Customer Support Specialist salary in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area
Of the 5 areas in Maine with BLS pay data for this job, the Northeast Maine nonmetro area has the lowest median: $42,290 a year1. That is 10.3% below the Maine statewide median of $47,160, and 5.5% below the US median of $44,770. Among US areas it comes in at #224 of 520. BLS counts about 440 people in this job here, 6% of the Maine total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Northeast Maine nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area against Maine and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | $34,980 | $42,290 | $59,700 | |
| Maine | $35,930 | $47,160 | $63,490 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area earns $36,630–$48,760. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $59,700, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($45,780) is 8% 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 $12,130 wide, against $13,080 across Maine and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Northeast Maine 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 | $34,980 | $2,915 | $16.82 | $45,135 |
| 25th percentile | $36,630 | $3,052 | $17.61 | $47,265 |
| Median | $42,290 | $3,524 | $20.33 | $54,568 |
| 75th percentile | $48,760 | $4,063 | $23.44 | $62,916 |
| 90th percentile | $59,700 | $4,975 | $28.70 | $77,032 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,660 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $6,470, or about $8,348 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 Maine nonmetro area, and the Maine statewide median of $47,160 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area
At the $42,290 median, a local hire costs about $54,568 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,278 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 4.1 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 Maine nonmetro area
Of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($44,080) and virtual receptionists ($39,270). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,060.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +11.7% | 560 | |
| Bookkeeper | +11.3% | 1,240 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.2% | 390 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 440 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -7.1% | 330 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #8 of the 14 roles we track in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area (-5.5%), between accountants (-5.0%) and bookkeepers (-7.1%). The typical role here is at -5.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 9.1% of the jobs in these 14 roles in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area, 14.0% across Maine and 16.7% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Maine
Across the 5 areas of Maine with data for this job, the median runs from $42,290 in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area to $48,840 in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area, a gap of $6,550 a year. All 4 areas in Maine with more customer support specialists than the Northeast Maine nonmetro area also pay more, among them Portland-South Portland, ME ($47,910) and the Southwest Maine nonmetro area ($48,840).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Maine nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | +15.5% | 1,930 | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | +13.3% | 3,480 | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | +8.3% | 480 | |
| Bangor, ME | +0.6% | 710 | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 440 |
the Northeast Maine nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Maine nonmetro area is #483 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Maine, North Port-Bradenton and Lima pay just above the Northeast Maine nonmetro area and Great Falls and Jackson just below. All four are within $60 a year of the median in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Maine nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | +14.9% | 450 | jobs | |
| Lima, OH | +0.1% | 460 | pay | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | +0.0% | 5,090 | pay | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 440 | ||
| Great Falls, MT | -0.0% | 360 | pay | |
| Jackson, MI | -0.1% | 830 | pay | |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | -2.5% | 450 | jobs | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -14.4% | 430 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Northeast Maine (Nonmetro)?
About $54,568 a year at the median, or $4,547 a month: $42,290 in pay plus about $12,278 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area?
The median was $42,290 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,980, the 90th $59,700, and the middle half earned $36,630 to $48,760.
Is the Northeast Maine nonmetro area the cheapest area in Maine for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $42,290 is the lowest of 5 areas in Maine. Bangor is next at $42,530.
How many customer support specialists work in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 440 in the May 2025 survey. That is 6% of the Maine total of 7,560. 4 areas in Maine have more; the closest in size is Lewiston-Auburn, with about 480.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,020 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,290 and $39,270.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Northeast Maine 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 $54,568 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.