Customer Support Specialist salary in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area
The North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for customer support specialists: the median of $43,940 a year1 is 3.7% below the Ohio statewide median of $45,610, and 1.9% below the US median of $44,770. Among US areas it comes in at #175 of 520. BLS counts about 2,120 people in this job here, 2% of the Ohio total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous). Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area against Ohio and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Northeastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | $30,180 | $43,940 | $63,060 | |
| Ohio | $31,340 | $45,610 | $63,210 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $63,060, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area earns $35,940–$52,480. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,540 wide, wider than in Ohio as a whole ($15,070) and the US ($14,910), so what a customer support specialist earns in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area depends more on the employer.
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 | $30,180 | $2,515 | $14.51 | $38,942 |
| 25th percentile | $35,940 | $2,995 | $17.28 | $46,374 |
| Median | $43,940 | $3,662 | $21.12 | $56,697 |
| 75th percentile | $52,480 | $4,373 | $25.23 | $67,716 |
| 90th percentile | $63,060 | $5,255 | $30.32 | $81,368 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $8,000 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $8,540, or about $11,019 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 North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area, and the Ohio statewide median of $45,610 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area
At the $43,940 median, a local hire costs about $56,697 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,757 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 4.3 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 5.3 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 the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area, this one ranks #12 by median pay, between HR assistants ($45,070) and administrative assistants ($42,580). Project Coordinator is the highest at $84,590.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +7.9% | 2,070 | |
| HR Assistant | +2.6% | 130 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 2,120 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -3.1% | 2,960 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -10.6% | 920 |
Measured against the US median, this job is the best paid of the 17 roles we track in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area (-1.9%); paralegals come last (-24.1%). The typical role here is at -14.5%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 12.1% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area, 16.8% across Ohio and 16.4% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Ohio
Across the 16 areas of Ohio with data for this job, the median runs from $37,180 in Mansfield to $46,470 in Cincinnati, a gap of $9,290 a year. Of the 8 areas in Ohio with more customer support specialists than the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area, 2 pay less: Toledo, OH ($42,970) and Youngstown-Warren, OH ($37,970).
| Area | Median | vs the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| West Northwestern Ohio (Nonmetro) | +2.6% | 1,890 | |
| Dayton-Kettering, OH | +2.3% | 4,880 | |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | +1.1% | 2,590 | |
| North Northeastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,120 | |
| Toledo, OH | -2.2% | 3,170 | |
| Lima, OH | -3.6% | 460 | |
| Eastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | -6.7% | 1,250 |
the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area is #174 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Ohio, Charleston-North Charleston and Cheyenne pay just above the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area and Reno and Atlantic City-Hammonton just below. All four are within $130 a year of the median in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | +6.0% | 2,130 | jobs | |
| Cheyenne, WY | +0.3% | 510 | pay | |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | +0.1% | 7,940 | pay | |
| North Northeastern Ohio (Nonmetro) | this area | 2,120 | ||
| Reno, NV | -0.0% | 3,870 | pay | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | -0.0% | 2,100 | pay | |
| Lafayette, LA | -16.2% | 2,140 | jobs | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -17.8% | 2,130 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in North Northeastern Ohio (Nonmetro)?
About $56,697 a year at the median, or $4,725 a month: $43,940 in pay plus about $12,757 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area?
The median was $43,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,180, the 90th $63,060, and the middle half earned $35,940 to $52,480.
Is the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Ohio for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,940 against $45,610 statewide. The next area up in Ohio is Canton-Massillon at $44,430, the next down Toledo at $42,970.
How many customer support specialists work in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 2,120 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Ohio total of 85,930. 8 areas in Ohio have more; the closest in size is Youngstown-Warren, with about 2,140.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than an administrative assistant in the North Northeastern Ohio nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,360 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,940 and $42,580.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the North Northeastern Ohio 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 $56,697 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.