Customer Support Specialist salary in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area
The Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for customer support specialists: the median of $41,980 a year1 is 4.5% below the Nebraska statewide median of $43,940, and 6.2% below the US median of $44,770. Among US areas it comes in at #233 of 520. BLS counts about 750 people in this job here, 5% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Northeast Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | $30,310 | $41,980 | $59,860 | |
| Nebraska | $34,210 | $43,940 | $59,400 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $59,860, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area earns $37,250–$49,280. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,030 wide, against $12,560 across Nebraska and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Northeast Nebraska 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 | $30,310 | $2,526 | $14.57 | $39,110 |
| 25th percentile | $37,250 | $3,104 | $17.91 | $48,065 |
| Median | $41,980 | $3,498 | $20.18 | $54,168 |
| 75th percentile | $49,280 | $4,107 | $23.69 | $63,587 |
| 90th percentile | $59,860 | $4,988 | $28.78 | $77,239 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,300 over the median, the 25th only $4,730 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,419 a year in employer cost. 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 Nebraska nonmetro area, and the Nebraska statewide median of $43,940 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area
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 $12,188 to the $41,980 median and brings it to $54,168 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 4.1 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 5.0 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 Nebraska nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($43,950) and virtual receptionists ($38,320). Project Coordinator is the highest at $81,640.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +5.7% | 1,050 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +4.7% | 1,500 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 750 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -8.7% | 560 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -9.2% | 100 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area (-6.2%), between HR assistants (-6.0%) and administrative assistants (-7.6%). The typical role here is at -11.7%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 10.6% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area, 15.5% across Nebraska and 16.4% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Nebraska
Across the 6 areas of Nebraska with data for this job, the median runs from $40,040 in the South Nebraska nonmetro area to $45,070 in Grand Island, a gap of $5,030 a year. Of the 3 areas in Nebraska with more customer support specialists than the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area, 2 pay less: Lincoln, NE ($41,430) and the South Nebraska nonmetro area ($40,040).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island, NE | +7.4% | 410 | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | +5.4% | 8,810 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 750 | |
| Lincoln, NE | -1.3% | 2,540 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -4.2% | 320 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | -4.6% | 1,270 |
the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area is #393 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Nebraska, Scranton-Wilkes-Barre and Traverse City pay just above the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area and Raleigh-Cary and Michigan City-La Porte just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | +11.3% | 750 | jobs | |
| Traverse City, MI | +0.1% | 960 | pay | |
| Scranton-Wilkes-Barre, PA | +0.1% | 3,610 | pay | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 750 | ||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | -0.2% | 13,620 | pay | |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | -0.2% | 420 | pay | |
| Twin Falls, ID | -7.5% | 750 | jobs | |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL | -9.6% | 750 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro)?
About $54,168 a year at the median, or $4,514 a month: $41,980 in pay plus about $12,188 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area?
The median was $41,980 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,310, the 90th $59,860, and the middle half earned $37,250 to $49,280.
Is the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Nebraska for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $41,980 against $43,940 statewide. The next area up in Nebraska is Omaha at $44,260, the next down Lincoln at $41,430.
How many customer support specialists work in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 750 in the May 2025 survey. That is 5% of the Nebraska total of 15,340. 3 areas in Nebraska have more; the closest in size is the South Nebraska nonmetro area, with about 1,270.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Northeast Nebraska nonmetro area?
Yes: $3,660 a year more at the median. The medians are $41,980 and $38,320.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Northeast Nebraska 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 $54,168 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.