Customer Support Specialist salary in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area than in Missouri or the country as a whole. The median is $36,430 a year1: 17.6% below the Missouri statewide median of $44,190 and 18.6% below the US median of $44,770. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#468 of 520). About 840 customer support specialists work here, 2% of the Missouri total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Southwest Missouri nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area against Missouri and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | $28,600 | $36,430 | $52,200 | |
| Missouri | $31,980 | $44,190 | $63,890 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area earns $31,990–$44,330. The top tenth earns $52,200 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $12,340 wide, against $14,560 across Missouri and $14,910 nationally: employers in the Southwest 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 | $28,600 | $2,383 | $13.75 | $36,903 |
| 25th percentile | $31,990 | $2,666 | $15.38 | $41,277 |
| Median | $36,430 | $3,036 | $17.51 | $47,006 |
| 75th percentile | $44,330 | $3,694 | $21.31 | $57,200 |
| 90th percentile | $52,200 | $4,350 | $25.10 | $67,355 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $7,900 over the median, the 25th only $4,440 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $10,194 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 75th and 90th percentiles in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, and the Missouri statewide median of $44,190 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local customer support specialists earn.
What a hire really costs in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area
At the $36,430 median, a local hire costs about $47,006 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,576 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 3.5 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 Southwest Missouri nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between administrative assistants ($37,990) and data entry specialists ($35,260). Project Coordinator is the highest at $74,970.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +8.6% | 150 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +4.3% | 960 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 840 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -3.2% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -7.1% | 440 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area (-18.6%), between data entry specialists (-14.7%) and bookkeepers (-18.8%). The typical role here is at -24.7%, so, measured against the US, customer support specialists cost more in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area than the area's general pay level would suggest. Customer support specialists hold 16.0% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the Southwest 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 9 areas in Missouri with more customer support specialists than the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area, 1 pays less: the North Missouri nonmetro area ($36,060).
| Area | Median | vs the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson City, MO | +7.0% | 1,360 | |
| Springfield, MO | +7.0% | 4,120 | |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +4.8% | 580 | |
| Southeast Missouri (Nonmetro) | +2.0% | 1,500 | |
| Central Missouri (Nonmetro) | +1.9% | 1,620 | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 840 | |
| North Missouri (Nonmetro) | -1.0% | 1,240 |
the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area is #366 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, Shreveport-Bossier City and Paducah pay just above the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area and Wichita Falls and Athens-Clarke County just below. All four are within $110 a year of the median in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morgantown, WV | +2.8% | 840 | jobs | |
| Paducah, KY-IL | +0.1% | 860 | pay | |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | +0.0% | 2,760 | pay | |
| Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro) | this area | 840 | ||
| Wichita Falls, TX | -0.2% | 910 | pay | |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | -0.3% | 1,180 | pay | |
| Dothan, AL | -0.7% | 840 | jobs | |
| Lawton, OK | -3.7% | 840 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Southwest Missouri (Nonmetro)?
About $47,006 a year at the median, or $3,917 a month: $36,430 in pay plus about $10,576 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $36,430 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,600, the 90th $52,200, and the middle half earned $31,990 to $44,330.
Is the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Missouri for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $36,430 against $44,190 statewide. The next area up in Missouri is the Central Missouri nonmetro area at $37,140, the next down the North Missouri nonmetro area at $36,060.
How many customer support specialists work in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 840 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Missouri total of 50,530. 9 areas in Missouri have more; the closest in size is Joplin, with about 1,080.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in the Southwest Missouri nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,170 a year more at the median. The medians are $36,430 and $35,260.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the Southwest 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 $47,006 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.