Customer Support Specialist salary in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area
The Southeast Missouri nonmetro area is a lower-cost market for customer support specialists: the median of $37,150 a year1 is 15.9% below the Missouri statewide median of $44,190, and 17.0% below the US median of $44,770. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#433 of 520). BLS counts about 1,500 people in this job here, 3% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Southeast Missouri nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | $30,530 | $37,150 | $60,020 | |
| Missouri | $31,980 | $44,190 | $63,890 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $60,020, 2.0 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area earns $32,810–$46,350. The mean ($41,790) is 12% 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 $13,540 wide, against $14,560 across Missouri and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Southeast Missouri 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 | $30,530 | $2,544 | $14.68 | $39,394 |
| 25th percentile | $32,810 | $2,734 | $15.77 | $42,335 |
| Median | $37,150 | $3,096 | $17.86 | $47,935 |
| 75th percentile | $46,350 | $3,862 | $22.28 | $59,806 |
| 90th percentile | $60,020 | $5,002 | $28.86 | $77,445 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,200 over the median, the 25th only $4,340 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $11,871 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 Southeast Missouri nonmetro area, and the Missouri statewide median of $44,190 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southeast Missouri 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 $10,785 to the $37,150 median and brings it to $47,935 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 3.6 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 4.4 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 Missouri nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($37,180) and medical administrative assistants ($36,810). Project Coordinator is the highest at $79,430.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Entry Specialist | +3.7% | 90 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +0.1% | 1,920 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,500 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -0.9% | 620 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.4% | 890 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #4 of the 16 roles we track in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area (-17.0%), between HR assistants (-12.5%) and payroll specialists (-17.5%). The typical role here is at -21.4%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 14.4% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area, 18.2% across Missouri and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Missouri
Across the 12 areas of Missouri with data for this job, the median runs from $36,060 in the North Missouri nonmetro area to $45,800 in St. Louis, a gap of $9,740 a year. Of the 5 areas in Missouri with more customer support specialists than the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the Central Missouri nonmetro area ($37,140).
| Area | Median | vs the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | +5.0% | 1,360 | |
| Springfield, MO | +4.9% | 4,120 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +2.8% | 580 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,500 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | -0.0% | 1,620 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | -1.9% | 840 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -2.9% | 1,240 |
the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area is #238 of 520 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Missouri, Mansfield and Parkersburg-Vienna pay just above the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area and Ocala and Sierra Vista-Douglas just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Binghamton, NY | +21.9% | 1,490 | jobs | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +21.0% | 1,500 | jobs | |
| Springfield, IL | +8.3% | 1,510 | jobs | |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | +0.1% | 330 | pay | |
| Mansfield, OH | +0.1% | 680 | pay | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,500 | ||
| Ocala, FL | -0.1% | 1,740 | pay | |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | -0.1% | 560 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro)?
About $47,935 a year at the median, or $3,995 a month: $37,150 in pay plus about $10,785 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,150 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $30,530, the 90th $60,020, and the middle half earned $32,810 to $46,350.
Is the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Missouri for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,150 against $44,190 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is Cape Girardeau at $38,190, the next down the Central Missouri nonmetro area at $37,140.
How many customer support specialists work in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,500 in the May 2025 survey. That is 3% of the Missouri total of 50,530. 5 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is the Central Missouri nonmetro area, with about 1,620.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the Southeast Missouri nonmetro area?
Yes: $340 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,150 and $36,810.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Southeast Missouri 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 $47,935 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.