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The average salary for an Import Specialist in the United States stands at approximately $51,757 annually. This figure can vary based on factors such as geographical location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one is employed.
Import Specialists typically earn between $40,000 and $65,000, with those in managerial positions or with specialized skills commanding higher salaries. The job market reflects a steady demand for professionals adept in navigating international trade regulations and logistics.
These states offer some of the highest salaries for Import Specialists, attributed to their significant trade activities. Additionally, factors like cost of living and industry demand play crucial roles in salary variations.
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The highest-paying states for import specialists are New York, Washington, and Massachusetts. The lowest average import specialist salary states are Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nevada | $57,406 | $27.60 |
| 2 | New York | $62,862 | $30.22 |
| 3 | Michigan | $56,098 | $26.97 |
| 4 | New Hampshire | $58,974 | $28.35 |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | $54,892 | $26.39 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $59,629 | $28.67 |
| 7 | Florida | $54,693 | $26.29 |
| 8 | North Carolina | $52,746 | $25.36 |
| 9 | Vermont | $53,105 | $25.53 |
| 10 | Washington | $60,610 | $29.14 |
| 11 | Idaho | $53,709 | $25.82 |
| 12 | Wyoming | $49,315 | $23.71 |
| 13 | Maine | $56,666 | $27.24 |
| 14 | Connecticut | $58,763 | $28.25 |
| 15 | New Jersey | $58,667 | $28.21 |
| 16 | Arkansas | $50,021 | $24.05 |
| 17 | Tennessee | $52,186 | $25.09 |
| 18 | West Virginia | $50,863 | $24.45 |
| 19 | Arizona | $51,326 | $24.68 |
| 20 | New Mexico | $53,308 | $25.63 |
| 21 | Iowa | $48,341 | $23.24 |
| 22 | Ohio | $50,886 | $24.46 |
| 23 | California | $58,080 | $27.92 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $50,114 | $24.09 |
| 25 | Hawaii | $48,623 | $23.38 |
| 26 | Oregon | $49,006 | $23.56 |
| 27 | Alaska | $47,131 | $22.66 |
| 28 | Colorado | $51,626 | $24.82 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $46,606 | $22.41 |
| 30 | Kansas | $47,824 | $22.99 |
| 31 | Alabama | $48,055 | $23.10 |
| 32 | Utah | $47,835 | $23.00 |
| 33 | Oklahoma | $47,772 | $22.97 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $49,657 | $23.87 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $48,378 | $23.26 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $49,004 | $23.56 |
| 37 | Delaware | $46,213 | $22.22 |
| 38 | Indiana | $47,138 | $22.66 |
| 39 | Virginia | $47,878 | $23.02 |
| 40 | Georgia | $46,680 | $22.44 |
| 41 | Illinois | $47,685 | $22.93 |
| 42 | Nebraska | $37,523 | $18.04 |
| 43 | Maryland | $45,888 | $22.06 |
| 44 | Rhode Island | $46,441 | $22.33 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $39,933 | $19.20 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $37,657 | $18.10 |
| 47 | Texas | $40,560 | $19.50 |
| 48 | Montana | $37,767 | $18.16 |
| 49 | District of Columbia | $45,208 | $21.73 |
| 50 | Missouri | $37,929 | $18.24 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $39,070 | $18.78 |
The highest-paying cities for import specialists are Uniondale, NY, Seattle, WA, and Lodi, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Uniondale, NY | $63,244 | $30.41 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $61,110 | $29.38 |
| 3 | Lodi, CA | $59,926 | $28.81 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $59,607 | $28.66 |
| 5 | Jersey City, NJ | $58,709 | $28.23 |
| 6 | Port Huron, MI | $57,291 | $27.54 |
| 7 | Miami, FL | $55,221 | $26.55 |
| 8 | Memphis, TN | $52,030 | $25.01 |
| 9 | Aurora, CO | $51,599 | $24.81 |
| 10 | Phoenix, AZ | $51,329 | $24.68 |
| 11 | Charleston, SC | $49,851 | $23.97 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $47,987 | $23.07 |
| 13 | Richmond, VA | $47,575 | $22.87 |
| 14 | Atlanta, GA | $46,652 | $22.43 |
| 15 | Houston, TX | $40,835 | $19.63 |
An import specialist's salary ranges from $36,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $72,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $72,000 | $6,000 | $35 |
| 75th Percentile | $62,000 | $5,167 | $30 |
| Average | $51,757 | $4,313 | $25 |
| 25th Percentile | $43,000 | $3,583 | $21 |
| 10th Percentile | $36,000 | $3,000 | $17 |
The highest paying types of import specialists are specialist, freight broker, and import/export specialist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Cargo Agent | $36,182 | $3,015 | $17.40 | 27,082 |
| Cargo Agent | $35,411 | $2,951 | $17.02 | 27,874 |
| Freight Broker | $52,390 | $4,366 | $25.19 | 7,528 |
| Freight Agent | $34,524 | $2,877 | $16.60 | 32,620 |
| Ocean Export Coordinator | $43,070 | $3,589 | $20.71 | 8,384 |
| Air Export Coordinator | $40,207 | $3,351 | $19.33 | 9,305 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for import specialists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Dr. Kate Seltzer Ph.D.
