Customer Support Specialist salary in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area than in Wisconsin or the country as a whole. The median is $43,780 a year1: 6.8% below the Wisconsin statewide median of $46,970 and 2.2% below the US median of $44,770. Among US areas it comes in at #180 of 520. BLS counts about 530 people in this job here, 1% of the Wisconsin total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area against Wisconsin and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | $28,130 | $43,780 | $62,420 | |
| Wisconsin | $34,260 | $46,970 | $63,650 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $62,420 or more, 2.2 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area earns $34,650–$52,810. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,160 wide, wider than in Wisconsin as a whole ($17,820) and the US ($14,910), so what a customer support specialist earns in the Northwestern Wisconsin 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 | $28,130 | $2,344 | $13.52 | $36,297 |
| 25th percentile | $34,650 | $2,888 | $16.66 | $44,710 |
| Median | $43,780 | $3,648 | $21.05 | $56,490 |
| 75th percentile | $52,810 | $4,401 | $25.39 | $68,142 |
| 90th percentile | $62,420 | $5,202 | $30.01 | $80,542 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $9,030 a year in pay and about $11,652 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $9,130 in pay. 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 Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area, and the Wisconsin statewide median of $46,970 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area
At the $43,780 median, a local hire costs about $56,490 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,710 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 5.2 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 Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($44,720) and virtual receptionists ($39,120). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,170.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +7.0% | 80 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +2.1% | 440 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 530 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.6% | 400 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -13.3% | 40 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #3 of the 15 roles we track in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area (-2.2%), between medical administrative assistants (+2.0%) and administrative assistants (-5.9%). The typical role here is at -9.9%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 15.7% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area, 18.3% across Wisconsin and 16.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Wisconsin
Across the 17 areas of Wisconsin with data for this job, the median runs from $43,240 in Oshkosh-Neenah to $48,360 in Kenosha, a gap of $5,120 a year. Of the 15 areas in Wisconsin with more customer support specialists than the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area, 1 pays less: Oshkosh-Neenah, WI ($43,240).
| Area | Median | vs the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eau Claire, WI | +4.9% | 1,340 | |
| Northeastern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +4.7% | 3,000 | |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | +4.7% | 1,200 | |
| Appleton, WI | +4.5% | 2,540 | |
| South Central Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | +2.4% | 2,300 | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | this area | 530 | |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | -1.2% | 1,990 |
the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area is #468 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, and its pay sits near the middle of the US range. Outside Wisconsin, Sioux Falls and Atlantic City-Hammonton pay just above the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area and Coeur d'Alene and Austin-Round Rock just below. All four are within $140 a year of the median in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheyenne, WY | +0.7% | 510 | jobs | |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | +0.3% | 2,100 | pay | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | +0.2% | 3,270 | pay | |
| Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro) | this area | 530 | ||
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | -0.1% | 1,380 | pay | |
| Austin-Round Rock, TX | -0.1% | 32,690 | pay | |
| Elmira, NY | -10.4% | 510 | jobs | |
| Terre Haute, IN | -11.8% | 530 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Northwestern Wisconsin (Nonmetro)?
About $56,490 a year at the median, or $4,708 a month: $43,780 in pay plus about $12,710 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area?
The median was $43,780 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,130, the 90th $62,420, and the middle half earned $34,650 to $52,810.
Is the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Wisconsin for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $43,780 against $46,970 statewide. The next area up in Wisconsin is the South Central Wisconsin nonmetro area at $44,830, the next down Oshkosh-Neenah at $43,240.
How many customer support specialists work in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 530 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Wisconsin total of 50,840. 16 areas in Wisconsin have more; the closest in size is Fond du Lac, with about 530.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,660 a year more at the median. The medians are $43,780 and $39,120.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Northwestern Wisconsin 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 $56,490 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.