Customer Support Specialist salary in the East North Dakota nonmetro area
No other area in North Dakota pays customer support specialists more than the East North Dakota nonmetro area: the median is $50,420 a year1. That is 12.9% above the North Dakota statewide median of $44,670, and 12.6% above the US median of $44,770. Only 7 of 520 US areas pay more for this job. BLS counts about 540 people in this job here, 9% of the North Dakota total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area East North Dakota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the East North Dakota nonmetro area against North Dakota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| East North Dakota (Nonmetro) | $37,200 | $50,420 | $75,820 | |
| North Dakota | $34,190 | $44,670 | $68,350 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the East North Dakota nonmetro area earns $39,520–$68,320. The top tenth earns $75,820 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $28,800 wide, wider than in North Dakota as a whole ($15,480) and the US ($14,910), so what a customer support specialist earns in the East North Dakota nonmetro area depends more on the employer.
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 | $37,200 | $3,100 | $17.88 | $48,000 |
| 25th percentile | $39,520 | $3,293 | $19.00 | $50,994 |
| Median | $50,420 | $4,202 | $24.24 | $65,058 |
| 75th percentile | $68,320 | $5,693 | $32.85 | $88,155 |
| 90th percentile | $75,820 | $6,318 | $36.45 | $97,832 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $17,900 over the median, the 25th only $10,900 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $23,097 a year in employer cost. 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 the East North Dakota nonmetro area, and the North Dakota statewide median of $44,670 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the East North Dakota 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 $14,638 to the $50,420 median and brings it to $65,058 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 4.9 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 6.0 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 North Dakota nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the East North Dakota nonmetro area, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between marketing specialists ($57,530) and bookkeepers ($48,870). Project Coordinator is the highest at $92,490.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive Assistant | +17.2% | 60 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +14.1% | 150 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 540 | |
| Bookkeeper | -3.1% | 700 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -8.4% | 90 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 14 roles we track in the East North Dakota nonmetro area (+12.6%); sales development representatives come last (-34.0%). The typical role here is at -7.0%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the East North Dakota nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 13.0% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the East North Dakota nonmetro area, 17.1% across North Dakota and 16.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Dakota
Across the 6 areas of North Dakota with data for this job, the median runs from $40,900 in Fargo to $50,420 in the East North Dakota nonmetro area, a gap of $9,520 a year. All 4 areas in North Dakota with more customer support specialists than the East North Dakota nonmetro area pay less, among them Fargo, ND-MN ($40,900) and Bismarck, ND ($46,240).
| Area | Median | vs the East North Dakota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East North Dakota (Nonmetro) | this area | 540 | |
| West North Dakota (Nonmetro) | -5.3% | 610 | |
| Bismarck, ND | -8.3% | 980 | |
| Minot, ND | -11.6% | 390 | |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | -15.6% | 580 | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | -18.9% | 2,790 |
the East North Dakota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the East North Dakota nonmetro area is #464 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside North Dakota, Vallejo and Santa Rosa-Petaluma pay just above the East North Dakota nonmetro area and Burlington-South Burlington and Stockton-Lodi just below. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the East North Dakota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | +2.8% | 1,750 | pay | |
| Vallejo, CA | +1.6% | 1,130 | pay | |
| East North Dakota (Nonmetro) | this area | 540 | ||
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | -0.5% | 1,250 | pay | |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | -0.9% | 2,650 | pay | |
| Fond du Lac, WI | -5.8% | 530 | jobs | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -23.4% | 530 | jobs | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -26.4% | 560 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in East North Dakota (Nonmetro)?
About $65,058 a year at the median, or $5,422 a month: $50,420 in pay plus about $14,638 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the East North Dakota nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $50,420 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $37,200, the 90th $75,820, and the middle half earned $39,520 to $68,320.
Is the East North Dakota nonmetro area the most expensive area in North Dakota for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $50,420 is the highest of 6 areas in North Dakota. The West North Dakota nonmetro area comes next at $47,770.
How many customer support specialists work in the East North Dakota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 540 in the May 2025 survey. That is 9% of the North Dakota total of 5,750. 4 areas in North Dakota have more; the closest in size is Grand Forks, with about 580.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in the East North Dakota nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,550 a year more at the median. The medians are $50,420 and $48,870.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the East North Dakota 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 $65,058 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.