Best states for a border patrol agent

Q: What is the best state for border patrol agents?

The best state to be a border patrol agent is Arizona based on border patrol agent salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for border patrol agents?

The highest paying state for border patrol agents is Louisiana based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for border patrol agents?

The worst state for border patrol agents is Kentucky, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you thinking of becoming a border patrol agent and really want to work at U.S. Customs and Border Protection? Turns out, your chances to become a border patrol agent are better in some states than others.Turns out, the median salary for the highest 10% of border patrol agents in America is $68,000.

The median salary for border patrol agents in Arizona is $57,771. Compare that to the median salary in Kentucky of $42,223, which ranked worst for border patrol agents, and you can see how your location is important for your career.We found that the South is best for border patrol agents, and the West is the worst. Los Angeles, CA is the best city in the country for border patrol agent jobs, where as Arizona is the best state in the country.

10 best states for border patrol agents in 2026

1. Arizona
Total border patrol agent jobs: 835
Average annual salary: $57,771
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Location Quotient:
1.54
Border patrol agent jobs in Arizona
2. Wyoming
Total border patrol agent jobs: 82
Average annual salary: $54,040
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
1.48
Border patrol agent jobs in Wyoming
3. Texas
Total border patrol agent jobs: 1,767
Average annual salary: $60,500
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Location Quotient:
0.94
Border patrol agent jobs in Texas
4. Nevada
Total border patrol agent jobs: 255
Average annual salary: $55,001
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000
Location Quotient:
1.31
Border patrol agent jobs in Nevada
5. Nebraska
Total border patrol agent jobs: 287
Average annual salary: $53,296
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
1.39
Border patrol agent jobs in Nebraska
6. California
Total border patrol agent jobs: 2,697
Average annual salary: $64,130
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000
Location Quotient:
0.99
Border patrol agent jobs in California
7. Washington
Total border patrol agent jobs: 586
Average annual salary: $62,860
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000
Location Quotient:
0.86
Border patrol agent jobs in Washington
8. Ohio
Total border patrol agent jobs: 1,276
Average annual salary: $51,966
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Border patrol agent jobs in Ohio
9. Alaska
Total border patrol agent jobs: 0
Average annual salary: $65,797
Lowest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000
Location Quotient:
0
Border patrol agent jobs in Alaska
10. Michigan
Total border patrol agent jobs: 878
Average annual salary: $52,367
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Border patrol agent jobs in Michigan

Border patrol agent jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a border patrol agent

