Virtual receptionist in Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA: cost vs in-house
Hiring a virtual receptionist costs less in Blacksburg-Christiansburg than in Virginia or the country as a whole. The median is $34,940 a year1: 5.7% below the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 and 8.1% below the US median of $38,010. Nationally it ranks #340 of 521 areas. About 370 virtual receptionists work here, 2% of the Virginia total.
BLS occupation 43-4171, area Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in Blacksburg-Christiansburg against Virginia and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | $27,520 | $34,940 | $43,120 | |
| Virginia | $28,800 | $37,060 | $47,220 | |
| United States | $28,760 | $38,010 | $49,950 |
Virtual receptionists at the 90th percentile earn $43,120, 1.6 times the 10th percentile; the US ratio is 1.7. The middle half of virtual receptionists in Blacksburg-Christiansburg earns $30,000–$38,710. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is only $8,710 wide, against $12,210 across Virginia and $11,170 nationally: employers in Blacksburg-Christiansburg 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 | $27,520 | $2,293 | $13.23 | $35,510 |
| 25th percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14.42 | $38,710 |
| Median | $34,940 | $2,912 | $16.80 | $45,084 |
| 75th percentile | $38,710 | $3,226 | $18.61 | $49,948 |
| 90th percentile | $43,120 | $3,593 | $20.73 | $55,639 |
The step from the 25th percentile to the median is $4,940 a year; from the median to the 75th it is $3,770, or about $4,865 once benefits are added. 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 median and the 75th percentile in Blacksburg-Christiansburg, and the Virginia statewide median of $37,060 falls there too.
What a hire really costs in Blacksburg-Christiansburg
At the $34,940 median, a local hire costs about $45,084 a year: benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, about $10,144 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 Blacksburg-Christiansburg
Virtual receptionists have the lowest median of the 16 roles we track in Blacksburg-Christiansburg; project coordinators have the highest, at $85,070.
| Role | Median | vs virtual receptionist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Administrative Assistant | +26.2% | 700 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +14.0% | 310 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | +7.1% | 640 | |
| E-commerce Order Specialist | +1.9% | 40 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | this role | 370 |
Measured against the US median, virtual receptionists rank #6 of the 16 roles we track in Blacksburg-Christiansburg (-8.1%), between recruiters (-8.0%) and accountants (-10.6%). The typical role here is at -13.1%, so, measured against the US, virtual receptionists cost more in Blacksburg-Christiansburg than the area's general pay level would suggest. Virtual receptionists hold 7.6% of the jobs in the 15 of these roles with a job count in Blacksburg-Christiansburg, 6.0% across Virginia and 6.4% nationally. The job is a bigger part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in Virginia
Across the 13 areas of Virginia with data for this job, the median runs from $33,940 in Lynchburg to $37,220 in Harrisonburg, a gap of $3,280 a year. Of the 9 areas in Virginia with more virtual receptionists than Blacksburg-Christiansburg, 2 pay less: Roanoke, VA ($34,240) and Lynchburg, VA ($33,940).
| Area | Median | vs Blacksburg-Christiansburg | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +2.5% | 310 | |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake, VA-NC | +1.5% | 4,370 | |
| Southwest Virginia (Nonmetro) | +0.8% | 640 | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | this area | 370 | |
| Northeast Virginia (Nonmetro) | +0.0% | 270 | |
| Roanoke, VA | -2.0% | 980 | |
| Lynchburg, VA | -2.9% | 560 |
Blacksburg-Christiansburg against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, Blacksburg-Christiansburg is #381 of 521 US areas for this job. Both its size and its pay sit in the middle half of US areas. Outside Virginia, Oklahoma City and Muncie pay just above Blacksburg-Christiansburg and Wildwood-The Villages and Spartanburg just below. All four are within $100 a year of the median in Blacksburg-Christiansburg. Of the three markets with about as many virtual receptionists, two pay more.
| Metro area | Median | vs Blacksburg-Christiansburg | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chico, CA | +14.7% | 370 | jobs | |
| Greeley, CO | +11.5% | 370 | jobs | |
| Muncie, IN | +0.3% | 330 | pay | |
| Oklahoma City, OK | +0.3% | 4,030 | pay | |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA | this area | 370 | ||
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | +0.0% | 240 | pay | |
| Spartanburg, SC | -0.1% | 690 | pay | |
| Altoona, PA | -7.7% | 370 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a virtual receptionist in Blacksburg-Christiansburg, VA?
About $45,084 a year at the median, or $3,757 a month: $34,940 in pay plus about $10,144 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What is the pay range for virtual receptionists in Blacksburg-Christiansburg?
The median was $34,940 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $27,520, the 90th $43,120, and the middle half earned $30,000 to $38,710.
Is Blacksburg-Christiansburg cheaper than the rest of Virginia for virtual receptionists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $34,940 against $37,060 statewide. The next area up in Virginia is the Southwest Virginia nonmetro area at $35,210, the next down the Northeast Virginia nonmetro area at $34,940.
How many virtual receptionists work in Blacksburg-Christiansburg?
BLS counts about 370 in the May 2025 survey. That is 2% of the Virginia total of 23,360. 9 areas in Virginia have more; the closest in size is Winchester, with about 380.
Does a virtual receptionist cost more than an e-commerce order specialist in Blacksburg-Christiansburg?
No: $660 a year less at the median. The medians are $34,940 and $35,600.
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.