Research Summary. Comprehensive research conducted by the Zippia data science team reveals the latest insights into customer service specialist salaries across the United States in 2026:
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Massachusetts remains the top-paying state for customer service specialists with an average salary of $39,302.
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Mississippi has the lowest average salary for customer service specialists, at $25,767.
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The national average salary for customer service specialists is $33,238.
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The national hourly wage for customer service specialists stands at $15.98.
For more details, refer to the specific methodology.
Background
Surveys consistently reveal that salary is the most significant factor for job seekers across various demographics—people want to know: how much can I expect to earn as a customer service specialist in my area?
While many factors influence your potential earnings, extensive data is available on average salaries for customer service specialists by state, categorized by seniority level. Although local salaries may vary slightly from state averages, these figures provide a useful benchmark for salary expectations.
For 2026, Massachusetts continues to lead the way in offering the best salary for customer service specialists.
Here’s a quick overview of the top ten states for customer service specialist salaries:
Let’s delve into the specifics and present a comprehensive ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Customer Service Specialists By State
| Rank | State | Average Customer Service Specialist Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts | $39,302 | $30,000 | $50,000 |
| 2 | New Jersey | $38,515 | $29,000 | $50,000 |
| 3 | California | $38,246 | $29,000 | $49,000 |
| 4 | Connecticut | $37,946 | $29,000 | $49,000 |
| 5 | New York | $36,582 | $28,000 | $47,000 |
| 6 | Washington | $35,930 | $28,000 | $45,000 |
| 7 | Delaware | $35,892 | $27,000 | $46,000 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $35,563 | $28,000 | $44,000 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $35,427 | $27,000 | $45,000 |
| 10 | Rhode Island | $35,045 | $26,000 | $45,000 |
| 11 | Alaska | $34,980 | $28,000 | $43,000 |
| 12 | Oregon | $34,938 | $27,000 | $44,000 |
| 13 | Minnesota | $34,589 | $27,000 | $43,000 |
| 14 | Vermont | $34,168 | $26,000 | $43,000 |
| 15 | Maryland | $33,363 | $25,000 | $43,000 |
| 16 | Illinois | $32,898 | $25,000 | $41,000 |
| 17 | Arizona | $32,565 | $25,000 | $42,000 |
| 18 | Michigan | $32,213 | $25,000 | $41,000 |
| 19 | Nevada | $32,177 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 20 | Nebraska | $32,106 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $32,042 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $32,042 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 23 | Colorado | $31,992 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 24 | Pennsylvania | $31,972 | $24,000 | $41,000 |
| 25 | Maine | $31,925 | $25,000 | $40,000 |
| 26 | Indiana | $31,688 | $24,000 | $40,000 |
| 27 | North Carolina | $31,646 | $24,000 | $40,000 |
| 28 | Montana | $31,620 | $25,000 | $39,000 |
| 29 | Iowa | $31,378 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 30 | Ohio | $31,121 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 31 | Kansas | $31,015 | $24,000 | $39,000 |
| 32 | Missouri | $30,267 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $30,252 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 34 | Utah | $30,165 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 35 | Texas | $29,983 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 36 | Florida | $29,976 | $22,000 | $39,000 |
| 37 | New Mexico | $29,943 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 38 | Alabama | $29,737 | $23,000 | $38,000 |
| 39 | Kentucky | $29,614 | $23,000 | $37,000 |
| 40 | Georgia | $29,520 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $29,448 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 42 | Idaho | $29,101 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 43 | Virginia | $29,044 | $22,000 | $37,000 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $28,616 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 45 | Wyoming | $28,365 | $22,000 | $36,000 |
| 46 | Louisiana | $27,625 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 47 | South Carolina | $27,544 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $27,465 | $21,000 | $35,000 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $26,424 | $20,000 | $33,000 |
| 50 | Mississippi | $25,767 | $19,000 | $33,000 |
Methodology: Customer Service Specialist Salary By State
To provide a clear picture of customer service specialist salaries by state, Zippia aggregates data from various sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. This data is then enriched with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team computes a weighted average from these inputs to derive the average pay for customer service specialists in each state.
We ranked each state based on the average annual salary for customer service specialists, with the highest-paying state receiving the top ranking.
Customer Service Specialist Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for customer service specialists?
The highest-paid state for customer service specialists is Massachusetts with an average salary of $39,302 per year.
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What city pays customer service specialists the most?
Boston, MA offers the highest average salary for customer service specialists at $39,336 per year.
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What is the worst state for customer service specialists?
The state with the lowest average salary for customer service specialists is Mississippi, at $25,767 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