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a border patrol agent

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Arizona	$57,771	$46,000	7,016,270	835
2	Wyoming	$54,040	$46,000	579,315	82
3	Texas	$60,500	$46,000	28,304,596	1,767
4	Nevada	$55,001	$45,000	2,998,039	255
5	Nebraska	$53,296	$45,000	1,920,076	287
6	California	$64,130	$51,000	39,536,653	2,697
7	Washington	$62,860	$55,000	7,405,743	586
8	Ohio	$51,966	$42,000	11,658,609	1,276
9	Alaska	$65,797	$59,000	739,795	0
10	Michigan	$52,367	$43,000	9,962,311	878
11	New Mexico	$55,410	$45,000	2,088,070	166
12	Colorado	$54,627	$46,000	5,607,154	610
13	Delaware	$53,464	$40,000	961,939	153
14	Oregon	$52,158	$44,000	4,142,776	529
15	Illinois	$54,010	$45,000	12,802,023	987
16	Minnesota	$54,058	$47,000	5,576,606	490
17	New York	$55,769	$43,000	19,849,399	1,124
18	Pennsylvania	$48,878	$37,000	12,805,537	1,412
19	Connecticut	$55,786	$44,000	3,588,184	230
20	Rhode Island	$50,223	$40,000	1,059,639	134
21	North Dakota	$49,283	$43,000	755,393	88
22	Montana	$47,878	$42,000	1,050,493	154
23	Massachusetts	$51,250	$41,000	6,859,819	946
24	Vermont	$48,052	$40,000	623,657	98
25	Indiana	$49,549	$41,000	6,666,818	531
26	New Jersey	$54,277	$42,000	9,005,644	547
27	Wisconsin	$49,028	$41,000	5,795,483	498
28	Utah	$46,852	$40,000	3,101,833	406
29	Missouri	$46,215	$38,000	6,113,532	824
30	Maryland	$54,807	$41,000	6,052,177	439
31	District of Columbia	$57,421	$43,000	693,972	70
32	Hawaii	$53,634	$46,000	1,427,538	70
33	New Hampshire	$46,594	$38,000	1,342,795	201
34	Iowa	$48,616	$41,000	3,145,711	27
35	Tennessee	$44,657	$35,000	6,715,984	588
36	Florida	$45,243	$32,000	20,984,400	1,638
37	West Virginia	$46,091	$36,000	1,815,857	102
38	Alabama	$42,837	$32,000	4,874,747	465
39	Idaho	$45,041	$39,000	1,716,943	166
40	Oklahoma	$42,543	$35,000	3,930,864	327
41	South Dakota	$42,903	$37,000	869,666	107
42	Mississippi	$39,509	$30,000	2,984,100	265
43	Maine	$45,049	$38,000	1,335,907	103
44	Arkansas	$40,940	$33,000	3,004,279	305
45	Virginia	$46,575	$34,000	8,470,020	624
46	Kansas	$43,485	$36,000	2,913,123	247
47	Louisiana	$38,896	$29,000	4,684,333	392
48	Georgia	$42,495	$32,000	10,429,379	777
49	South Carolina	$40,236	$30,000	5,024,369	431
50	North Carolina	$42,160	$31,000	10,273,419	558
51	Kentucky	$42,223	$34,000	4,454,189	20

Highest paying states for border patrol agents

Rank	State	Avg. Border Patrol Agent Salary
1	Arizona	$57,771
2	Wyoming	$54,040
3	Texas	$60,500
4	Nevada	$55,001
5	Nebraska	$53,296
6	California	$64,130
7	Washington	$62,860
8	Ohio	$51,966
9	Alaska	$65,797
10	Michigan	$52,367
11	New Mexico	$55,410
12	Colorado	$54,627
13	Delaware	$53,464
14	Oregon	$52,158
15	Illinois	$54,010
16	Minnesota	$54,058
17	New York	$55,769
18	Pennsylvania	$48,878
19	Connecticut	$55,786
20	Rhode Island	$50,223
21	North Dakota	$49,283
22	Montana	$47,878
23	Massachusetts	$51,250
24	Vermont	$48,052
25	Indiana	$49,549
26	New Jersey	$54,277
27	Wisconsin	$49,028
28	Utah	$46,852
29	Missouri	$46,215
30	Maryland	$54,807
31	District of Columbia	$57,421
32	Hawaii	$53,634
33	New Hampshire	$46,594
34	Iowa	$48,616
35	Tennessee	$44,657
36	Florida	$45,243
37	West Virginia	$46,091
38	Alabama	$42,837
39	Idaho	$45,041
40	Oklahoma	$42,543
41	South Dakota	$42,903
42	Mississippi	$39,509
43	Maine	$45,049
44	Arkansas	$40,940
45	Virginia	$46,575
46	Kansas	$43,485
47	Louisiana	$38,896
48	Georgia	$42,495
49	South Carolina	$40,236
50	North Carolina	$42,160
51	Kentucky	$42,223

Best states for a border patrol agent

10 best states for border patrol agents in 2026

1. Arizona

2. Wyoming

3. Texas

4. Nevada

5. Nebraska

6. California

7. Washington

8. Ohio

9. Alaska

10. Michigan

Border patrol agent jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a border patrol agent

Detailed list of the best states for a border patrol agent

Highest paying states for border patrol agents

Border patrol agent best states FAQs

What is the best state for border patrol agents?

What is the highest paying state for border patrol agents?

What is the worst state for border patrol agents?

Search for border patrol agent jobs

Total border patrol agent jobs:	835
Average annual salary:	$57,771
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$72,000
Location Quotient:	1.54