Customer Support Specialist salary in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area
Customer support specialists earn more in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area than anywhere else in Maine. Expect a median of $48,840 a year1, 3.6% above the Maine statewide median of $47,160 and 9.1% above the US median of $44,770. Nationally that is #26 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. About 1,930 customer support specialists work here, 26% of the Maine total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Southwest Maine nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area against Maine and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | $35,790 | $48,840 | $64,810 | |
| Maine | $35,930 | $47,160 | $63,490 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $64,810, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area earns $39,310–$53,280. The mean ($48,810) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $13,970 wide, between the figure for Maine ($13,080) 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 | $35,790 | $2,982 | $17.21 | $46,181 |
| 25th percentile | $39,310 | $3,276 | $18.90 | $50,723 |
| Median | $48,840 | $4,070 | $23.48 | $63,019 |
| 75th percentile | $53,280 | $4,440 | $25.62 | $68,748 |
| 90th percentile | $64,810 | $5,401 | $31.16 | $83,626 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $4,440 over it, while the 25th sits $9,530 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $5,729 more a year with benefits. 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 Southwest Maine nonmetro area, and the Maine statewide median of $47,160 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Maine 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 $14,179 to the $48,840 median and brings it to $63,019 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 4.7 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 5.8 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 Southwest Maine nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area, this one ranks #9 by median pay, between payroll specialists ($57,030) and bookkeepers ($48,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $94,320.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paralegal | +21.2% | 190 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +16.8% | 120 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,930 | |
| Bookkeeper | -1.0% | 1,690 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -2.1% | 1,660 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #2 of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area (+9.1%), between virtual receptionists (+9.9%) and medical administrative assistants (+2.6%). The typical role here is at -5.2%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 16.5% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area, 13.8% across Maine and 16.5% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Maine
Across the 5 areas of Maine with data for this job, the median runs from $42,290 in the Northeast Maine nonmetro area to $48,840 in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area, a gap of $6,550 a year. The one area in Maine with more customer support specialists, Portland-South Portland, ME ($47,910), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Maine nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,930 | |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | -1.9% | 3,480 | |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | -6.2% | 480 | |
| Bangor, ME | -12.9% | 710 | |
| Northeast Maine (Nonmetro) | -13.4% | 440 |
the Southwest Maine nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Maine nonmetro area is #190 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 Maine, Los Angeles-Long Beach and Des Moines-West Des Moines pay just above the Southwest Maine nonmetro area and San Diego-Chula Vista and Portland-Vancouver just below. All four are within $190 a year of the median in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, none pays as much.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Maine nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | +0.1% | 12,070 | pay | |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +0.0% | 66,590 | pay | |
| Southwest Maine (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,930 | ||
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | -0.2% | 14,030 | pay | |
| Portland-Vancouver, OR-WA | -0.4% | 12,720 | pay | |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | -3.1% | 1,970 | jobs | |
| Flint, MI | -20.6% | 1,970 | jobs | |
| Johnson City, TN | -25.1% | 1,940 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Southwest Maine (Nonmetro)?
About $63,019 a year at the median, or $5,252 a month: $48,840 in pay plus about $14,179 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $48,840 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $35,790, the 90th $64,810, and the middle half earned $39,310 to $53,280.
Is the Southwest Maine nonmetro area the most expensive area in Maine for customer support specialists?
Yes. Its median of $48,840 is the highest of 5 areas in Maine. Portland-South Portland comes next at $47,910.
How many customer support specialists work in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,930 in the May 2025 survey. That is 26% of the Maine total of 7,560. Only Portland-South Portland has more in Maine.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a bookkeeper in the Southwest Maine nonmetro area?
Yes: $480 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,840 and $48,360.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Southwest Maine 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 $63,019 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.