Customer Support Specialist salary in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
Pinehurst-Southern Pines is a lower-cost market for customer support specialists: the median of $34,590 a year1 is 14.0% below the North Carolina statewide median of $40,240, and 22.7% below the US median of $44,770. Only 10 of 520 US areas pay less for this job. BLS counts about 670 people in this job here.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Pinehurst-Southern Pines against North Carolina and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $29,210 | $34,590 | $49,780 | |
| North Carolina | $30,200 | $40,240 | $59,820 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Pinehurst-Southern Pines earns $33,390–$43,320. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $49,780, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. The mean ($38,470) is 11% 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 $9,930 wide, against $13,630 across North Carolina and $14,910 nationally: employers in Pinehurst-Southern Pines 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 | $29,210 | $2,434 | $14.04 | $37,690 |
| 25th percentile | $33,390 | $2,782 | $16.05 | $43,084 |
| Median | $34,590 | $2,882 | $16.63 | $44,632 |
| 75th percentile | $43,320 | $3,610 | $20.83 | $55,897 |
| 90th percentile | $49,780 | $4,148 | $23.93 | $64,232 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $8,730 over the median, the 25th only $1,200 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,265 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 75th and 90th percentiles in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, and the North Carolina statewide median of $40,240 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local customer support specialists earn.
What a hire really costs in Pinehurst-Southern Pines
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 $10,042 to the $34,590 median and brings it to $44,632 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 3.4 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 4.1 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 Pinehurst-Southern Pines
Of the 14 roles we track in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, this one ranks #13 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($37,600) and virtual receptionists ($32,330). Project Coordinator is the highest at $95,280.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +23.3% | 370 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +9.6% | 970 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +8.7% | 30 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 670 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -6.5% | 200 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #13 of the 14 roles we track in Pinehurst-Southern Pines (-22.7%), between paralegals (-21.4%) and executive assistants (-28.3%). The typical role here is at -17.6%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost less in Pinehurst-Southern Pines than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 15.5% of the jobs in the 13 of these roles with a job count in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, 17.7% across North Carolina and 17.2% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in North Carolina
Across the 18 areas of North Carolina with data for this job, the median runs from $33,980 in Jacksonville to $46,800 in Durham-Chapel Hill, a gap of $12,820 a year. Of the 17 areas in North Carolina with more customer support specialists than Pinehurst-Southern Pines, 2 pay less: Jacksonville, NC ($33,980) and Goldsboro, NC ($34,500).
| Area | Median | vs Pinehurst-Southern Pines | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greenville, NC | +5.0% | 1,160 | |
| Central North Carolina (Nonmetro) | +4.7% | 2,630 | |
| Fayetteville, NC | +1.6% | 1,890 | |
| Rocky Mount, NC | +0.3% | 730 | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | this area | 670 | |
| Goldsboro, NC | -0.3% | 740 | |
| Jacksonville, NC | -1.8% | 1,130 |
Pinehurst-Southern Pines against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Pinehurst-Southern Pines is #419 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a small market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside North Carolina, Beckley and Enid pay just above Pinehurst-Southern Pines and Monroe and Laredo just below. All four are within $340 a year of the median in Pinehurst-Southern Pines. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Pinehurst-Southern Pines | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bremerton-Silverdale, WA | +35.9% | 680 | jobs | |
| Yakima, WA | +34.6% | 670 | jobs | |
| Springfield, OH | +12.7% | 670 | jobs | |
| Enid, OK | +1.0% | 240 | pay | |
| Beckley, WV | +0.1% | 600 | pay | |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | this area | 670 | ||
| Monroe, LA | -0.2% | 1,110 | pay | |
| Laredo, TX | -0.5% | 2,060 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC?
About $44,632 a year at the median, or $3,719 a month: $34,590 in pay plus about $10,042 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $34,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $29,210, the 90th $49,780, and the middle half earned $33,390 to $43,320.
Is Pinehurst-Southern Pines cheaper than the rest of North Carolina for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $34,590 against $40,240 statewide. The next area up in North Carolina is Rocky Mount at $34,680, the next down Goldsboro at $34,500.
How many customer support specialists work in Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
BLS counts about 670 in the May 2025 survey. 17 areas in North Carolina have more; the closest in size is Rocky Mount, with about 730.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
Yes: $2,260 a year more at the median. The medians are $34,590 and $32,330.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Pinehurst-Southern Pines?
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 $44,632 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.