Cost of hiring in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Customer Support Specialist is the largest of these 17 jobs in Kingsport-Bristol, with about 2,130 people1. Medians run from $33,940 a year for virtual receptionists to $87,290 for project coordinators.
Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Median pay by role in Kingsport-Bristol
| Role | Median per year | vs US median | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accountant | -9.2% | 780 | |
| HR Assistant | -9.8% | 100 | |
| Bookkeeper | -9.9% | 1,170 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -10.7% | 470 | |
| Payroll Specialist | -12.2% | 90 | |
| Office Manager | -12.7% | 1,380 | |
| Paralegal | -13.8% | 200 | |
| Project Coordinator | -14.7% | 550 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -14.9% | 50 | |
| Recruiter | -14.9% | 530 | |
| Administrative Assistant | -16.2% | 1,190 | |
| Marketing Specialist | -16.9% | 440 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | -17.6% | 90 | |
| Sales Development Representative | -19.0% | 600 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | -19.3% | 2,130 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | -19.9% | 1,600 | |
| Executive Assistant | -24.6% | 170 |
The employer pays more than the wage: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, so a $36,130 median for customer support specialists, the largest of these jobs here, comes to about $46,619 a year. That is an estimate: benefit levels vary by employer.
Kingsport-Bristol against the US
Kingsport-Bristol pays below the US median for all 17 roles. The gap is smallest for accountants (-9.2%) and HR assistants (-9.8%) and largest for executive assistants (-24.6%). The middle gap across all 17 is -14.9%: for most of these roles, hiring costs less here than at the US median. Its best national standing is for marketing specialists, #180 of 516 areas by median pay; its lowest is for customer support specialists, #481 of 520.
Compared with the US mix of these jobs, Kingsport-Bristol has more medical administrative assistants (13.9% of these jobs here, against 6.1% nationally) and e-commerce order specialists (0.8% against 0.5%), and fewer executive assistants (1.5% against 2.9%) and data entry specialists (0.4% against 0.8%). Metro areas in other states with the closest overall pay level, measured the same way, are listed below; Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC is nearest, at -15.0%.
| Area | Middle gap to the US | Roles with data | Jobs in these roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherman-Denison, TX | -14.7% | 15 | 4,400 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | -14.7% | 14 | 2,520 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -14.7% | 17 | 11,380 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | -14.9% (this area) | 17 | 11,540 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC | -15.0% | 16 | 14,720 |
| Ocala, FL | -15.1% | 17 | 10,870 |
How far pay spreads inside each role
From the 10th to the 90th percentile, sales development representatives in Kingsport-Bristol span $33,580–$103,270, the widest band (3.1×); data entry specialists the narrowest, $29,340–$44,490. Offers cluster nearer the median than nationally for 9 of 17 roles, marketing specialists most ($43,390–$155,480 across the US). Budget from the median for e-commerce order specialists, sales development representatives, recruiters and 2 more roles: a few well-paid jobs lift the average ($43,270 against a $38,050 median for e-commerce order specialists).
Kingsport-Bristol against Tennessee
Against Tennessee as a whole, Kingsport-Bristol pays more only for project coordinators (+1.6%), and less for 15, most of all customer support specialists (-15.6%). It has the lowest median in Tennessee for customer support specialists.
Other areas in Tennessee
By jobs in these roles, Kingsport-Bristol is #5 of 14 areas in Tennessee. The table shows the areas closest to it in size, from Nashville-Murfreesboro to the East Tennessee nonmetro area.
| Area | Jobs in these roles | Roles with data |
|---|---|---|
| Nashville-Murfreesboro, TN | 133,260 | 17 |
| Memphis, TN-MS | 59,940 | 17 |
| Knoxville, TN | 46,920 | 17 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 28,700 | 17 |
| North Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 10,290 | 17 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | 9,360 | 17 |
| Johnson City, TN | 9,340 | 17 |
| West Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 9,320 | 17 |
| South Central Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 8,960 | 17 |
| East Tennessee (Nonmetro) | 8,610 | 17 |
Questions
Which role costs the most to hire in Kingsport-Bristol?
Of the 17 roles we track, Project Coordinator: a median of $87,290 a year, about $112,632 with benefits; the lowest is Virtual Receptionist, $33,940.
Is hiring in Kingsport-Bristol cheaper than the US median?
Yes, for every role we track: all 17 medians are below the US figure, the furthest for executive assistants (-24.6%).
Sources
2 sources, with links
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.