Customer Support Specialist salary in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area than in Pennsylvania or the country as a whole. The median is $38,370 a year1: 14.0% below the Pennsylvania statewide median of $44,630 and 14.3% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #355 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,500 people in this job here, 2% of the Pennsylvania total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against Pennsylvania and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | $29,640 | $38,370 | $56,310 | |
| Pennsylvania | $31,430 | $44,630 | $63,370 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $56,310, 1.9 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area earns $34,510–$45,970. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,460 wide, against $14,990 across Pennsylvania and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Northeastern Pennsylvania 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 | $29,640 | $2,470 | $14.25 | $38,245 |
| 25th percentile | $34,510 | $2,876 | $16.59 | $44,529 |
| Median | $38,370 | $3,198 | $18.45 | $49,510 |
| 75th percentile | $45,970 | $3,831 | $22.10 | $59,316 |
| 90th percentile | $56,310 | $4,692 | $27.07 | $72,658 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,600 over the median, the 25th only $3,860 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,806 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 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, and the Pennsylvania statewide median of $44,630 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northeastern Pennsylvania 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 $11,140 to the $38,370 median and brings it to $49,510 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 3.7 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 4.6 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 Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($40,700) and data entry specialists ($37,960). Project Coordinator is the highest at $96,830.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +7.9% | 460 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +6.1% | 50 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,500 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -1.1% | 50 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -8.3% | 860 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #9 of the 17 roles we track in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area (-14.3%), between recruiters (-12.1%) and office managers (-14.6%). The typical role here is at -14.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 15.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, 16.5% across Pennsylvania and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Pennsylvania
Across the 20 areas of Pennsylvania with data for this job, the median runs from $36,230 in Williamsport to $47,070 in Philadelphia-Camden, a gap of $10,840 a year. All 11 areas in Pennsylvania with more customer support specialists than the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area also pay more, among them Philadelphia-Camden, PA-NJ ($47,070) and Pittsburgh, PA ($42,790).
| Area | Median | vs the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +5.1% | 1,380 | |
| Chambersburg, PA | +3.4% | 690 | |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | +2.6% | 1,570 | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,500 | |
| Altoona, PA | -2.2% | 800 | |
| Johnstown, PA | -2.7% | 610 | |
| Williamsport, PA | -5.6% | 800 |
the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area is #240 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Pennsylvania, Port St. Lucie and Kokomo pay just above the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area and Brownsville-Harlingen and Macon-Bibb County just below. All four are within $30 a year of the median in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton, NY | +18.0% | 1,490 | jobs | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +17.1% | 1,500 | jobs | |
| Springfield, IL | +4.8% | 1,510 | jobs | |
| Kokomo, IN | +0.0% | 340 | pay | |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | +0.0% | 3,030 | pay | |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,500 | ||
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | -0.1% | 4,880 | pay | |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | -0.1% | 1,430 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Northeastern Pennsylvania (Nonmetro)?
About $49,510 a year at the median, or $4,126 a month: $38,370 in pay plus about $11,140 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
The median was $38,370 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,640, the 90th $56,310, and the middle half earned $34,510 to $45,970.
Is the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Pennsylvania for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $38,370 against $44,630 statewide. The next area up in Pennsylvania is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area at $39,370, the next down Altoona at $37,540.
How many customer support specialists work in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Pennsylvania total of 94,340. 11 areas in Pennsylvania have more; the closest in size is the Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetro area, with about 1,570.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in the Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetro area?
Yes: $410 a year more at the median. The medians are $38,370 and $37,960.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Northeastern Pennsylvania 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 $49,510 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.