Cost of hiring a customer support specialist in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI
Minneapolis-St. Paul is the most expensive place in Minnesota to hire a customer support specialist. The median is $49,480 a year[1], 1.4% above the Minnesota statewide median of $48,800 and 10.5% above the US median of $44,770. Nationally that is #18 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. It is the largest market for the job in Minnesota: about 38,630 people.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Minneapolis-St. Paul against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | $36,180 | $49,480 | $73,920 | |
| Minnesota | $35,730 | $48,800 | $72,830 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $73,920, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in Minneapolis-St. Paul earns $43,870–$60,520.
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 | $36,180 | $3,015 | $17.39 | $51,686 |
| 25th percentile | $43,870 | $3,656 | $21.09 | $62,671 |
| Median | $49,480 | $4,123 | $23.79 | $70,686 |
| 75th percentile | $60,520 | $5,043 | $29.10 | $86,457 |
| 90th percentile | $73,920 | $6,160 | $35.54 | $105,600 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $11,040 a year in pay and about $15,771 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,610 in pay. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
What a hire really costs in Minneapolis-St. Paul
At the $49,480 median, a local hire costs about $70,686 a year: benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], about $21,206 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 $2,500–$3,000[3] with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month[4]. Change any number below to match your plan.
For the $70,686 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 5.3 remote hires in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two the fee drops out and the remote figure is $10,788. About the candidates: most apply through our Telegram bot with a written and a voice English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff checks English on a live call before any client interview.
Other roles in Minneapolis-St. Paul
Of the 17 roles we track in Minneapolis-St. Paul, this one ranks #15 by median pay. Marketing Specialist is the highest at $97,910 and Virtual Receptionist the lowest at $38,000.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing Specialist | +97.9% | 16,760 | |
| Project Coordinator | +97.8% | 15,450 | |
| Accountant | +74.8% | 21,820 | |
| Recruiter | +62.3% | 12,660 | |
| Executive Assistant | +61.7% | 6,150 | |
| Office Manager | +58.5% | 14,480 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +55.9% | 14,070 | |
| Paralegal | +54.0% | 5,990 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +27.4% | 1,920 | |
| Bookkeeper | +16.8% | 16,510 | |
| HR Assistant | +14.5% | 2,350 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +9.3% | 19,180 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.8% | 8,920 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +0.1% | 620 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 38,630 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -6.4% | 920 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -23.2% | 8,780 |
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $44,430 in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $49,480 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $5,050 a year.
| Area | Median | vs Minneapolis-St. Paul | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | this area | 38,630 | |
| St. Cloud, MN | -2.7% | 1,850 | |
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -3.6% | 2,800 | |
| Mankato, MN | -4.4% | 1,030 | |
| Rochester, MN | -4.9% | 1,250 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -7.9% | 1,890 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -9.2% | 1,500 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI?
About $70,686 a year at the median, or $5,890 a month: $49,480 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
The median was $49,480 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,180, the 90th $73,920, and the middle half earned $43,870 to $60,520.
Is Minneapolis-St. Paul the most expensive area in Minnesota for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $49,480 is the highest of 9 areas in Minnesota. St. Cloud comes next at $48,120.
How many customer support specialists work in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
BLS counts about 38,630 in the May 2025 survey.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in Minneapolis-St. Paul?
Yes: $3,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $49,480 and $46,320.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Minneapolis-St. Paul?
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 $70,686 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4051: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434051.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.