Customer Support Specialist salary in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area
The median customer support specialist in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area earned $45,590 a year in May 20251. That is 1.8% above the US median of $44,770, even though it is 6.6% below the Minnesota statewide median of $48,800. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#110 of 520). About 1,890 customer support specialists work here, 4% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | $33,520 | $45,590 | $62,230 | |
| Minnesota | $35,730 | $48,800 | $72,830 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area earns $38,060–$56,510. The top tenth earns $62,230 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $18,450 wide, between the figure for Minnesota ($18,480) and the US figure ($14,910).
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 | $33,520 | $2,793 | $16.12 | $43,252 |
| 25th percentile | $38,060 | $3,172 | $18.30 | $49,110 |
| Median | $45,590 | $3,799 | $21.92 | $58,826 |
| 75th percentile | $56,510 | $4,709 | $27.17 | $72,916 |
| 90th percentile | $62,230 | $5,186 | $29.92 | $80,297 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $7,530 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $10,920, or about $14,090 once benefits are added. 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 25th percentile and the median in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area, and the Minnesota statewide median of $48,800 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in the Southeast Minnesota 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 $13,236 to the $45,590 median and brings it to $58,826 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 4.4 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 5.5 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 Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area, this one ranks #16 by median pay, between e-commerce order specialists ($46,070) and virtual receptionists ($36,160). Project Coordinator is the highest at $92,570.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +5.5% | 640 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +1.8% | 30 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.1% | 40 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,890 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -20.7% | 540 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area (+1.8%), between administrative assistants (+4.4%) and paralegals (+1.8%). The typical role here is at -1.4%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 16.9% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area, 18.2% across Minnesota and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Minnesota
Across the 9 areas of Minnesota with data for this job, the median runs from $44,430 in the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area to $49,480 in Minneapolis-St. Paul, a gap of $5,050 a year. All 2 areas in Minnesota with more customer support specialists than the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area also pay more, among them Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI ($49,480) and the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area ($47,720).
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +4.7% | 2,800 | |
| Mankato, MN | +3.8% | 1,030 | |
| Rochester, MN | +3.2% | 1,250 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,890 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | -1.4% | 1,500 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -2.3% | 1,230 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -2.5% | 540 |
the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area is #194 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Medford and Merced pay just above the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area and Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie and Buffalo-Cheektowaga just below. All four are within $80 a year of the median in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dubuque, IA | +2.4% | 1,880 | jobs | |
| Merced, CA | +0.2% | 500 | pay | |
| Medford, OR | +0.1% | 690 | pay | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,890 | ||
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie, NY | -0.1% | 3,980 | pay | |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | -0.2% | 9,850 | pay | |
| St. George, UT | -8.8% | 1,890 | jobs | |
| Fayetteville, NC | -22.9% | 1,890 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro)?
About $58,826 a year at the median, or $4,902 a month: $45,590 in pay plus about $13,236 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $45,590 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $33,520, the 90th $62,230, and the middle half earned $38,060 to $56,510.
Is the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $45,590 against $48,800 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Rochester at $47,050, the next down Duluth at $44,940.
How many customer support specialists work in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,890 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Minnesota total of 53,340. Only Minneapolis-St. Paul and the Northwest Minnesota nonmetro area have more in Minnesota.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Southeast Minnesota nonmetro area?
Yes: $9,430 a year more at the median. The medians are $45,590 and $36,160.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Southeast Minnesota 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 $58,826 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.