Customer Support Specialist salary in the Central Indiana nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the Central Indiana nonmetro area than in Indiana or the country as a whole. The median is $40,610 a year1: 5.9% below the Indiana statewide median of $43,140 and 9.3% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #265 of 520 areas. About 1,660 customer support specialists work here, 4% of the Indiana total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Central Indiana nonmetro area against Indiana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | $30,700 | $40,610 | $59,730 | |
| Indiana | $31,060 | $43,140 | $62,620 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $59,730, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Central Indiana nonmetro area earns $34,630–$47,440. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,810 wide, against $14,230 across Indiana and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Central Indiana nonmetro area 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 | $30,700 | $2,558 | $14.76 | $39,613 |
| 25th percentile | $34,630 | $2,886 | $16.65 | $44,684 |
| Median | $40,610 | $3,384 | $19.52 | $52,400 |
| 75th percentile | $47,440 | $3,953 | $22.81 | $61,213 |
| 90th percentile | $59,730 | $4,978 | $28.72 | $77,071 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $6,830 a year in pay and about $8,813 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,980 in pay. 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 median and the 75th percentile in the Central Indiana nonmetro area, and the Indiana statewide median of $43,140 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Central Indiana nonmetro area
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 $11,790 to the $40,610 median and brings it to $52,400 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 3.9 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 4.9 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 the Central Indiana nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Central Indiana nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($43,010) and medical administrative assistants ($39,570). Project Coordinator is the highest at $75,700.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +13.5% | 1,510 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +5.9% | 80 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,660 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -2.6% | 750 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -6.1% | 1,030 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in the Central Indiana nonmetro area (-9.3%), between bookkeepers (-9.0%) and virtual receptionists (-10.3%). The typical role here is at -13.8%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Central Indiana nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 16.2% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Central Indiana nonmetro area, 16.7% across Indiana and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Indiana
Across the 15 areas of Indiana with data for this job, the median runs from $38,380 in Kokomo to $48,000 in Elkhart-Goshen, a gap of $9,620 a year. Of the 5 areas in Indiana with more customer support specialists than the Central Indiana nonmetro area, 2 pay less: Evansville, IN ($39,410) and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI ($40,420).
| Area | Median | vs the Central Indiana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus, IN | +5.1% | 600 | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | +3.1% | 420 | |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | +1.2% | 900 | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,660 | |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | -0.5% | 1,870 | |
| Bloomington, IN | -2.3% | 770 | |
| Muncie, IN | -2.4% | 640 |
the Central Indiana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Central Indiana nonmetro area is #217 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Indiana, Lewiston and Muskegon-Norton Shores pay just above the Central Indiana nonmetro area and Birmingham and Orlando-Kissimmee just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in the Central Indiana nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Central Indiana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | +0.4% | 700 | pay | |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | +0.2% | 570 | pay | |
| Central Indiana (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,660 | ||
| Birmingham, AL | -0.2% | 9,850 | pay | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -0.2% | 35,690 | pay | |
| Tyler, TX | -7.1% | 1,680 | jobs | |
| Charleston, WV | -7.7% | 1,650 | jobs | |
| Florence, SC | -8.2% | 1,680 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Central Indiana (Nonmetro)?
About $52,400 a year at the median, or $4,367 a month: $40,610 in pay plus about $11,790 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Central Indiana nonmetro area?
The median was $40,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,700, the 90th $59,730, and the middle half earned $34,630 to $47,440.
Is the Central Indiana nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Indiana for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $40,610 against $43,140 statewide. The next area up in Indiana is Lafayette-West Lafayette at $41,090, the next down South Bend-Mishawaka at $40,420.
How many customer support specialists work in the Central Indiana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,660 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Indiana total of 44,630. 5 areas in Indiana have more; the closest in size is South Bend-Mishawaka, with about 1,870.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Central Indiana nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,040 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,610 and $39,570.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Central Indiana nonmetro area?
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 $52,400 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.