Assistant Professor, Rowan University
Top companies hiring import specialists now:
Import specialist salaries at The Judge Group and RemX are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average import specialist salary at companies like ITT and Jas are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Judge Group | $62,859 | $30.22 |
| 2 | RemX | $61,748 | $29.69 |
| 3 | ITT | $61,539 | $29.59 |
| 4 | Jas | $60,901 | $29.28 |
| 5 | Dahl Consulting | $60,670 | $29.17 |
| 6 | OEConnection | $60,062 | $28.88 |
| 7 | Livingston International | $58,608 | $28.18 |
| 8 | C.H. Robinson | $57,285 | $27.54 |
| 9 | Trane | $51,638 | $24.83 |
| 10 | Sysco | $50,365 | $24.21 |
| 11 | iDE | $48,577 | $23.35 |
| 12 | ServiceTitan | $48,323 | $23.23 |
| 13 | Dunavant | $47,914 | $23.04 |
| 14 | Expeditors | $46,930 | $22.56 |
| 15 | Mid-America Overseas | $46,849 | $22.52 |
| 16 | Odyssey Logistics | $46,826 | $22.51 |
| 17 | Deringer-Ney Inc. | $46,438 | $22.33 |
| 18 | Syllable | $46,438 | $22.33 |
| 19 | Ylopo | $46,438 | $22.33 |
| 20 | HMS Productions | $46,433 | $22.32 |
The average import specialist salary has risen by $6,575 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average import specialist earned $45,182 annually, but today, they earn $51,757 a year. That works out to a 4% change in pay for import specialists over the last decade.
Compare import specialist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare import specialist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $51,800 | $24.88 | +0.1% |
| 2025 | $51,700 | $24.87 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | $51,100 | $24.56 | +3.2% |
| 2023 | $49,500 | $23.77 | -0.2% |
| 2022 | $49,600 | $23.83 | +0.1% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JAS | Import Specialist (H) | Los Angeles, CA | 06/27/2025 | $62,610 |
| Nestle | Import Specialist (Hybrid) | New York, NY | 06/20/2025 | $80,000 |
| CMA CGM Group | Import Specialist III-Melrose | Melrose Park, IL | 06/17/2025 | $48,878 |
| JAS | Air Import Specialist | Chicago, IL | 06/14/2025 | $45,000 |
| FNS | Ocean Import Specialist | Chicago, IL | 06/09/2025 | $50,171 |
| Fns | Ocean Import Specialist | Moonachie, NJ | 06/07/2025 | $50,171 |
| CMA CGM Group | Import Specialist III | Cincinnati, OH | 05/29/2025 | $44,224 |
| Department of Homeland Security | Import Specialist | Washington, DC | 05/27/2025 | $49,960 |
| Scan Global Logistics | Ocean Import Specialist | Irving, TX | 05/08/2025 | $55,097 |
| Transgroup Express, LLC | Ocean Import Specialist | Irving, TX | 05/06/2025 | $55,097 |
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