Import-export agent vs import specialist

The differences between import-export agents and import specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an import specialist has an average salary of $51,757, which is higher than the $47,326 average annual salary of an import-export agent.

The top three skills for an import-export agent include customer service, data entry and booking. The most important skills for an import specialist are data entry, logistics, and us customs.

Import-export agent vs import specialist overview

	Import-Export Agent	Import Specialist
Yearly salary	$47,326	$51,757
Hourly rate	$22.75	$24.88
Growth rate	-	6%
Number of jobs	26,116	1,736
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Average age	43	43
Years of experience	-	-

What does an import-export agent do?

Import or export agents are professionals who are required to act as the middle person for purchasing or selling products between both domestic and overseas companies. These agents must possess a variety of export documentation to facilitate domestic and international shipments of products to ensure timely delivery. They should provide shipment status notification to answer inquiries from exporters and consignees. Import or export agents must also prepare documents while informing import agents about the details of shipment arrivals.

What does an import specialist do?

An import Specialist in the United States handles freight shipments coming to the country. They detect and assist in preventing violation of the country's customs laws. Their primary responsibility is to enforce the import/export regulations of the United States to prevent the entry of illegal drugs and products into the country. They are tasked with ensuring that weapons or weapon parts do not make it through the border. Additionally, they carry out physical checks and go through cargo manifests on the database while also explaining import/export policies to foreign shippers.

Import-export agent vs import specialist salary

Import-export agents and import specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Import-Export Agent	Import Specialist
Average salary	$47,326	$51,757
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $67,000	Between $36,000 And $72,000
Highest paying City	Uniondale, NY	Uniondale, NY
Highest paying state	New York	New York
Best paying company	C.H. Robinson	The Judge Group
Best paying industry	Transportation	Transportation

Differences between import-export agent and import specialist education

There are a few differences between an import-export agent and an import specialist in terms of educational background:

	Import-Export Agent	Import Specialist
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 49%	Bachelor's Degree, 54%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Import-export agent vs import specialist demographics

Here are the differences between import-export agents' and import specialists' demographics:

	Import-Export Agent	Import Specialist
Average age	43	43
Gender ratio	Male, 43.9% Female, 56.1%	Male, 33.1% Female, 66.9%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 7.1% Hispanic or Latino, 26.8% Asian, 14.8% White, 45.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	Black or African American, 4.9% Unknown, 6.6% Hispanic or Latino, 21.4% Asian, 18.2% White, 48.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	11%	11%

Differences between import-export agent and import specialist duties and responsibilities

Import-export agent example responsibilities.

Prepare documentation as master BOL, shippers export declarations, cargo release, pickups, delivery orders and others.
Maintain AS400 system to include accurate shipment order entry, AES filing and other pertinent information for LCL and FCL shipments.
Facilitate training for CSR & shippers on export documentation and incoterms.
Send arrival notices, tracking, arranging inland moves on containers and LCL cargo.
Quoted ocean FCL & LCL rates to all the customers in order to satisfy their shipping needs.
Review and analyze standard operating procedures to insure compliance, TSA, ISO, TAPA, IMDG.

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Import specialist example responsibilities.

Work closely with government agencies, such as FDA and USDA.
Collaborate with foreign suppliers and freight forwarders on corrective action/preventive actions.
Communicate with external customers utilizing exceptional customer service to obtain missing or incomplete invoice statements require for U.S. Customs clearance.
Classify products with HS classification for NAFTA purposes.
Process special commodities such as FDA regulate articles, ADD/CVD entries.
Document the declaration sheet of Hazmat material for the current flight.

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Import-export agent vs import specialist skills

Common import-export agent skills

Customer Service, 34%
Data Entry, 11%
Booking, 8%
Export, 3%
Import Export, 3%
DHL, 3%

Common import specialist skills

Data Entry, 12%
Logistics, 10%
US Customs, 9%
Invoice, 5%
Delivery Orders, 4%
Forwarders, 4%

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Office and Administrative Industry
Import-Export Agent
Import-Export Agent vs Import Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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