Customer Support Specialist salary in the South Nebraska nonmetro area
Of the 6 areas in Nebraska with BLS pay data for this job, the South Nebraska nonmetro area has the lowest median: $40,040 a year1. That is 8.9% below the Nebraska statewide median of $43,940, and 10.6% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #288 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,270 people in this job here, 8% of the Nebraska total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the South Nebraska nonmetro area against Nebraska and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | $34,190 | $40,040 | $58,090 | |
| Nebraska | $34,210 | $43,940 | $59,400 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the South Nebraska nonmetro area earns $35,940–$47,400. Pay is tightly grouped: the top tenth starts at $58,090, only 1.7 times the bottom tenth, against 2.0 times across the US, so the going rate is easier to read. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $11,460 wide, against $12,560 across Nebraska and $14,910 nationally: employers in the South 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 | $34,190 | $2,849 | $16.44 | $44,116 |
| 25th percentile | $35,940 | $2,995 | $17.28 | $46,374 |
| Median | $40,040 | $3,337 | $19.25 | $51,665 |
| 75th percentile | $47,400 | $3,950 | $22.79 | $61,161 |
| 90th percentile | $58,090 | $4,841 | $27.93 | $74,955 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,360 over the median, the 25th only $4,100 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $9,497 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 South Nebraska nonmetro area, and the Nebraska statewide median of $43,940 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the South Nebraska nonmetro area
At the $40,040 median, a local hire costs about $51,665 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $11,625 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 3.9 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 4.8 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 South Nebraska nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the South Nebraska nonmetro area, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between data entry specialists ($41,650) and virtual receptionists ($35,840). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,700.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +10.4% | 1,990 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +9.6% | 2,720 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +4.0% | 120 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,270 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.5% | 1,010 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in the South Nebraska nonmetro area (-10.6%), between administrative assistants (-7.7%) and HR assistants (-12.1%). The typical role here is at -14.8%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the South Nebraska nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 10.5% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the South Nebraska nonmetro area, 15.4% 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. All 2 areas in Nebraska with more customer support specialists than the South Nebraska nonmetro area also pay more, among them Omaha, NE-IA ($44,260) and Lincoln, NE ($41,430).
| Area | Median | vs the South Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Island, NE | +12.6% | 410 | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | +10.5% | 8,810 | |
| Northeast Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +4.8% | 750 | |
| Lincoln, NE | +3.5% | 2,540 | |
| Northwest Nebraska (Nonmetro) | +0.4% | 320 | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,270 |
the South Nebraska nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the South Nebraska nonmetro area is #274 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Nebraska, Idaho Falls and Tucson pay just above the South Nebraska nonmetro area and Davenport-Moline and Peoria just below. All four are within $200 a year of the median in the South Nebraska nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the South Nebraska nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tucson, AZ | +0.1% | 7,880 | pay | |
| Idaho Falls, ID | +0.0% | 1,710 | pay | |
| South Nebraska (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,270 | ||
| Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | -0.2% | 3,040 | pay | |
| Peoria, IL | -0.5% | 2,260 | pay | |
| Bloomington, IL | -2.3% | 1,280 | jobs | |
| Hattiesburg, MS | -8.3% | 1,280 | jobs | |
| San Angelo, TX | -9.9% | 1,270 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in South Nebraska (Nonmetro)?
About $51,665 a year at the median, or $4,305 a month: $40,040 in pay plus about $11,625 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the South Nebraska nonmetro area?
The median was $40,040 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $34,190, the 90th $58,090, and the middle half earned $35,940 to $47,400.
Is the South Nebraska nonmetro area the cheapest area in Nebraska for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $40,040 is the lowest of 6 areas in Nebraska. The Northwest Nebraska nonmetro area is next at $40,200.
How many customer support specialists work in the South Nebraska nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,270 in the May 2025 survey. That is 8% of the Nebraska total of 15,340. Only Omaha and Lincoln have more in Nebraska.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the South Nebraska nonmetro area?
Yes: $4,200 a year more at the median. The medians are $40,040 and $35,840.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the South 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 $51,665 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.