Customer Support Specialist salary in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area than in Iowa or the country as a whole. The median is $42,860 a year1: 7.0% below the Iowa statewide median of $46,090 and 4.3% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #201 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,150 people in this job here, 4% of the Iowa total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against Iowa and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | $31,420 | $42,860 | $60,730 | |
| Iowa | $32,450 | $46,090 | $64,540 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area earns $36,230–$50,080. The top tenth earns $60,730 or more, 1.9 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 $13,850 wide, against $17,000 across Iowa and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area 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 | $31,420 | $2,618 | $15.11 | $40,542 |
| 25th percentile | $36,230 | $3,019 | $17.42 | $46,748 |
| Median | $42,860 | $3,572 | $20.61 | $55,303 |
| 75th percentile | $50,080 | $4,173 | $24.08 | $64,619 |
| 90th percentile | $60,730 | $5,061 | $29.20 | $78,361 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $6,630 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $7,220, or about $9,316 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 Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, and the Iowa statewide median of $46,090 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
At the $42,860 median, a local hire costs about $55,303 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,443 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 4.2 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 5.1 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 Northeast Iowa nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($43,860) and administrative assistants ($41,700). Project Coordinator is the highest at $85,440.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +8.9% | 1,130 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +2.3% | 60 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.7% | 1,030 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -7.9% | 640 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #4 of the 17 roles we track in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area (-4.3%), between virtual receptionists (+0.6%) and HR assistants (-6.1%). The typical role here is at -12.3%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 15.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 22.0% across Iowa and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Iowa
Across the 12 areas of Iowa with data for this job, the median runs from $39,530 in Waterloo-Cedar Falls to $48,880 in Des Moines-West Des Moines, a gap of $9,350 a year. Of the 8 areas in Iowa with more customer support specialists than the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area, 5 pay less, the largest of them Davenport-Moline, IA-IL ($39,950), the Southeast Iowa nonmetro area ($40,810) and Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA ($39,530).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +14.0% | 12,070 | |
| Dubuque, IA | +8.9% | 1,880 | |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | +6.2% | 3,130 | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,150 | |
| Ames, IA | -0.1% | 690 | |
| Northwest Iowa (Nonmetro) | -0.4% | 1,490 | |
| Iowa City, IA | -1.2% | 1,190 |
the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area is #300 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Iowa, Fort Collins-Loveland and Toledo pay just above the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area and Baltimore-Columbia and Jacksonville just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo, OH | +0.3% | 3,170 | pay | |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | +0.1% | 1,770 | pay | |
| Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,150 | ||
| Baltimore-Columbia, MD | -0.0% | 17,480 | pay | |
| Jacksonville, FL | -0.0% | 17,030 | pay | |
| Odessa, TX | -8.4% | 1,150 | jobs | |
| Bowling Green, KY | -11.4% | 1,170 | jobs | |
| Greenville, NC | -15.3% | 1,160 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Northeast Iowa (Nonmetro)?
About $55,303 a year at the median, or $4,609 a month: $42,860 in pay plus about $12,443 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
The median was $42,860 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $31,420, the 90th $60,730, and the middle half earned $36,230 to $50,080.
Is the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Iowa for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $42,860 against $46,090 statewide. The next area up in Iowa is Cedar Rapids at $45,510, the next down Ames at $42,820.
How many customer support specialists work in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,150 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Iowa total of 30,100. 8 areas in Iowa have more; the closest in size is Iowa City, with about 1,190.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than an administrative assistant in the Northeast Iowa nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,160 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,860 and $41,700.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Northeast Iowa 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 $55,303 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.