Cost of hiring a customer support specialist in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL
Tampa-St. Petersburg pays customer support specialists more than Florida as a whole but less than the country. The median is $42,660 a year[1]: 5.5% above the Florida statewide median of $40,440 and 4.7% below the US median of $44,770. Nationally it ranks #213 of 520 areas. BLS counts about 34,150 people in this job here, 15% of the Florida total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Tampa-St. Petersburg against Florida and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | $32,130 | $42,660 | $59,550 | |
| Florida | $31,620 | $40,440 | $59,770 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in Tampa-St. Petersburg earns $36,830–$47,580. The top tenth earns $59,550 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times.
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 | $32,130 | $2,678 | $15.45 | $45,900 |
| 25th percentile | $36,830 | $3,069 | $17.71 | $52,614 |
| Median | $42,660 | $3,555 | $20.51 | $60,943 |
| 75th percentile | $47,580 | $3,965 | $22.88 | $67,971 |
| 90th percentile | $59,550 | $4,962 | $28.63 | $85,071 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $5,830 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $4,920, or about $7,029 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.
What a hire really costs in Tampa-St. Petersburg
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes are 30.0% of total compensation in US private industry[2], which adds about $18,283 to the $42,660 median and brings it to $60,943 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 $2,500–$3,000[3] with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month[4]. Change any number below to match your plan.
For the $60,943 a local hire costs here, you could cover about 4.6 remote hires in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two the fee drops out and the remote figure is $10,788. About the candidates: most apply through our Telegram bot with a written and a voice English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff checks English on a live call before any client interview.
Other roles in Tampa-St. Petersburg
Of the 16 roles we track in Tampa-St. Petersburg, this one ranks #14 by median pay. Project Coordinator is the highest at $97,780 and Virtual Receptionist the lowest at $36,640.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Coordinator | +129.2% | 11,660 | |
| Accountant | +85.2% | 14,770 | |
| Marketing Specialist | +76.3% | 8,420 | |
| Recruiter | +53.7% | 10,410 | |
| Executive Assistant | +51.7% | 3,140 | |
| Office Manager | +49.2% | 14,050 | |
| Paralegal | +41.0% | 6,630 | |
| Sales Development Representative | +39.7% | 16,050 | |
| HR Assistant | +22.9% | 530 | |
| Payroll Specialist | +18.2% | 2,300 | |
| Bookkeeper | +17.4% | 12,750 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +15.3% | 650 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +2.6% | 16,350 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 34,150 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -9.7% | 1,460 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -14.1% | 10,290 |
Other areas in Florida
Across the 24 areas of Florida with data for this job, the median runs from $34,330 in Sebring to $43,680 in Naples-Marco Island, a gap of $9,350 a year.
| Area | Median | vs Tampa-St. Petersburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | +2.4% | 2,340 | |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass, FL | +1.5% | 3,280 | |
| Jacksonville, FL | +0.4% | 17,030 | |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL | this area | 34,150 | |
| North Port-Bradenton, FL | -0.8% | 5,090 | |
| South Florida (Nonmetro) | -1.3% | 1,000 | |
| Orlando-Kissimmee, FL | -5.0% | 35,690 |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in Tampa-St. Petersburg, FL?
About $60,943 a year at the median, or $5,079 a month: $42,660 in pay plus benefits and payroll taxes at the 30% share of total compensation in US private industry (June 2026). Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
The median was $42,660 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $32,130, the 90th $59,550, and the middle half earned $36,830 to $47,580.
Is Tampa-St. Petersburg cheaper than the rest of Florida for customer support specialists?
No, it costs more: a median of $42,660 against $40,440 statewide. Naples-Marco Island pays the most ($43,680) and Sebring the least ($34,330).
How many customer support specialists work in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
BLS counts about 34,150 in the May 2025 survey. That is 15% of the Florida total of 228,000.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in Tampa-St. Petersburg?
Yes: $4,150 a year more at the median. The medians are $42,660 and $38,510.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with Tampa-St. Petersburg?
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 $60,943 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4051: https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes434051.htm
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecec.nr0.htm
- Silkstaff pricing: https://silkstaff.com/#pricing
- Deel pricing, contractor management: https://www.deel.com/pricing/
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-05.