Virtual receptionist in Birmingham, AL: cost vs in-house
Birmingham is the most expensive place in Alabama to hire a virtual receptionist. The median is $35,610 a year1, 9.3% above the Alabama statewide median of $32,590 and 6.3% below the US median of $38,010. Among US areas it comes in at #299 of 521. It is the largest market for the job in Alabama: about 3,030 people, 29% of the Alabama total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Birmingham, AL. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Birmingham against Alabama and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | $24,160 | $35,610 | $43,180 | |
| Alabama | $22,830 | $32,590 | $40,730 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
The middle half of virtual receptionists in Birmingham earns $29,580–$37,060. The top tenth earns $43,180 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 1.7 times. The mean ($34,360) 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 $7,480 wide, against $8,540 across Alabama and $11,170 nationally: employers in Birmingham 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 | $24,160 | $2,013 | $11.62 | $31,174 |
| 25th percentile | $29,580 | $2,465 | $14.22 | $38,168 |
| Median | $35,610 | $2,968 | $17.12 | $45,948 |
| 75th percentile | $37,060 | $3,088 | $17.82 | $47,819 |
| 90th percentile | $43,180 | $3,598 | $20.76 | $55,716 |
Local pay is bunched just above the median: the 75th percentile is only $1,450 over it, while the 25th sits $6,030 below. Moving an offer from the median to the 75th percentile costs about $1,871 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 Birmingham, and the Alabama statewide median of $32,590 falls between the 25th percentile and the median. An offer at the national rate would beat what three quarters of local virtual receptionists earn.
What a hire really costs in Birmingham
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 $10,338 to the $35,610 median and brings it to $45,948 a year. 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 Birmingham
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Birmingham; project coordinators have the highest, at $100,820.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +25.2% | 10,900 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +13.8% | 9,850 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +9.9% | n/a | |
| Data Entry Specialist | +7.6% | 220 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 3,030 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #5 of the 16 roles we track in Birmingham (-6.3%), between administrative assistants (-6.2%) and bookkeepers (-6.6%). The typical role here is at -8.6%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 5.3% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in Birmingham, 5.2% across Alabama and 6.1% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Alabama
Across the 16 areas of Alabama with data for this job, the median runs from $29,450 in Gadsden to $35,610 in Birmingham, a gap of $6,160 a year. No other area in Alabama has as many virtual receptionists, and all 15 others pay less.
| Area | Median | vs Birmingham | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham, AL | this area | 3,030 | |
| Huntsville, AL | -1.5% | 1,470 | |
| Decatur, AL | -6.5% | 250 | |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | -10.4% | 190 | |
| Daphne-Fairhope, AL | -10.8% | 460 | |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | -11.3% | 330 | |
| Montgomery, AL | -13.7% | 750 |
Birmingham against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Birmingham is #53 of 521 US areas for this job. It is one of the larger markets for this job, with pay near the middle of the US range. Outside Alabama, Knoxville and Kankakee pay just above Birmingham and Lima and Waterloo-Cedar Falls just below. All four are within $20 a year of the median in Birmingham. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Birmingham | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI | +4.4% | 3,130 | jobs | |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | +0.4% | 2,930 | jobs | |
| Kankakee, IL | +0.0% | 310 | pay | |
| Knoxville, TN | +0.0% | 1,620 | pay | |
| Birmingham, AL | this area | 3,030 | ||
| Lima, OH | -0.0% | 370 | pay | |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | -0.1% | 240 | pay | |
| Albuquerque, NM | -0.7% | 3,010 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Birmingham, AL?
About $45,948 a year at the median, or $3,829 a month: $35,610 in pay plus about $10,338 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Birmingham?
The median was $35,610 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $24,160, the 90th $43,180, and the middle half earned $29,580 to $37,060.
Is Birmingham the most expensive area in Alabama for virtual receptionists?
Yes. Its median of $35,610 is the highest of 16 areas in Alabama. Huntsville comes next at $35,060.
How many virtual receptionists work in Birmingham?
BLS counts about 3,030 in the May 2025 survey. That is 29% of the Alabama total of 10,460. No other area in Alabama has as many.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a data entry specialist in Birmingham?
No: $2,710 a year less at the median. The medians are $35,610 and $38,320.
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.