In terms of employment, customer service representative is the sixth most common job in the United States, employing roughly 2.77 million people, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The average salary for customer service representatives in the United States is roughly $35,650 yearly or $17.14 hourly. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that employment for customer service representatives will grow 5 percent through 2026.
Almost all industries need customer service representatives, but what are the best places for customer services representatives to pursue their careers?
AdvisorSmith's study of the customer service industry ranked 396 of the largest cities to discover the best cities for customer service representatives. Below are the top five:
1. Midland, Mich.
Midland is located in Central Michigan in an area known as the Great Lakes Bay Region. Dow Chemical, along with its offshoot, Dow Corning, as well as Chemical Bank, are headquartered in Midland, creating an abundance of high-quality customer service representative jobs. Midland has 84 percent more customer service representative jobs compared with the average U.S. city. Customer service representatives in Midland earned an average of $44,580, which is 25 percent above the national average. Additionally, Midland's low cost of living, which is 9 percent below the average U.S. city, provides an additional benefit.
2. Des Moines, Iowa
Des Moines is a center for the insurance industry and also has a substantial financial services and publishing presence. Some of the major companies headquartered in Des Moines that provide jobs for customer service representatives include the Principal Financial Group, Meredith, and Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield. Customer service representatives in Des Moines earn an average wage of $39,550 while enjoying a cost of living that is 10 percent below the national average. The city also hosts 72 percent more customer service representative jobs than the average city.
3. Danville, Ill.
Danville is located about 120 miles south of Chicago. It hosts offices of McLane Midwest and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, both of which provide substantial customer service jobs. Customer service representatives in Danville earn average salaries of $37,580, or $18.07 per hour, which is 5 percent above the national average. Additionally, Danville also benefits from very low costs of living.
4. Green Bay, Wis.
Green Bay hosts offices for health insurance companies, paper products companies, and logistics that provide career opportunities for customer service representatives. Customer service representatives in Green Bay earn an average salary of $36,960, which is 4 percent above the national average. The city also has 72 percent more customer service representative jobs per capita than the average U.S. city.
5. Syracuse, N.Y.
Syracuse, located in Central New York State, hosts multiple health centers, as well as Wegmans and Time Warner Cable offices, which provide jobs for customer service reps. Syracuse has 19 percent more customer service jobs per capita than the average U.S. city. Those customer service representatives earn an above average salary of $39,370 and benefit from Syracuse's lower-than-average cost of living.
