Customer Support Specialist salary in the East Arkansas nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the East Arkansas nonmetro area than in Arkansas or the country as a whole. The median is $37,440 a year1: 1.1% below the Arkansas statewide median of $37,840 and 16.4% below the US median of $44,770. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#410 of 520). BLS counts about 750 people in this job here, 4% of the Arkansas total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area East Arkansas nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the East Arkansas nonmetro area against Arkansas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | $30,090 | $37,440 | $51,440 | |
| Arkansas | $30,150 | $37,840 | $56,630 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the East Arkansas nonmetro area earns $31,840–$42,730. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $51,440, only 1.7 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 $10,890 wide, against $12,800 across Arkansas and $14,910 nationally: employers in the East Arkansas 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 | $30,090 | $2,508 | $14.47 | $38,826 |
| 25th percentile | $31,840 | $2,653 | $15.31 | $41,084 |
| Median | $37,440 | $3,120 | $18.00 | $48,310 |
| 75th percentile | $42,730 | $3,561 | $20.54 | $55,135 |
| 90th percentile | $51,440 | $4,287 | $24.73 | $66,374 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,600 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,290, or about $6,826 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 the East Arkansas nonmetro area, and the Arkansas statewide median of $37,840 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 the East Arkansas 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 $10,870 to the $37,440 median and brings it to $48,310 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 3.6 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 4.5 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 the East Arkansas nonmetro area
Of the 12 roles we track in the East Arkansas nonmetro area, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($39,440) and medical administrative assistants ($35,370). Project Coordinator is the highest at $66,540.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +6.8% | 570 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +5.3% | 50 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 750 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -5.5% | 110 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -8.5% | 580 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 12 roles we track in the East Arkansas nonmetro area (-16.4%); project coordinators come last (-35.0%). The typical role here is at -27.7%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the East Arkansas nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 19.3% of the jobs in these 12 roles in the East Arkansas nonmetro area, 20.4% across Arkansas and 17.6% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Arkansas
Across the 9 areas of Arkansas with data for this job, the median runs from $34,150 in Hot Springs to $39,510 in Fayetteville-Springdale, a gap of $5,360 a year. Of the 6 areas in Arkansas with more customer support specialists than the East Arkansas nonmetro area, 3 pay less: the North Arkansas nonmetro area ($37,030), the South Arkansas nonmetro area ($36,830) and the West Arkansas nonmetro area ($36,410).
| Area | Median | vs the East Arkansas nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville-Springdale, AR | +5.5% | 4,170 | |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR | +1.9% | 6,650 | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +0.2% | 1,860 | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | this area | 750 | |
| North Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -1.1% | 1,670 | |
| South Arkansas (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 1,000 | |
| Jonesboro, AR | -1.8% | 730 |
the East Arkansas nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the East Arkansas nonmetro area is #392 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Arkansas, Victoria and Morgantown pay just above the East Arkansas nonmetro area and Blacksburg-Christiansburg and Columbia just below. All four are within $10 a year of the median in the East Arkansas nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the East Arkansas nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +24.8% | 750 | jobs | |
| Twin Falls, ID | +3.7% | 750 | jobs | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | +1.3% | 750 | jobs | |
| Morgantown, WV | +0.0% | 840 | pay | |
| Victoria, TX | +0.0% | 570 | pay | |
| East Arkansas (Nonmetro) | this area | 750 | ||
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | -0.0% | 640 | pay | |
| Columbia, SC | -0.0% | 10,430 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in East Arkansas (Nonmetro)?
About $48,310 a year at the median, or $4,026 a month: $37,440 in pay plus about $10,870 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the East Arkansas nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,440 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,090, the 90th $51,440, and the middle half earned $31,840 to $42,730.
Is the East Arkansas nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Arkansas for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,440 against $37,840 statewide. The next area up in Arkansas is Fort Smith at $37,500, the next down the North Arkansas nonmetro area at $37,030.
How many customer support specialists work in the East Arkansas nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 750 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Arkansas total of 20,680. 6 areas in Arkansas have more; the closest in size is the West Arkansas nonmetro area, with about 900.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the East Arkansas nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,070 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,440 and $35,370.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the East Arkansas 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 $48,310 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.