Customer Support Specialist salary in Appleton, WI
The median customer support specialist in Appleton earned $45,760 a year in May 20251. That is 2.2% above the US median of $44,770, even though it is 2.6% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $46,970. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#107 of 520). BLS counts about 2,540 people in this job here, 5% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Appleton, WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Appleton against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appleton, WI | $35,120 | $45,760 | $62,130 | |
| Wisconsin | $34,260 | $46,970 | $63,650 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Appleton earns $38,990–$52,150. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,130, only 1.8 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,160 wide, against $17,820 across Wisconsin and $14,910 nationally: employers in Appleton pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a customer support specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $35,120 | $2,927 | $16.88 | $45,316 |
| 25th percentile | $38,990 | $3,249 | $18.75 | $50,310 |
| Median | $45,760 | $3,813 | $22.00 | $59,045 |
| 75th percentile | $52,150 | $4,346 | $25.07 | $67,290 |
| 90th percentile | $62,130 | $5,178 | $29.87 | $80,168 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,770 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,390, or about $8,245 once benefits are added. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $44,770 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in Appleton, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $46,970 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Appleton
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,285 to the $45,760 median and brings it to $59,045 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open customer support specialist roles pay $700–$1,000 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
A local hire here costs about 4.4 times as much as a remote hire in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two, when the fee drops out, it is 5.5 times the remote figure of $10,788. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in Appleton
Of the 17 roles we track in Appleton, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between HR assistants ($47,130) and data entry specialists ($40,890). Project Coordinator is the highest at $98,290.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.8% | 140 | |
| HR Assistant | +3.0% | 60 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 2,540 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -10.6% | 90 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -11.9% | 1,170 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in Appleton (+2.2%), between payroll specialists (+3.4%) and administrative assistants (+0.8%). The typical role here is at -1.1%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in Appleton than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 21.0% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Appleton, 18.1% across Wisconsin and 16.4% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $43,240 in Oshkosh-Neenah to $48,360 in Kenosha, a gap of $5,120 a year. All 4 areas in Wisconsin with more customer support specialists than Appleton also pay more, among them Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI ($47,840) and Madison, WI ($47,500).
| Area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | +0.4% | 1,340 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +0.2% | 3,000 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +0.1% | 1,200 | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 2,540 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -2.0% | 2,300 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | -4.3% | 530 | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -5.5% | 1,990 |
Appleton against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Appleton is #151 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Wisconsin, Lewiston-Auburn and St. Louis pay just above Appleton and Merced and Medford just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in Appleton. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs Appleton | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis, MO-IL | +0.1% | 23,760 | pay | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +0.1% | 480 | pay | |
| Appleton, WI | this area | 2,540 | ||
| Merced, CA | -0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Medford, OR | -0.3% | 690 | pay | |
| Lincoln, NE | -9.5% | 2,540 | jobs | |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | -17.0% | 2,560 | jobs | |
| Abilene, TX | -19.5% | 2,550 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Appleton, WI?
About $59,045 a year at the median, or $4,920 a month: $45,760 in pay plus about $13,285 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in Appleton?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,120, the 90th $62,130, and the middle half earned $38,990 to $52,150.
Is Appleton cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,760 against $46,970 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is La Crosse-Onalaska at $45,820, the next down the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area at $44,830.
How many customer support specialists work in Appleton?
BLS counts about 2,540 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Wisconsin total of 50,840. 4 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is the Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetro area, with about 3,000.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in Appleton?
Yes: $4,870 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,760 and $40,890.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Appleton?
Our open roles pay $700–$1,000 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $13,288, against about $59,045 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4051: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.