Virtual receptionist in Amarillo, TX: cost vs in-house
Amarillo is a lower-cost market for virtual receptionists: the median of $33,900 a year1 is 3.7% below the Texas statewide median of $35,210, and 10.8% below the US median of $38,010. That is in the bottom quarter of US areas (#399 of 521). About 900 virtual receptionists work here, 1% of the Texas total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Amarillo, TX. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Amarillo against Texas and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amarillo, TX | $24,870 | $33,900 | $44,560 | |
| Texas | $24,700 | $35,210 | $47,380 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $44,560, 1.8 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Amarillo earns $28,300–$37,460. The mean ($33,850) is no higher than the median, so few high earners skew the figures here. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $9,160 wide, against $11,050 across Texas and $11,170 nationally: employers in Amarillo pay within a narrower band.
What to budget for a virtual receptionist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $24,870 | $2,072 | $11.96 | $32,090 |
| 25th percentile | $28,300 | $2,358 | $13.61 | $36,516 |
| Median | $33,900 | $2,825 | $16.30 | $43,742 |
| 75th percentile | $37,460 | $3,122 | $18.01 | $48,335 |
| 90th percentile | $44,560 | $3,713 | $21.42 | $57,497 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $3,560 over it, while the 25th sits $5,600 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $4,594 more a year with benefits. 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 $38,010 falls between the 75th and 90th percentiles in Amarillo, and the Texas statewide median of $35,210 falls between the median and the 75th percentile. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in Amarillo
At the $33,900 median, a local hire costs about $43,742 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $9,842 here. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
We place executive assistants, customer support and e-commerce staff today; for virtual receptionists we answer within one business day whether we can help. Enter the monthly pay you have in mind to compare it with a local hire. The fee field shows our standard fee3; Deel's contractor plan is the default payroll tool4.
Other roles in Amarillo
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 17 roles we track in Amarillo; project coordinators have the highest, at $83,210.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Support Specialist | +15.0% | 2,280 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +14.5% | 620 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +14.0% | 1,410 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +11.6% | 70 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 900 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 17 roles we track in Amarillo (-10.8%), between accountants (-8.9%) and customer support specialists (-12.9%). The typical role here is at -14.2%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Amarillo than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 7.7% of the jobs in these 17 roles in Amarillo, 5.0% across Texas and 5.7% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Texas
Across the 32 areas of Texas with data for this job, the median runs from $28,530 in McAllen-Edinburg to $37,280 in Midland, a gap of $8,750 a year. Of the 11 areas in Texas with more virtual receptionists than Amarillo, 7 pay less, the largest of them El Paso, TX ($29,460), McAllen-Edinburg, TX ($28,530) and the North Region of Texas nonmetro area ($32,130).
| Area | Median | vs Amarillo | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena, TX | +4.3% | 17,140 | |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | +1.8% | 890 | |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | +1.1% | 320 | |
| Amarillo, TX | this area | 900 | |
| Wichita Falls, TX | -2.8% | 420 | |
| Waco, TX | -3.2% | 730 | |
| Longview, TX | -4.6% | 610 |
Amarillo against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Amarillo is #181 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the bottom quarter of US areas. Outside Texas, Lynchburg and Kingsport-Bristol pay just above Amarillo and Hickory-Lenoir and Bay City just below. All four are within $40 a year of the median in Amarillo. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Amarillo | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anchorage, AK | +31.7% | 890 | jobs | |
| Medford, OR | +19.9% | 910 | jobs | |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | +0.1% | 470 | pay | |
| Lynchburg, VA | +0.1% | 560 | pay | |
| Amarillo, TX | this area | 900 | ||
| Hickory-Lenoir, NC | -0.1% | 420 | pay | |
| Bay City, MI | -0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| Columbus, GA-AL | -8.0% | 910 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Amarillo, TX?
About $43,742 a year at the median, or $3,645 a month: $33,900 in pay plus about $9,842 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Amarillo?
Pay here is lower than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $33,900 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,870, the 90th $44,560, and the middle half earned $28,300 to $37,460.
Is Amarillo cheaper than the rest of Texas for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $33,900 against $35,210 statewide. The next area up in Texas is Sherman-Denison at $34,270, the next down Wichita Falls at $32,940.
How many virtual receptionists work in Amarillo?
BLS counts about 900 in the May 2025 survey. That is 1% of the Texas total of 78,330. 11 areas in Texas have more; the closest in size is Brownsville-Harlingen, with about 1,070.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Amarillo?
No: $3,930 a year less at the median. The medians are $33,900 and $37,830.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4171: 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.