Customer Support Specialist salary in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
The Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area pays customer support specialists close to the national norm. The median is $44,550 a year1, 8.7% below the Minnesota statewide median of $48,800 and about level with the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #155 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 1,230 people in this job here, 2% of the Minnesota total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Southwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area against Minnesota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | $28,690 | $44,550 | $61,520 | |
| Minnesota | $35,730 | $48,800 | $72,830 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
Customer support specialists at the 90th percentile earn $61,520, 2.1 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 2.0. The middle half of customer support specialists in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area earns $36,620–$53,110. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $16,490 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 | $28,690 | $2,391 | $13.79 | $37,019 |
| 25th percentile | $36,620 | $3,052 | $17.61 | $47,252 |
| Median | $44,550 | $3,712 | $21.42 | $57,484 |
| 75th percentile | $53,110 | $4,426 | $25.53 | $68,529 |
| 90th percentile | $61,520 | $5,127 | $29.58 | $79,381 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $8,560 a year in pay and about $11,045 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $7,930 in pay. 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 Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, and the Minnesota statewide median of $48,800 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area
At the $44,550 median, a local hire costs about $57,484 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $12,934 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 4.3 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 5.3 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 Minnesota nonmetro area
Of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($46,490) and virtual receptionists ($37,810). Project Coordinator is the highest at $80,840.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +13.5% | 1,300 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +7.9% | 1,300 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +4.4% | 550 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,230 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -15.1% | 310 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #6 of the 15 roles we track in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area (-0.5%), between bookkeepers (-0.2%) and virtual receptionists (-0.5%). The typical role here is at -0.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 15.3% of the jobs in these 15 roles in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area, 18.4% across Minnesota and 16.6% 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 6 areas in Minnesota with more customer support specialists than the Southwest 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 Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +7.1% | 2,800 | |
| Mankato, MN | +6.2% | 1,030 | |
| Rochester, MN | +5.6% | 1,250 | |
| Southeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | +2.3% | 1,890 | |
| Duluth, MN-WI | +0.9% | 1,500 | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,230 | |
| Northeast Minnesota (Nonmetro) | -0.3% | 540 |
the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area is #283 of 520 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Minnesota, Minot and Anchorage pay just above the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area and Corvallis and Reading just below. All four are within $50 a year of the median in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | +12.6% | 1,250 | jobs | |
| Norwich-New London, CT | +1.1% | 1,240 | jobs | |
| Anchorage, AK | +0.0% | 1,600 | pay | |
| Minot, ND | +0.0% | 390 | pay | |
| Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,230 | ||
| Corvallis, OR | -0.1% | 300 | pay | |
| Reading, PA | -0.1% | 2,630 | pay | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -15.4% | 1,220 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Southwest Minnesota (Nonmetro)?
About $57,484 a year at the median, or $4,790 a month: $44,550 in pay plus about $12,934 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
The median was $44,550 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,690, the 90th $61,520, and the middle half earned $36,620 to $53,110.
Is the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Minnesota for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $44,550 against $48,800 statewide. The next area up in Minnesota is Duluth at $44,940, the next down the Northeast Minnesota nonmetro area at $44,430.
How many customer support specialists work in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,230 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Minnesota total of 53,340. 6 areas in Minnesota have more; the closest in size is Rochester, with about 1,250.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a virtual receptionist in the Southwest Minnesota nonmetro area?
Yes: $6,740 a year more at the median. The medians are $44,550 and $37,810.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Southwest 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 $57,484 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.