Customs Officer Salary in Virginia Beach, VA: 2026
Customs Officer salary data for Virginia Beach, VA, adjusted for local cost of living. Entry-level to senior pay ranges, take-home pay calculator, and local job market insights.
The median Customs Officer salary in Virginia Beach, VA is $59,690 per year ($4,974/month, $28.70/hr). That is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (the closest BLS occupation to Customs Officer) in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area, which covers Virginia Beach. Salario's cost-of-living model (index 105) would have estimated $80,021; the entry, senior and top tiers below are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Median: BLS OEWS May 2025, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051), Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC MSA. Entry, senior and top earner are Salario estimates rescaled to the BLS median.
Customs Officer Take-Home Pay in Virginia Beach
Tax Breakdown (Median Salary)
| Gross Annual | $59,690 |
| Federal Tax | -$4,983 |
| State Tax (4.5% eff.) | -$2,672 |
| FICA (SS + Medicare) | -$4,566 |
| Annual Take-Home | $47,469 |
| Monthly Take-Home | $3,956 |
Living Cost Comparison
Customs Officer Requirements
Key Skills
Virginia Beach Job Market Overview
Virginia Beach, Virginia has a population of 459,470 and an unemployment rate of 3.0%. The top industries are Military, Tourism, Healthcare. The local job growth rate is 1.8%, and the average commute time is 25minutes. These local figures come from Salario's city dataset; verify current values with BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics and Census QuickFacts.
Related Government Salaries in Virginia Beach
Salary Percentile Breakdown: Customs Officer in Virginia Beach
Based on Salario's cost-of-living-adjusted salary tiers for Customs Officer in Virginia Beach, VA, here is an estimated percentile breakdown:
| Percentile | Annual Salary | Hourly Equivalent | Career Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th (lowest) | $43,800 | $21/hr | Entry-level, < 1 yr exp. |
| 25th | $51,745 | $25/hr | Junior, 1-3 yrs exp. |
| 50th (median) | $59,690 | $29/hr | Mid-career, 0-2 years |
| 75th | $78,600 | $38/hr | Senior, 5-10 yrs exp. |
| 90th (top) | $103,500 | $50/hr | Lead/Principal, 10+ yrs |
P50 is the measured BLS OEWS May 2025 metro median; P10, P25, P75 and P90 are approximations, not measured local percentiles: they map to Salario's entry, senior and top tiers rescaled to the BLS median, with P25 interpolated halfway between entry and median. Top earners (P90) typically include managers, specialists with rare skills, or those at high-paying employers in Virginia Beach's Military sector.
5-Year Salary Trajectory
Salario's national dataset models approximately 11.0% salary growth for Customs Officers over the past 5 years. That national assumption is applied to the Virginia Beach estimate below; it is not a measured local trend, and it should be compared with cumulative CPI inflation before treating it as a real-terms gain:
Year-over-year, an average Customs Officer can expect a 15.7% annual increase moving from entry to senior level over 4 years in Virginia Beach. Negotiation, certifications (Federal Law Enforcement, CPR), and changing employers strategically can accelerate this trajectory.
Virginia Beach vs National Average
The national median Customs Officer salary is $76,210 (BLS OEWS May 2025, Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers). In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro, the BLS median of $59,690 is 21.7% below the national figure. Virginia Beach's cost of living index is 105 (higher than the national average of 100), so the wage premium and the cost premium do not necessarily cancel out.
For Customs Officers, this means: rent typically consumes 35.4% of take-home pay (households spending >30% are considered rent-burdened), and a median home in Virginia Beach costs about 6.5× annual take-home. Homeownership in Virginia Beach on this salary is challenging, most experts recommend keeping home costs to 3-4× income.
Industry Context: Military in Virginia Beach
Virginia Beach's economy is anchored by Military, Tourism, Healthcare, with 459,470 residents and an unemployment rate of 3.0% in Salario's city dataset. Pay for Customs Officers can differ by sector, so compare Military employers with other local employers. The local job growth rate in Salario's city dataset is 1.8%, and Salario's job dataset lists a 3.0% growth outlook for Customs Officer roles; check the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook for the official 2024-2034 projection for the closest matching occupation.
Methodology & Data Sources
How we calculate Customs Officer salaries in Virginia Beach, VA:
- Local median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS reports by metro area, so this is a regional figure, not a Virginia Beach-only wage.
- Cost-of-living adjustment is shown only for comparison ($80,021 modeled) using the Virginia Beach index of 105 relative to the national baseline of 100, with local rent, home price, unemployment, and tax inputs stored separately in Salario's city dataset.
- Percentile distribution (P10-P90) estimated from the entry, median, senior, and top compensation tiers in the Salario salary model rescaled to the BLS metro median rather than claimed as exact employer payroll data.
- Take-home pay calculated using 2026 federal tax brackets (10%-37%), VA 2026 state income tax brackets after the standard deduction (top rate 5.8%), and FICA (Social Security 6.2% + Medicare 1.45%).
- Tax brackets and standard deduction ($16,100 single filer for tax year 2026) sourced from IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 and updated annually.
Authoritative data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, national and metro-area salary data
- O*NET OnLine, occupation tasks, alternate job titles, skills, and SOC crosswalks
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, occupation outlook where a matching profile is available
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation data (CPI measures price changes, not city-to-city price levels)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Virginia Beach QuickFacts, population and demographic data
- IRS Revenue Procedure 2025-32 summary, 2026 federal tax brackets and standard deductions
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, official local unemployment rates to verify the Virginia Beach figure above
Last reviewed: 2026. Salario's salary dataset is refreshed periodically, not automatically; check the linked BLS releases for the latest official data. Customs Officer salaries can vary significantly based on employer, sector (Military vs others in Virginia Beach), specific skill set (Law Enforcement, Import/Export Regulations, Contraband Detection), and individual negotiation. Always verify current compensation through multiple sources before making career decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Customs Officer salary in Virginia Beach, VA?
How much does a Customs Officer take home in Virginia Beach after taxes?
Is Virginia Beach a good city for Customs Officers?
What skills are needed for a Customs Officer in Virginia Beach?
How does Customs Officer salary in Virginia Beach compare to the national average?
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average Customs Officer salary in Virginia Beach, VA?
The median Customs Officer salary in Virginia Beach, VA is $59,690 per year: the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers (SOC 33-3051) in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metropolitan area. BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city. The entry-level estimate of around $43,800 and the senior estimate of $78,600 or more are Salario tiers calibrated to that BLS median, not BLS percentiles.
How much does a Customs Officer take home in Virginia Beach after taxes?
A Customs Officer earning the median salary of $59,690 in Virginia Beach, VA takes home approximately $47,469 per year ($3,956/month) after federal, state, and local taxes. The effective tax rate is 20.5%.
Is Virginia Beach a good city for Customs Officers?
Virginia Beach, VA has a cost of living index of 105 (above national average). Customs Officers here earn above the city median. The local unemployment rate is 3.0% and top industries include Military, Tourism, Healthcare.
What skills are needed for a Customs Officer in Virginia Beach?
Key skills for Customs Officers include Law Enforcement, Import/Export Regulations, Contraband Detection, Report Writing, Communication. Typical education requirement is Bachelor's Degree. Valuable certifications include Federal Law Enforcement, CPR, Firearms Qualification.
How does Customs Officer salary in Virginia Beach compare to the national average?
The national median for Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers is $76,210 (BLS OEWS May 2025). In the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro, the BLS median is $59,690, which is 21.7% lower than the national figure. For comparison, Salario's cost-of-living model (index 105) would have estimated $80,021.