Virtual receptionist in Bismarck, ND: cost vs in-house
Bismarck pays virtual receptionists less than North Dakota as a whole but still more than the country. The median is $38,710 a year1: 2.1% below the North Dakota statewide median of $39,530 and 1.8% above the US median of $38,010. That is in the top quarter of US areas (#121 of 521). BLS counts about 440 people in this job here, 23% of the North Dakota total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Bismarck, ND. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Bismarck against North Dakota and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bismarck, ND | $28,430 | $38,710 | $54,330 | |
| North Dakota | $29,570 | $39,530 | $52,220 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Pay is more spread out here than nationally: the top tenth earns $54,330 or more, 1.9 times the bottom tenth, against 1.7 times across the US. Two offers for the same title can sit far apart. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Bismarck earns $32,940–$46,070. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $13,130 wide, wider than in North Dakota as a whole ($10,920) and the US ($11,170), so what a virtual receptionist earns in Bismarck depends more on the employer.
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 | $28,430 | $2,369 | $13.67 | $36,684 |
| 25th percentile | $32,940 | $2,745 | $15.84 | $42,503 |
| Median | $38,710 | $3,226 | $18.61 | $49,948 |
| 75th percentile | $46,070 | $3,839 | $22.15 | $59,445 |
| 90th percentile | $54,330 | $4,528 | $26.12 | $70,103 |
An offer at the 75th percentile instead of the median adds $7,360 a year in pay and about $9,497 in employer cost. Going down to the 25th percentile saves $5,770 in pay. 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 25th percentile and the median in Bismarck, and the North Dakota statewide median of $39,530 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in Bismarck
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 $11,238 to the $38,710 median and brings it to $49,948 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 Bismarck
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 15 roles we track in Bismarck; project coordinators have the highest, at $88,650.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookkeeper | +27.4% | 690 | |
| Administrative Assistant | +22.9% | 1,170 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +20.7% | 190 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +19.5% | 980 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 440 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #5 of the 15 roles we track in Bismarck (+1.8%), between customer support specialists (+3.3%) and medical administrative assistants (+1.7%). The typical role here is at +0.1%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Virtual receptionists hold 7.2% of the jobs in these 15 roles in Bismarck, 5.7% across North Dakota and 5.8% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in North Dakota
Across the 6 areas of North Dakota with data for this job, the median runs from $38,500 in Fargo to $42,540 in the East North Dakota nonmetro area, a gap of $4,040 a year. The one area in North Dakota with more virtual receptionists, Fargo, ND-MN ($38,500), pays less: a bigger pool at a lower median.
| Area | Median | vs Bismarck | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| East North Dakota (Nonmetro) | +9.9% | 220 | |
| West North Dakota (Nonmetro) | +9.9% | 290 | |
| Minot, ND | +3.5% | 160 | |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | +0.8% | 200 | |
| Bismarck, ND | this area | 440 | |
| Fargo, ND-MN | -0.5% | 700 |
Bismarck against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Bismarck is #336 of 521 US areas for this job. It is a mid-sized market, and its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside North Dakota, Omaha and Iowa City pay just above Bismarck and Janesville-Beloit and Sioux Falls just below. All four are within $150 a year of the median in Bismarck. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Bismarck | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kingston, NY | +2.1% | 440 | jobs | |
| Iowa City, IA | +0.1% | 300 | pay | |
| Omaha, NE-IA | +0.1% | 3,330 | pay | |
| Bismarck, ND | this area | 440 | ||
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | -0.2% | 640 | pay | |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | -0.4% | 2,430 | pay | |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | -3.4% | 440 | jobs | |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | -4.5% | 440 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Bismarck, ND?
About $49,948 a year at the median, or $4,162 a month: $38,710 in pay plus about $11,238 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do virtual receptionists earn in Bismarck?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $38,710 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $28,430, the 90th $54,330, and the middle half earned $32,940 to $46,070.
Is Bismarck cheaper than the rest of North Dakota for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $38,710 against $39,530 statewide. The next area up in North Dakota is Grand Forks at $39,020, the next down Fargo at $38,500.
How many virtual receptionists work in Bismarck?
BLS counts about 440 in the May 2025 survey. That is 23% of the North Dakota total of 1,930. Only Fargo has more in North Dakota.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than a customer support specialist in Bismarck?
No: $7,530 a year less at the median. The medians are $38,710 and $46,240.
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.