Customer Support Specialist salary in the West Kentucky nonmetro area
Hiring a customer support specialist costs less in the West Kentucky nonmetro area than in Kentucky or the country as a whole. The median is $37,490 a year1: 3.1% below the Kentucky statewide median of $38,700 and 16.3% below the US median of $44,770. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#404 of 520). BLS counts about 1,590 people in this job here, 4% of the Kentucky total.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the West Kentucky nonmetro area against Kentucky and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | $27,010 | $37,490 | $57,240 | |
| Kentucky | $29,440 | $38,700 | $59,810 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the West Kentucky nonmetro area earns $32,040–$46,940. The top tenth earns $57,240 or more, 2.1 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $14,900 wide, between the figure for Kentucky ($12,510) 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 | $27,010 | $2,251 | $12.99 | $34,852 |
| 25th percentile | $32,040 | $2,670 | $15.40 | $41,342 |
| Median | $37,490 | $3,124 | $18.02 | $48,374 |
| 75th percentile | $46,940 | $3,912 | $22.57 | $60,568 |
| 90th percentile | $57,240 | $4,770 | $27.52 | $73,858 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $9,450 over the median, the 25th only $5,450 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $12,194 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 median and the 75th percentile in the West Kentucky nonmetro area, and the Kentucky statewide median of $38,700 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in the West Kentucky 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 $10,884 to the $37,490 median and brings it to $48,374 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 4.5 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 West Kentucky nonmetro area
Of the 17 roles we track in the West Kentucky nonmetro area, this one ranks #15 by median pay, between paralegals ($38,480) and medical administrative assistants ($36,360). Project Coordinator is the highest at $75,050.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +2.6% | 40 | |
| Paralegal | +2.6% | 120 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 1,590 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -3.0% | 1,360 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -16.4% | 520 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #5 of the 17 roles we track in the West Kentucky nonmetro area (-16.3%), between HR assistants (-15.4%) and payroll specialists (-16.3%). The typical role here is at -18.3%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 15.4% of the jobs in these 17 roles in the West Kentucky nonmetro area, 19.4% across Kentucky and 16.4% nationally. That is close to the national mix.
Other areas in Kentucky
Across the 10 areas of Kentucky with data for this job, the median runs from $35,530 in the East Kentucky nonmetro area to $45,260 in Owensboro, a gap of $9,730 a year. Of the 4 areas in Kentucky with more customer support specialists than the West Kentucky nonmetro area, 2 pay less: the South Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($36,890) and the Central Kentucky nonmetro area ($37,200).
| Area | Median | vs the West Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisville, KY-IN | +11.0% | 13,630 | |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | +4.5% | 5,200 | |
| Bowling Green, KY | +1.3% | 1,170 | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,590 | |
| Elizabethtown, KY | -0.0% | 1,020 | |
| Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -0.8% | 1,900 | |
| South Central Kentucky (Nonmetro) | -1.6% | 3,510 |
the West Kentucky nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the West Kentucky nonmetro area is #224 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 Kentucky, Hinesville and Fort Smith pay just above the West Kentucky nonmetro area and Charleston and Morgantown just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in the West Kentucky nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, all three pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the West Kentucky nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | +18.9% | 1,600 | jobs | |
| Erie, PA | +11.3% | 1,610 | jobs | |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | +0.4% | 1,610 | jobs | |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | +0.0% | 1,860 | pay | |
| Hinesville, GA | +0.0% | 250 | pay | |
| West Kentucky (Nonmetro) | this area | 1,590 | ||
| Charleston, WV | -0.0% | 1,650 | pay | |
| Morgantown, WV | -0.1% | 840 | pay |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in West Kentucky (Nonmetro)?
About $48,374 a year at the median, or $4,031 a month: $37,490 in pay plus about $10,884 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for customer support specialists in the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $37,490 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,010, the 90th $57,240, and the middle half earned $32,040 to $46,940.
Is the West Kentucky nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of Kentucky for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $37,490 against $38,700 statewide. The next area up in Kentucky is Bowling Green at $37,970, the next down Elizabethtown at $37,480.
How many customer support specialists work in the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 1,590 in the May 2025 survey. That is 4% of the Kentucky total of 38,630. 4 areas in Kentucky have more; the closest in size is the Central Kentucky nonmetro area, with about 1,900.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a medical administrative assistant in the West Kentucky nonmetro area?
Yes: $1,130 a year more at the median. The medians are $37,490 and $36,360.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the West Kentucky 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 $48,374 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.