Customer Support Specialist salary in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Of the 14 areas in Tennessee with BLS pay data for this job, Kingsport-Bristol has the lowest median: $36,130 a year1. That is 15.6% below the Tennessee statewide median of $42,830, and 19.3% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally that is #481 of 520 areas, in the bottom tenth. BLS counts about 2,130 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Kingsport-Bristol against Tennessee and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $29,380 | $36,130 | $56,870 | |
| Tennessee | $31,100 | $42,830 | $60,070 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Kingsport-Bristol earns $33,350–$42,950. The top tenth earns $56,870 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. The mean ($39,280) is 9% 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 $9,600 wide, against $12,540 across Tennessee and $14,910 nationally: employers in Kingsport-Bristol 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 | $29,380 | $2,448 | $14.12 | $37,910 |
| 25th percentile | $33,350 | $2,779 | $16.03 | $43,032 |
| Median | $36,130 | $3,011 | $17.37 | $46,619 |
| 75th percentile | $42,950 | $3,579 | $20.65 | $55,419 |
| 90th percentile | $56,870 | $4,739 | $27.34 | $73,381 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $6,820 over the median, the 25th only $2,780 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $8,800 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Kingsport-Bristol, and the Tennessee statewide median of $42,830 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 Kingsport-Bristol
At the $36,130 median, a local hire costs about $46,619 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,489 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 3.5 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 4.3 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 Kingsport-Bristol
Of the 17 roles we track in Kingsport-Bristol, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($36,800) and data entry specialists ($35,200). Project Coordinator is the highest at $87,290.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +5.3% | 90 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.9% | 1,600 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 2,130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -2.6% | 50 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.1% | 470 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #15 of the 17 roles we track in Kingsport-Bristol (-19.3%), between sales development representatives (-19.0%) and medical administrative assistants (-19.9%). The typical role here is at -14.9%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost less in Kingsport-Bristol than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 18.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Kingsport-Bristol, 16.5% across Tennessee and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Tennessee
Across the 14 areas of Tennessee with data for this job, the median runs from $36,130 in Kingsport-Bristol to $45,510 in Nashville-Murfreesboro, a gap of $9,380 a year. All 4 areas in Tennessee with more customer support specialists than Kingsport-Bristol also pay more, among them Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN ($45,510) and Memphis, TN-MS ($44,090).
| Area | Median | vs Kingsport-Bristol | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +4.2% | 1,610 | |
| Cleveland, TN | +4.1% | 590 | |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +4.0% | 1,260 | |
| Morristown, TN | +4.0% | 740 | |
| Johnson City, TN | +1.2% | 1,940 | |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | +1.1% | 1,530 | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | this area | 2,130 |
Kingsport-Bristol against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Kingsport-Bristol is #172 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Tennessee, Saginaw and Dothan pay just above Kingsport-Bristol and Texarkana and Las Cruces just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in Kingsport-Bristol. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Kingsport-Bristol | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salem, OR | +32.3% | 2,140 | jobs | |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +29.0% | 2,130 | jobs | |
| Lafayette, LA | +1.9% | 2,140 | jobs | |
| Dothan, AL | +0.1% | 840 | pay | |
| Saginaw, MI | +0.1% | 2,320 | pay | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | this area | 2,130 | ||
| Texarkana, TX-AR | -0.1% | 740 | pay | |
| Las Cruces, NM | -0.1% | 1,480 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
About $46,619 a year at the median, or $3,885 a month: $36,130 in pay plus about $10,489 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in Kingsport-Bristol?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $36,130 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,380, the 90th $56,870, and the middle half earned $33,350 to $42,950.
Is Kingsport-Bristol the cheapest area in Tennessee for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $36,130 is the lowest of 14 areas in Tennessee. The East Tennessee nonmetro area is next at $36,510.
How many customer support specialists work in Kingsport-Bristol?
BLS counts about 2,130 in the May 2025 survey. 4 areas in Tennessee have more; the closest in size is Chattanooga, with about 5,120.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in Kingsport-Bristol?
Yes: $930 a year more at the median. The medians are $36,130 and $35,200.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Kingsport-Bristol?
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 $46,619 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.