Customer Support Specialist salary in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI
Muskegon-Norton Shores is a lower-cost market for customer support specialists: the median of $40,760 a year1 is 7.3% below the Michigan statewide median of $43,950, and 9.0% below the US median of $44,770. Among US areas it comes in at #262 of 520. BLS counts about 700 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Muskegon-Norton Shores against Michigan and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $27,480 | $40,760 | $55,980 | |
| Michigan | $30,670 | $43,950 | $63,830 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Muskegon-Norton Shores earns $33,580–$46,590. The top tenth earns $55,980 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 only $13,010 wide, against $13,910 across Michigan and $14,910 nationally: employers in Muskegon-Norton Shores 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 | $27,480 | $2,290 | $13.21 | $35,458 |
| 25th percentile | $33,580 | $2,798 | $16.14 | $43,329 |
| Median | $40,760 | $3,397 | $19.60 | $52,594 |
| 75th percentile | $46,590 | $3,882 | $22.40 | $60,116 |
| 90th percentile | $55,980 | $4,665 | $26.91 | $72,232 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,180 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $5,830, or about $7,523 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores, and the Michigan statewide median of $43,950 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Muskegon-Norton Shores
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 $11,834 to the $40,760 median and brings it to $52,594 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 4.0 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 4.9 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 Muskegon-Norton Shores
Of the 16 roles we track in Muskegon-Norton Shores, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($41,500) and virtual receptionists ($36,460). Project Coordinator is the highest at $83,360.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +6.6% | 30 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +6.6% | 40 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.8% | 350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 700 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.5% | 320 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in Muskegon-Norton Shores (-9.0%), between payroll specialists (-8.3%) and medical administrative assistants (-9.6%). The typical role here is at -9.7%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 17.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in Muskegon-Norton Shores, 17.7% across Michigan and 16.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Michigan
Across the 19 areas of Michigan with data for this job, the median runs from $36,150 in Saginaw to $48,250 in Midland, a gap of $12,100 a year. Of the 14 areas in Michigan with more customer support specialists than Muskegon-Norton Shores, 6 pay less, the largest of them Ann Arbor, MI ($39,480), Saginaw, MI ($36,150) and Flint, MI ($38,800).
| Area | Median | vs Muskegon-Norton Shores | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City, MI | +3.1% | 960 | |
| Monroe, MI | +2.2% | 370 | |
| Battle Creek, MI | +0.3% | 620 | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | this area | 700 | |
| Mid Michigan (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 1,790 | |
| Northern Michigan (Nonmetro) | -1.7% | 1,100 | |
| Ann Arbor, MI | -3.1% | 3,440 |
Muskegon-Norton Shores against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Muskegon-Norton Shores is #407 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Michigan, Fargo and Santa Fe pay just above Muskegon-Norton Shores and Lewiston and Birmingham just below. All four are within $240 a year of the median in Muskegon-Norton Shores. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Muskegon-Norton Shores | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missoula, MT | +9.6% | 700 | jobs | |
| Bangor, ME | +4.3% | 710 | jobs | |
| Decatur, AL | +0.8% | 710 | jobs | |
| Santa Fe, NM | +0.6% | 830 | pay | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | +0.3% | 2,790 | pay | |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | this area | 700 | ||
| Lewiston, ID-WA | -0.1% | 570 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | -0.6% | 9,850 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI?
About $52,594 a year at the median, or $4,383 a month: $40,760 in pay plus about $11,834 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
The median was $40,760 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,480, the 90th $55,980, and the middle half earned $33,580 to $46,590.
Is Muskegon-Norton Shores cheaper than the rest of Michigan for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $40,760 against $43,950 statewide. The next area up in Michigan is Battle Creek at $40,870, the next down the Mid Michigan nonmetro area at $40,250.
How many customer support specialists work in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
BLS counts about 700 in the May 2025 survey. 14 areas in Michigan have more; the closest in size is Jackson, with about 830.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Muskegon-Norton Shores?
Yes: $4,300 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,760 and $36,460.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Muskegon-Norton Shores?
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 $52,594 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.