Customer Support Specialist salary in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
The East-Central Montana nonmetro area pays customer support specialists close to the national norm. The median is $44,580 a year1, 1.6% below the Montana statewide median of $45,290 and about level with the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #152 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 290 customer support specialists here, 6% of the Montana total: a small pool for a local search.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area East-Central Montana nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area against Montana and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | $31,840 | $44,580 | $59,790 | |
| Montana | $35,100 | $45,290 | $62,250 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $59,790, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area earns $39,100–$48,740. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,640 wide, against $10,620 across Montana and $14,910 nationally: employers in the East-Central Montana 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 | $31,840 | $2,653 | $15.31 | $41,084 |
| 25th percentile | $39,100 | $3,258 | $18.80 | $50,452 |
| Median | $44,580 | $3,715 | $21.43 | $57,523 |
| 75th percentile | $48,740 | $4,062 | $23.43 | $62,890 |
| 90th percentile | $59,790 | $4,982 | $28.75 | $77,148 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,480 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,160, or about $5,368 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 median and the 75th percentile in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, and the Montana statewide median of $45,290 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
At the $44,580 median, a local hire costs about $57,523 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,943 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 4.3 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 5.3 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 the East-Central Montana nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, this one ranks #11 by median pay, between bookkeepers ($46,340) and medical administrative assistants ($40,200). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,920.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +8.7% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | +3.9% | 940 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 290 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -9.8% | 390 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -10.1% | 740 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 14 roles we track in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area (-0.4%); executive assistants come last (-27.8%). The typical role here is at -11.4%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 6.9% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, 11.9% across Montana and 16.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Montana
Across the 7 areas of Montana with data for this job, the median runs from $42,270 in Great Falls to $46,680 in Helena, a gap of $4,410 a year. Of the 6 areas in Montana with more customer support specialists than the East-Central Montana nonmetro area, 3 pay less: the West Montana nonmetro area ($43,420), Great Falls, MT ($42,270) and the Southwest Montana nonmetro area ($44,130).
| Area | Median | vs the East-Central Montana nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Helena, MT | +4.7% | 380 | |
| Missoula, MT | +0.2% | 700 | |
| Billings, MT | +0.0% | 1,090 | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | this area | 290 | |
| Southwest Montana (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 360 | |
| West Montana (Nonmetro) | -2.6% | 800 | |
| Great Falls, MT | -5.2% | 360 |
the East-Central Montana nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the East-Central Montana nonmetro area is #512 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Montana, Honolulu and Pittsfield pay just above the East-Central Montana nonmetro area and Anchorage and Minot just below. All four are within $70 a year of the median in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the East-Central Montana nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsfield, MA | +0.2% | 680 | pay | |
| Honolulu, HI | +0.1% | 6,260 | pay | |
| East-Central Montana (Nonmetro) | this area | 290 | ||
| Anchorage, AK | -0.0% | 1,600 | pay | |
| Minot, ND | -0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Corvallis, OR | -0.1% | 300 | jobs | |
| Gettysburg, PA | -3.3% | 310 | jobs | |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -14.4% | 270 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in East-Central Montana (Nonmetro)?
About $57,523 a year at the median, or $4,794 a month: $44,580 in pay plus about $12,943 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
The median was $44,580 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,840, the 90th $59,790, and the middle half earned $39,100 to $48,740.
Is the East-Central Montana nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Montana for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,580 against $45,290 statewide. The next area up in Montana is Billings at $44,580, the next down the Southwest Montana nonmetro area at $44,130.
How many customer support specialists work in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Montana total of 4,910. 6 areas in Montana have more; the closest in size is the Southwest Montana nonmetro area, with about 360.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the East-Central Montana nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,380 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,580 and $40,200.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the East-Central Montana 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 $57,523 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.