CBP Officers also receive Law Enforcement Availability Pay (LEAP)—an additional 25% of base salary. With locality pay and LEAP, a journey-level GS-12 CBP Officer in a major port earns approximately $95,000-$130,000+ total compensation.
What are the requirements for CBP Officer positions?
CBP Officer requires U.S. citizenship, bachelor's degree or equivalent experience, ability to pass medical examination and physical fitness test, firearms qualification, and extensive background investigation. Age limits apply—typically must enter on duty before age 40. Language skills (especially Spanish) are valued but not required for most locations.
Can military experience substitute for education for CBP Officer?
Yes, military experience is highly valued for CBP Officer positions. Veterans with military police, security forces, infantry, or any honorable service can qualify based on military experience in lieu of education. Veterans preference provides significant hiring advantages, and many CBP Officers are military veterans who transitioned using their discipline and security training.
What is the career progression for CBP Officer?
CBP Officers enter at GS-5 or GS-7 and progress through GS-9/11 to journey level at GS-12 within approximately 3-4 years. Supervisory CBP Officers and team leads advance further. Career paths include specializing in targeting, agriculture inspection, or anti-terrorism; transitioning to CBP Air and Marine or Border Patrol; or advancing to Port Director positions.
How do I apply for CBP Officer jobs on USAJOBS?
Search USAJOBS.gov for "CBP Officer" or "Customs and Border Protection Officer" under series 1881. CBP actively recruits with positions at airports, seaports, and land borders nationwide. Be prepared for polygraph examination and extensive background check taking 6-18 months. Highlight law enforcement experience, language skills, and leadership abilities.
Ready to apply for GS-1881?
A rater matches your record against the announcement's specialized experience statement, inside two pages. BMR writes that shape from your own experience: competency headers, real scope, hours per week, and the supervisor detail the rater checks.