Customer Support Specialist salary in Kennewick-Richland, WA
Of the 13 areas in Washington with BLS pay data for this job, Kennewick-Richland has the lowest median: $45,380 a year1. That is 9.8% below the Washington statewide median of $50,330, and 1.4% above the US median of $44,770. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#123 of 520). About 1,290 customer support specialists work here, 3% of the Washington total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Kennewick-Richland, WA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kennewick-Richland against Washington and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $38,010 | $45,380 | $62,660 | |
| Washington | $39,290 | $50,330 | $73,610 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Kennewick-Richland earns $43,120–$57,280. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $62,660, only 1.6 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($49,890) is 10% 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 only $14,160 wide, against $16,550 across Washington and $14,910 nationally: employers in Kennewick-Richland 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 | $38,010 | $3,168 | $18.27 | $49,045 |
| 25th percentile | $43,120 | $3,593 | $20.73 | $55,639 |
| Median | $45,380 | $3,782 | $21.82 | $58,555 |
| 75th percentile | $57,280 | $4,773 | $27.54 | $73,910 |
| 90th percentile | $62,660 | $5,222 | $30.12 | $80,852 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $11,900 over the median, the 25th only $2,260 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $15,355 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 Kennewick-Richland, and the Washington statewide median of $50,330 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Kennewick-Richland
At the $45,380 median, a local hire costs about $58,555 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $13,175 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 4.4 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 5.4 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 Kennewick-Richland
Of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($50,780) and virtual receptionists ($43,530). Project Coordinator is the highest at $125,940.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +17.1% | 1,450 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +11.9% | 350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,290 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -4.1% | 1,080 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -7.5% | 50 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #13 of the 16 roles we track in Kennewick-Richland (+1.4%), between data entry specialists (+1.5%) and paralegals (-0.6%). The typical role here is at +7.1%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost less in Kennewick-Richland than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 11.7% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Kennewick-Richland, 11.7% across Washington and 16.4% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Washington
Across the 13 areas of Washington with data for this job, the median runs from $45,380 in Kennewick-Richland to $53,550 in Seattle-Tacoma, a gap of $8,170 a year. All 3 areas in Washington with more customer support specialists than Kennewick-Richland also pay more, among them Seattle-Tacoma, WA ($53,550) and Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA ($46,790).
| Area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Washington (Nonmetro) | +7.0% | 550 | |
| Western Washington (Nonmetro) | +6.0% | 870 | |
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +3.6% | 680 | |
| Bellingham, WA | +3.4% | 1,000 | |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | +3.1% | 2,850 | |
| Yakima, WA | +2.6% | 670 | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,290 |
Kennewick-Richland against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kennewick-Richland is #269 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Washington, Ithaca and Salt Lake City-Murray pay just above Kennewick-Richland and Syracuse and Albany-Schenectady just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in Kennewick-Richland. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kennewick-Richland | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Modesto, CA | +4.1% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | +0.1% | 26,620 | pay | |
| Ithaca, NY | +0.0% | 650 | pay | |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | this area | 1,290 | ||
| Syracuse, NY | -0.0% | 4,710 | pay | |
| Albany-Schenectady, NY | -0.1% | 8,290 | pay | |
| Burlington, NC | -9.6% | 1,290 | jobs | |
| Bloomington, IL | -13.8% | 1,280 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Kennewick-Richland, WA?
About $58,555 a year at the median, or $4,880 a month: $45,380 in pay plus about $13,175 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in Kennewick-Richland?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,380 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $38,010, the 90th $62,660, and the middle half earned $43,120 to $57,280.
Is Kennewick-Richland the cheapest area in Washington for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $45,380 is the lowest of 13 areas in Washington. Yakima is next at $46,570.
How many customer support specialists work in Kennewick-Richland?
BLS counts about 1,290 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Washington total of 39,760. 3 areas in Washington have more; the closest in size is Olympia-Lacey, with about 1,430.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Kennewick-Richland?
Yes: $1,850 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,380 and $43,530.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Kennewick-Richland?
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 $58,555 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.