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Customs Officer salary in Australia
The median full-time salary for a customs officer is $96,800 per annum, before tax, up $20,400 since 2018.
Customs officers are covered by the Australian Border Force enterprise agreement, so pay follows a classification scale rather than anything you negotiate yourself. Shift penalties and overtime are the main variation, because airports and seaports run around the clock and nights, weekends and public holidays attract higher rates. Moving up a classification level usually lifts pay more than any single allowance.
Roles that pay more than customs officer
The largest typical pay rise is $16,200 a year, moving into Intelligence Analyst.
- Intelligence Analyst+$16,200/yr
- Project Coordinator+$14,000/yr
How to negotiate a higher customs officer salary
- Know the market rate before you ask. The median full-time customs officer salary is $96,800; use that, not a guess, as your anchor, and adjust for your experience and employer.
- Lead with what's scarce, not just tenure. Skills like Regulatory compliance and Risk and internal controls tend to command a premium over general customs officer experience, name them specifically when you ask.
- Bring a real alternative to the table. Intelligence Analyst pays a typical $16,200 a year more and draws on similar skills, even mentioning you're weighing it up is a legitimate data point in a pay conversation.
- Time it deliberately. Reviews, the end of a project you delivered, or taking on responsibility beyond your job description are stronger moments to ask than an arbitrary date on the calendar.
- Ask for a number, not a raise. "Based on the market rate and [specific contribution], I'd like to move to X" gets a clearer answer than "I think I deserve more."
Customs Officer salary questions
How much do customs officers earn in Australia?
The median full-time salary for a customs officer is $96,800 a year before tax. Seniority, specialisation, sector and the award or agreement you're employed under all move it.
Is customs officer pay rising or falling?
The median customs officer salary is up $20,400 since 2018. Figures from 2025 onward on this page are a projection, not a measured result.
What pays more than customs officer?
Intelligence Analyst pays a typical $16,200 a year more and draws on similar skills to customs officer.