Customer Support Specialist salary in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
The Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for customer support specialists: the median of $36,730 a year1 is 8.7% below the North Carolina statewide median of $40,240, and 18.0% below the US median of $44,770. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#457 of 520). About 2,880 customer support specialists work here, 3% of the North Carolina total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | $28,180 | $36,730 | $55,730 | |
| North Carolina | $30,200 | $40,240 | $59,820 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area earns $30,940–$45,140. The top tenth earns $55,730 or more, 2.0 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. The mean ($39,750) is 8% over the median, so a group of high earners pulls the average up; price a typical hire from the median. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $14,200 wide, between the figure for North Carolina ($13,630) and the US figure ($14,910).
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 | $28,180 | $2,348 | $13.55 | $36,361 |
| 25th percentile | $30,940 | $2,578 | $14.88 | $39,923 |
| Median | $36,730 | $3,061 | $17.66 | $47,394 |
| 75th percentile | $45,140 | $3,762 | $21.70 | $58,245 |
| 90th percentile | $55,730 | $4,644 | $26.79 | $71,910 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,790 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,410, or about $10,852 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 Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, and the North Carolina statewide median of $40,240 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Eastern North Carolina 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 $10,664 to the $36,730 median and brings it to $47,394 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 4.4 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 Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($37,860) and virtual receptionists ($32,940). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,390.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +12.3% | 2,490 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +5.7% | 190 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +3.1% | 2,900 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 2,880 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.3% | 1,080 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #14 of the 17 roles we track in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area (-18.0%), between medical administrative assistants (-17.6%) and sales development representatives (-18.0%). The typical role here is at -13.2%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost less in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 13.3% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area, 17.1% across North Carolina and 16.4% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $33,980 in Jacksonville to $46,800 in Durham-Chapel Hill, a gap of $12,820 a year. All 6 areas in North Carolina with more customer support specialists than the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area also pay more, among them Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC ($44,980) and Raleigh-Cary, NC ($41,900).
| Area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, NC | +3.7% | 2,850 | |
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | +2.9% | 2,250 | |
| Western North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +0.7% | 3,150 | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,880 | |
| Greenville, NC | -1.1% | 1,160 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | -1.4% | 2,630 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -4.4% | 1,890 |
the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area is #128 of 520 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, yet its pay sits in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Jonesboro and Lafayette pay just above the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area and Hattiesburg and Rome just below. All four are within $90 a year of the median in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks, CA | +33.9% | 2,860 | jobs | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +27.4% | 2,850 | jobs | |
| Springfield, MA | +27.4% | 2,930 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | +0.2% | 2,140 | pay | |
| Jonesboro, AR | +0.1% | 730 | pay | |
| Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,880 | ||
| Hattiesburg, MS | -0.1% | 1,280 | pay | |
| Rome, GA | -0.1% | 850 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Eastern North Carolina (Nonmetro)?
About $47,394 a year at the median, or $3,949 a month: $36,730 in pay plus about $10,664 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $36,730 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,180, the 90th $55,730, and the middle half earned $30,940 to $45,140.
Is the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,730 against $40,240 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area at $36,970, the next down Greenville at $36,310.
How many customer support specialists work in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,880 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the North Carolina total of 89,510. 6 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is the Western North Carolina nonmetro area, with about 3,150.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Eastern North Carolina nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,790 a year more at the median. The medians are $36,730 and $32,940.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Eastern North Carolina 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 $47,394 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.