How To Become An Import Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is an import specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

An Import Specialist has in-depth knowledge of import and export goods, including customs clearance and documentation, recognizes and helps prevent violations of U.S. customs laws and import/export laws and the entry of illegal drugs/products into the country. They additionally work to prevent weapons and weapon parts from entering the country.

Generally, you need to possess a bachelor's degree or associate degree to become an Import Specialist. Additionally, you must have five years of experience in tracking shipments, working with clients, and categorizing shipments.

Usually, most of the bachelors who gravitate in this field end up laying claim to annual earnings at $48,992. The current median pay for an Import Specialist ranges from $41,245 to $57,447 in the U.S. However, this figure can vary significantly depending upon your experience and skills.

ScoreImport SpecialistUS Average

Salary

4.0

Avg. Salary $51,757

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.6

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

7.1

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.75%

Asian 18.20%

Black or African American 4.90%

Hispanic or Latino 21.45%

Unknown 6.65%

White 48.05%

Gender

female 66.89%

male 33.11%

Age - 41.5

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41.5

Stress level

6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

5.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become an import specialist

Explore import specialist education requirements

Most common import specialist degrees

Bachelor's

54.1 %

Associate

19.3 %

High School Diploma

9.7 %

Start to develop specific import specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Data Entry	11.63%
Logistics	10.32%
US Customs	9.48%
Invoice	4.91%
Delivery Orders	4.47%

Complete relevant import specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New import specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an import specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real import specialist resumes.

Research import specialist duties and 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.

Prepare your import specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your import specialist resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an import specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable import specialist resume templates

Build a professional import specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your import specialist resume.