Customer Support Specialist salary in Athens-Clarke County, GA
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in Athens-Clarke County than in Georgia or the country as a whole. The median is $36,320 a year1: 8.4% below the Georgia statewide median of $39,630 and 18.9% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally that is #472 of 520 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 1,180 people in this job here, 1% of the Georgia total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Athens-Clarke County, GA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Athens-Clarke County against Georgia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $25,680 | $36,320 | $54,820 | |
| Georgia (US state) | $29,340 | $39,630 | $60,270 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Athens-Clarke County earns $30,800–$44,230. The top tenth earns $54,820 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $13,430 wide, against $13,660 across Georgia and $14,910 nationally: employers in Athens-Clarke County 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 | $25,680 | $2,140 | $12.35 | $33,135 |
| 25th percentile | $30,800 | $2,567 | $14.81 | $39,742 |
| Median | $36,320 | $3,027 | $17.46 | $46,865 |
| 75th percentile | $44,230 | $3,686 | $21.26 | $57,071 |
| 90th percentile | $54,820 | $4,568 | $26.36 | $70,735 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,520 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,910, or about $10,206 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Athens-Clarke County, and the Georgia statewide median of $39,630 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local customer support specialists earn.
What a hire really costs in Athens-Clarke County
At the $36,320 median, a local hire costs about $46,865 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,545 here. 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 3.5 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 4.3 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 Athens-Clarke County
Of the 15 roles we track in Athens-Clarke County, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($37,800) and administrative assistants ($36,110). Project Coordinator is the highest at $82,430.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| HR Assistant | +20.6% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.1% | 980 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,180 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -0.6% | 910 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -5.6% | 690 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #10 of the 15 roles we track in Athens-Clarke County (-18.9%), between medical administrative assistants (-17.7%) and project coordinators (-19.4%). The typical role here is at -16.4%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 15.0% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Athens-Clarke County, 19.3% across Georgia and 16.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Georgia
Across the 18 areas of Georgia with data for this job, the median runs from $33,190 in Albany to $42,710 in Atlanta-Sandy Springs, a gap of $9,520 a year. Of the 10 areas in Georgia with more customer support specialists than Athens-Clarke County, 2 pay less: the South Georgia nonmetro area ($36,110) and Albany, GA ($33,190).
| Area | Median | vs Athens-Clarke County | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savannah, GA | +1.4% | 3,290 | |
| Warner Robins, GA | +1.4% | 770 | |
| Rome, GA | +1.0% | 850 | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | this area | 1,180 | |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | -0.3% | 620 | |
| South Georgia (Nonmetro) | -0.6% | 2,610 | |
| East Georgia (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 930 |
Athens-Clarke County against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Athens-Clarke County is #293 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Georgia, Wichita Falls and Shreveport-Bossier City pay just above Athens-Clarke County and Greenville and Williamsport just below. All four are within $120 a year of the median in Athens-Clarke County. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Athens-Clarke County | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa City, IA | +16.6% | 1,190 | jobs | |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | +1.6% | 1,180 | jobs | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.3% | 2,760 | pay | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | +0.1% | 910 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | this area | 1,180 | ||
| Greenville, NC | -0.0% | 1,160 | pay | |
| Williamsport, PA | -0.2% | 800 | pay | |
| Yuma, AZ | -0.8% | 1,190 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Athens-Clarke County, GA?
About $46,865 a year at the median, or $3,905 a month: $36,320 in pay plus about $10,545 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in Athens-Clarke County?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $36,320 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $25,680, the 90th $54,820, and the middle half earned $30,800 to $44,230.
Is Athens-Clarke County cheaper than the rest of Georgia for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,320 against $39,630 statewide. The next area up in Georgia is Rome at $36,700, the next down Brunswick-St. Simons at $36,200.
How many customer support specialists work in Athens-Clarke County?
BLS counts about 1,180 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Georgia total of 97,850. 10 areas in Georgia have more; the closest in size is Gainesville, with about 1,320.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than an administrative assistant in Athens-Clarke County?
Yes: $210 a year more at the median. The medians are $36,320 and $36,110.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Athens-Clarke County?
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 $46,865 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.